Ep 2. Naked Lunch

The show Mystery Diners takes viewers behind the scenes of various restaurants across the country, where the owners suspect that something isn't quite right in their establishment. In season 4 episode 2, titled "Naked Lunch," the Mystery Diners are called in by the owners of The Soup Kitchen, a seafood restaurant in San Francisco.

The Soup Kitchen is owned by a trio of siblings who are concerned about their business. They've been receiving a number of complaints from customers about poor service, slow delivery times, and an overall lack of cleanliness. The owners are also worried about a recent spike in food waste, as they're throwing away more and more food every week.

To get to the bottom of things, the Mystery Diners send in two undercover operatives: Brandon and Nicole. Brandon is posing as a new waiter, while Nicole is pretending to be a customer. Their mission is to observe the behavior of the restaurant's employees and keep an eye out for any suspicious activity.

As soon as they arrive, Brandon and Nicole notice a number of issues. The restaurant is incredibly disorganized, with employees rushing around in a panicked frenzy. The kitchen is a mess, with dirty dishes piled high and food splattered everywhere. Brandon attempts to take orders from customers, but no one seems to be paying attention to him.

Nicole orders the "Naked Lunch" special, which is a seafood platter that's supposed to be served without any kind of sauce or dressing. When her food arrives, however, it's covered in a sticky, sweet glaze. She alerts Brandon, who decides to investigate further.

Brandon discovers that the employees are engaging in a number of illicit activities. One of the servers is stealing tips from his coworkers, pockets full of cash bulging in his apron. Another employee is taking advantage of the restaurant's lax security to smuggle food out to her family. Worst of all, the head chef is using expired ingredients and serving old, rotting food to customers.

Meanwhile, Nicole observes a confrontation between one of the owners and a group of rowdy customers. The customers are refusing to pay for their meal, claiming that their food was cold and inedible. The owner insists that they pay their bill, and the situation quickly escalates into a shouting match.

As the night wears on, Brandon and Nicole gather more and more evidence of misconduct. They witness employees drinking on the job, using their phones instead of working, and generally ignoring the needs of the customers.

In the end, the Mystery Diners confront the owners with their findings. The owners are shocked and disgusted by what they've discovered, and immediately take action to improve the restaurant's operations. They fire several employees and institute a number of new policies to prevent similar issues from arising in the future.

Overall, "Naked Lunch" is a fascinating look at the inner workings of a troubled seafood restaurant. The Mystery Diners use their skills and expertise to uncover a host of unethical behaviors, ultimately helping the owners to clean up their business and provide better service to their customers.