A mystery shopper went to LongHorn Steakhouse as a regular customer, then one look at her water switched her work brain back on

A fly was reportedly found floating in a glass of water at a LongHorn Steakhouse, turning a casual meal into a major health concern for a professional mystery shopper. Mercedes Eckert, who posts as @mercedeseckert on TikTok, captured the moment on video while sitting in a booth at the restaurant. While the water looked normal at first, a quick zoom revealed a fly perched on an ice cube right next to her straw.

As reported by BroBible, Eckert, who is a longtime mystery shopper, shared her reaction to finding something in her food in the text overlay of her video, writing, “Omg and they have no idea I am a mystery shopper!” Even though she was officially off the clock during this visit, she expressed her frustration in the caption, stating, “Why is there a dead fly in my drink? Good thing this is not one of my mystery shops – lawd have mercy!”

This experience follows a series of unsanitary encounters Eckert has had at the same chain. Back in July, she reportedly documented a visit where she received a butter cup with sauce smeared around the edge, a plate with food splattered on the rim, and a glass of water that appeared hazy. 

She was not working at that time  

The video has gained quite a bit of attention, racking up over 15,000 views and sparking a heated conversation among viewers. One person shared a similar experience, commenting, “Last time I went to Longhorn, the girl refilled my water and a huge piece of lettuce appeared in my water.” 

Another viewer noted, “Mystery shopping has changed my complete outlook on going out for dinner. That’s so gross.” Not everyone was sympathetic, though, as some users pointed out that mistakes can happen, while others questioned the existence of mystery shoppers at the chain altogether.

Eckert took to the comments section to clarify how the industry works for those who were skeptical. She explained, “Let me let you in on something, competitors order mystery shops for other businesses. The government uses mystery shoppers as well. So even if a specific company has not brought them in, their competitor may have. Lawd have mercy.”

For those who are unfamiliar with the profession, mystery shoppers are hired by marketing research companies to pose as regular customers. They are essentially undercover reviewers tasked with evaluating restaurants, gathering photos, and documenting details. 

They look at everything from employee behavior and food quality to wait times and overall cleanliness. Their work reportedly involves checking off a specific list of requirements to give a third-party perspective on the good, the bad, and the ugly of a dining experience.