Trends

Stephen Starr and Jose Garces Are Two Major Restaurateurs Using Undercover Dining Spies To Critique Their Own Establishments

Photo: Dominic Episcopo for Philadelphia Magazine

In this month’s Philadelphia Magazine, Ashley Primis profiles the growing use of secret diners by Philadelphia restaurants. It’s another form of quality assurance that a owner can employ to ensure the customer experience is at the level he demands. And considering how the slightest misstep at a restaurant can be potentially disastrous these days (thanks to the Internet), several premier Philadelphia restaurants are regularly using paid undercover diners, including the Rittenhouse and Four Seasons hotels, Tria, Stephen Starr and Jose Garces. Says Starr: “Any owner who doesn’t [use a service] is crazy.”

Restaurants: Dining Room Confidential [Philadelphia Magazine]

Stephen Starr and Jose Garces Are Two Major Restaurateurs Using Undercover