Whispers

March 31, 2006

Check, please!

National Shopping Service is feeling more love these days from restaurants. The Rocklin mystery-shopping company has regained much of the restaurant business it lost over the last couple of years.

Eatery chains were a mainstay, providing one-third or more of the firm's domestic business. In mid-2004, though, some switched solely to customer-satisfaction surveys. By mid-2005, restaurants made up a record-low 23.8 percent of revenue.

But this year they're back, supplying more than 30 percent of revenue. There was no marketing push. "It's strictly happening on its own," says exec Tony Yorba.