Ep 12. Heavy Lifting

In Mystery Diners season 6 episode 12, titled "Heavy Lifting," the team heads to a barbecue restaurant in Texas called "Shed-it and Get-it." The owner, Randy, is concerned about the productivity of his staff during peak hours. He has noticed that the wait times for food have been unusually long, even though there are enough employees on staff.

Randy suspects that his employees may be taking too many breaks or engaging in other activities that are slowing down the food production process. To get to the bottom of the issue, he turns to Charles Stiles and his team of Mystery Diners.

The Mystery Diners go undercover, pretending to be customers of the restaurant. They observe the employees and the kitchen operations, looking for any signs of problems or inefficiencies. They order a variety of dishes, including brisket, ribs, and pulled pork and take note of the wait times.

The wait times are indeed longer than they should be, and there seems to be a lack of urgency among the employees. The Mystery Diners also notice that the kitchen is disorganized and messy, with ingredients and equipment scattered around in no particular order.

To gather more information, the Mystery Diners decide to install hidden cameras in the restaurant. They catch several instances of employees taking long breaks, chatting on their phones, and even napping in the dining area during peak hours. The cameras also capture the kitchen staff struggling to keep up with the high demand for food.

Armed with this evidence, the Mystery Diners confront Randy about the issues they have uncovered. Randy is shocked and disappointed to learn about the behavior of his staff. He had no idea that they were engaging in such unprofessional conduct during work hours.

The Mystery Diners advise Randy to implement a new system for managing employee breaks and to reorganize the kitchen to make it more efficient. They also recommend that he provide his staff with clearer expectations and goals, so that they understand the importance of their work and the impact it has on the restaurant's success.

In the end, Randy takes the Mystery Diners' advice and implements the changes they recommend. The result is a more organized kitchen, faster service times, and happier customers who are eager to return to Shed-it and Get-it for its delicious barbecue fare.