Ep 3. Money on the Side

In Mystery Diners season 5 episode 3, titled "Money on the Side," Charles Stiles and his team of undercover customers are hired by the owner of Double Barrel Steakhouse in Los Angeles to investigate concerns of employees using the restaurant's equipment and resources for their own personal gain. The owner, Kosta, suspects that some of his staff are using his restaurant's kitchen to prepare and sell their own food, costing him potential profits.

Charles sends in Mystery Diner, Emily, posing as a new employee to get the inside scoop on what is really going on. She quickly discovers that Kosta's suspicions are correct and that the employees are indeed using the kitchen to cook and sell their own food. It turns out that one of the servers, AJ, has his own catering business on the side and is using the restaurant's equipment and ingredients to prepare food for his customers. He's making a pretty penny doing this and even has some of the other employees in on the scheme.

While Emily is gathering intel on the kitchen shenanigans, two other Mystery Diners are sent in to investigate the front of the house. They soon discover that Kosta's suspicions extend beyond the kitchen and that one of his bartenders is taking money from the cash register and not ringing up all the sales. The bartender, Brian, is pocketing a portion of the cash from the sales and giving away free drinks to his friends. This is causing Double Barrel Steakhouse to lose money and is putting a dent in Kosta's bottom line.

With all the evidence in hand, it's up to Charles and his team of Mystery Diners to confront the employees and get to the bottom of things. The confrontation is tense and emotional, as Kosta genuinely cares for his employees but knows that he can't let them get away with stealing from him. The employees are shocked to learn that they've been caught and are visibly upset.

In the end, Kosta decides to give the employees a second chance and opts not to call the authorities. He does, however, implement several new policies and procedures to prevent this type of behavior from happening again in the future. The employees are grateful for the second chance and vow to be better employees moving forward.

"Mystery Diners" season 5 episode 3, "Money on the Side," is a high-stakes, emotional episode that showcases the importance of loyalty and trust in the workplace. It's a cautionary tale for business owners who may be experiencing similar issues and a red flag for employees who think they can get away with stealing from their employer. The episode is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats as they watch the Mystery Diners uncover the shocking truth about what's really going on in the Double Barrel Steakhouse.