Ep 11. Fyre on the Beach

In episode 11 of season 8 of Mystery Diners, titled "Fyre on the Beach," the team arrives in Miami to help the owners of Fyre on the Beach, a beachfront eatery with a stunning ocean view. While the restaurant has received rave reviews for its location, food, and ambiance, the owner suspects that one of his bartenders is stealing from the cash register.

To help uncover the truth, Charles Stiles and his team send in undercover Mystery Diners to pose as guests at the restaurant. The first set of diners orders drinks from the suspect bartender, who appears to be friendly but somewhat distracted. The bartender fails to record their order in the POS system, which immediately raises red flags.

Next, the Mystery Diners order several dishes from the kitchen, including ceviche and lobster rolls. While the food is delicious, it takes an unusually long time to arrive at the table. The owner watches nervously from the surveillance room as his chef appears to struggle to keep up with the orders.

After their meal, the Mystery Diners repeatedly ask the bartender for their check, but he doesn't seem to be paying attention. Finally, he gives them a handwritten bill, which is significantly higher than what they actually ordered. As soon as the Mystery Diners leave, the team confronts the bartender about his behavior.

At first, the bartender denies any wrongdoing, claiming that he simply forgot to ring in the drinks and was busy trying to catch up with the orders. However, after being presented with evidence from the surveillance footage, he finally admits to stealing from the cash register.

Meanwhile, the team also discovers that the chef had been giving away free food to his friends and family without the owner's knowledge. To make matters worse, the chef had been cooking with expired ingredients, which could potentially harm the health and safety of the customers.

At the end of the episode, the owner is shocked and disappointed by the behavior of his employees but thankful to the Mystery Diners for helping him uncover the truth. He immediately fires the bartender and the chef and implements stricter guidelines for his staff to prevent future incidents of theft or negligence.

Overall, "Fyre on the Beach" is a fascinating episode of Mystery Diners that showcases the importance of surveillance and honesty in the restaurant industry. Through their undercover work, the team helps the owner of Fyre on the Beach identify and eliminate dishonest employees, ensuring that his customers will continue to enjoy wonderful food and drinks in a safe and inviting atmosphere.