Ep 2. Cocktail Fail

Mystery Diners is a reality TV show where restaurant owners who suspect their employees of wrongdoing hire a team of undercover operatives to investigate. The show's seventh season features an episode titled "Cocktail Fail," wherein a restaurant owner suspects that a bar employee is stealing alcohol and giving away free drinks to friends.

The episode opens with the restaurant owner, Frank, expressing his concerns about his bar's inventory. He believes that a bartender named Johnny may be stealing alcohol and giving it away to his friends, as well as making drinks incorrectly and wasting ingredients. Frank decides to call in the Mystery Diners to catch Johnny in the act.

The Mystery Diners team consists of several actors who go undercover as customers, secret shoppers, and job applicants. They are led by Charles Stiles, the owner of a private investigation company that specializes in restaurant surveillance. Before beginning their investigation, the team sets up hidden cameras and microphones in the restaurant to capture Johnny's behavior.

The first step in the investigation is to send in a secret shopper named Kelly to order a drink from Johnny. She asks for a margarita, and Johnny makes her a drink that is too sweet and has barely any alcohol. Kelly reports back to the team and they decide to send in another secret shopper, named Jeff, to order a more complicated drink.

Jeff asks for a mojito, which requires several ingredients and techniques to make correctly. Johnny struggles to make the drink and takes an unusually long time, causing Jeff to become suspicious. When he receives the drink, he finds that it tastes terrible and has no alcohol in it.

The next tactic is to send in a job applicant named Rachel, who claims to have experience working in bars. She is interviewed by Johnny and quickly proves her qualifications. She is hired on the spot and begins working alongside Johnny at the bar.

Rachel quickly discovers that Johnny is indeed stealing alcohol and giving away free drinks to his friends. She also realizes that he is using incorrect techniques and wasting ingredients, leading to increased costs for the restaurant. She reports her findings back to the Mystery Diners team.

With the evidence in hand, the team decides to confront Johnny and Frank about the situation. They set up a surprise meeting with the two of them and show them the footage of Johnny's actions. Frank is shocked and disappointed, while Johnny is defensive and denies any wrongdoing.

Ultimately, Frank decides to let Johnny go and hires Rachel as his replacement. He also implements new policies and procedures to prevent theft and wasted resources in the future. The episode ends with the Mystery Diners team congratulating Rachel on her new job and wrapping up their investigation.

Overall, "Cocktail Fail" is an engaging episode that showcases the Mystery Diners team's skills in uncovering employee misconduct. It also highlights the importance of proper training and supervision in the restaurant industry, as well as the potentially costly consequences of employee theft and incompetence.