I for one love the Food Network, I think their programming has gotten so much better since the old days of strictly cooking shows. I think recently they have been stretching a little too far in the reality department like so many other cable channels out there. When I saw the promos for Restaurant Stakeout I thought “Nice someone is actually gonna show the service industry from the inside and the common situations we have to deal with.” I watched the first episode and NO, just NO…it’s like production sat around and had a meeting and were like ok how can we make servers, bartenders, managers and hostesses look as bad as possible. I will admit there are some bad apples out there, but for the most part, we are a hardworking group of people.
This show is just so ridiculously faked it represents us in such a negative way. One specific episode had two women go into the restaurant to order something that was not on their menu, they asked their server “I see you have artichokes on your menu, can you make a stuffed artichoke?” The server replied, “To be safe I would stick with what is on the menu, no we cannot make that.” Willie Degel, the host said he would fire someone who had that answer. Why Mr. Degel would you think it is wrong for your server to tell the guest to stick with your menu, I’m sure your chef who spends hours developing your menu items would appreciate that.
Another example is one episode where the manager hires two girls for a server position, one of the girls is better looking with no experience and the other is a less attractive more experienced server. The difference between how the manager treats the two is so unrealistic, he follows around the first girl, asks her inappropriate questions, asks her out to a club and checks in on her regularlu. The second girl is berated almost immediately when she walks in the door and thrown an apron and immediately charged with taking a table by herself. She obviously struggles through her shift because she is given no instructions and has no idea about the menu or restaurant policies. Even the owner who is watching this situation on a “hidden camera” has nothing to say about the lackluster training process. Thanks RS for dumbing down our training process so much that to the general public it looks like we just walk on the floor and start taking tables. Let’s not get started on how the staff is portrayed, they are shown saying things to guests like , “Crusty like your boyfriend’s underwear” and “do you know who the F*** I am”, the interactions seen on the show are so obviously fake and as a member of the service industry I am personally offended that someone would go out of their way to make us look bad. We already struggle enough with people thinking we are low on the totem pole of life and treat us like servants enough of the time, now there is this full on propaganda of a show fueling the fire that we cannot conduct ourselves professionally. I for one cannot wait for a show that portrays the service industry from the real inside, not one made up by producers to boost ratings.
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Are you kidding me? In the 10ish years I’ve been serving, more than half of the staff (foh and boh) do not take their jobs seriously. For a lot of servers, it’s easy, quick cash while they’re going to school or gettin high or whatever during off hours. What other job will let you walk out with a $100 cash after a 5 hour shift.. Surely not retail, where their good looks, cutesy personalities and zero experience wouldn’t even get them hired. They complain when they don’t make an amount of money a night that most of their peers don’t even make in a week! Spoiled, yes. This industry sadly allows it. Coming from where this season’s Restaurant Stakeout is being set, so far, it all seems about right.. Maybe even too lenient on them.
I take my job seriously; it is my career.
The show is indeed staged and they do hire actors to portray restaurant staff. I know this because I was a paid actor on one of the early episodes. Obviously I’m not going to say which one, as I signed confidentiality agreements. It’s entertainment folks. Get over it.
I personally don’t know what you’re talking about. The show clearly shows cases of bad employees getting out of hand. Anyone with half a brain realizes it’s extreme cases of bad employees and does not represent the average employee. It wouldn’t be too entertaining if they just showed model workers.
Wow Sophie u are dumb
It’s a great idea if were real. It doesn’t have to have all the extra drama just to create tension. The lighting was my first clue – way too bright for a typical kitchen area. Then the sound was too good. And that “remote control room” is exactly the same thing every show. I was looking forward to it but its so bad. Come on Marc Summers, you can do better.
First of all, Willie Degel is an obnoxious, loud-mouthed New York Yankee. He is a wannabe spy. He gets the restaurant owner off in a vacant lot, supposedly so nobody will follow or know where he is. (How Silly) Then he talks all the time, half forming his words, which is typical of his type. Then he tries to make himself important, like owning 2 restaurants and “The people don’t know who they will be facing” LOL.
Yes, I agree that it is fake. It is so much better then all the crime and killings on TV.
Whether or not the show is fake doesn’t bother me as much as that Willie Degel guy. He needs to learn to speak proper English. I know he’s a New Yorker and many people from that area speak that way but if a waiter (let alone an owner or manager) said things like “we don’t have none of that” or “he don’t know what he’s doing”, I would be quite offended. I worked in the retail industry for over 20 years and wouldn’t hire people who would be interacting with the public who didn’t use propler English. Did these people ever go to school?? He often calls employees “disrespectful” but I find him to be rude and very disrespectful. Willie, find yourself an English teacher and take some lessons!!
I just wish they would not insult our intelligence by having the owner of the restaurant wear the same clothes while displaying on the screen day 1 – day 2- day 3- . Each and every episode is the same ! At least have them change ! From day one to the final confrontation with the employees the outfits are the same. Come on not believeable at all !
The scenario you listed about the manager hiring a better looking server is actually from Mystery Diners, another fake show on Food Network. I’m disappointed in them for showing both of these staged shows as real.
Fake or not, Willie Rocks!!! I am SOOOO GLAD that one person, one guy, yes Willie D had the customers interest at hand. Actors or not HE GETS the point across on HOW to treat customers. I have these issues with restaurants all the time. I AM SO pleased that He brings these things into a reality show. I and my husband LOVE it!!!!!
Willie is a ROCK STAR with humor!!!!
Willie is awesome! I love this show , Willie is who he is and guess what? He’s successful without having to act like some pseudo-intellectual phony