Ep 9. Starving for Customers
- TV-G
- November 27, 2013
- 42 min
In Restaurant Stakeout season 4 episode 9, named "Starving for Customers," host Willie Degel visits a struggling Italian restaurant in Staten Island, New York. The restaurant, named T's, is owned by sisters Theresa and Tina. Although their food is good, the restaurant is not making enough money, and the sisters are both stressed and exhausted.
Willie meets with the sisters to discuss the problems they are facing. They reveal that they have little foot traffic, and the customers that do come in are not spending enough money. The sisters are also not enforcing their policies, such as charging for substitutions, which is causing them to lose money.
To assess the restaurant's problems, Willie installs hidden cameras throughout the restaurant. He observes that the staff is not properly trained, and the food is taking too long to come out of the kitchen. Additionally, the portion sizes are inconsistent and some of the food is not properly cooked.
Willie also notices that the menu is confusing and overwhelming for customers. There are too many options, and some of the dishes are not traditional Italian fare. This confuses customers and makes it difficult for them to decide what to order.
To help the sisters turn their restaurant around, Willie brings in his team of experts. Chef Michael Ferraro helps the kitchen staff improve their cooking techniques and teaches them how to properly season dishes. He also simplifies the menu and adds a few of his own signature dishes.
Meanwhile, bartender Anthony Caporale trains the staff on how to make classic Italian cocktails and recommends house-made limoncello as a signature drink. Willie also helps the sisters enforce their policies, such as charging for substitutions, in order to increase their profits.
At the end of the episode, the sisters are amazed at the changes they see in their restaurant. The food is better, the staff is more efficient, and customers are spending more money. They feel more confident and excited about the future of their business.
