Ep 7. Barbecue Blues

In season 3, episode 7 of Mystery Diners titled Barbecue Blues, the focus is on Bar-Jac BBQ, a Texas-style barbecue joint in Houston, Texas. The owner, Bailey, has noticed a drop in revenue and has a suspicion that one of his employees could be stealing food and alcohol from the restaurant. To get to the bottom of things, Bailey contacts the team of Mystery Diners, who will go undercover and investigate the situation.

The episode opens with Bailey explaining his concerns to the Mystery Diners team. He tells them that he hired a new bartender named Wes recently, and since then, food and alcohol have gone missing from the restaurant. Bailey also reveals that he has reason to believe that one of his chefs, Dave, may be involved in the theft as well. To find out if his suspicions are correct, the Mystery Diners team sets up hidden cameras and microphones throughout the restaurant.

The next day, the Mystery Diners team goes undercover as customers. They place orders for food and drinks and observe the staff as they work. It's immediately apparent that Wes, the new bartender, is not as skilled as he claimed to be during his interview. He struggles with making basic cocktails and has trouble remembering the prices of certain drinks. Meanwhile, Dave, one of the chefs, seems to be more focused on talking with customers than preparing food.

As the day goes on, the team observes several suspicious activities. They notice Wes sneaking drinks from the bar when he thinks no one is looking, and they see Dave giving away free food to customers. They also hear the employees discussing how they plan to sneak food and alcohol out of the restaurant at the end of their shifts.

With this evidence, the Mystery Diners team confronts Bailey with their findings. They show him the footage from the hidden cameras and play back the audio recordings of the employees' conversations. Bailey is shocked to see that Wes and Dave have been stealing from him, and he immediately takes action to stop it.

Bailey calls a staff meeting and shows the employees the evidence. He tells them that stealing from the restaurant is a serious offense and that anyone caught doing it will be fired on the spot. Wes and Dave both deny the accusations at first, but when Bailey threatens to call the police, they admit to their wrongdoing.

In the end, Bailey is grateful to the Mystery Diners team for uncovering the theft and restoring his trust in his employees. He fires Wes and Dave and replaces them with more reliable staff members. The episode closes on a positive note, with Bar-Jac BBQ on the path to success once again.