Restaurant Stakeout is a scripted American reality television series on the Food Network. The series debuted on March 12, 2012, with the second season premiering on August 29, 2012.[1] It is one of the first non-studio shows attempted on Food Network.[2]

Restaurant Stakeout
GenreReality
Presented byWillie Degel
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes58
Production
Executive producers
  • Alex Campbell
  • Jay Blumenfield
  • Joe Devito
  • Jon Beyer
  • Mike Colon
  • Tony Marsh
Original release
NetworkFood Network
ReleaseMarch 11, 2012 (2012-03-11) –
September 10, 2014 (2014-09-10)

Plot

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The series follows William Jack "Willie" Degel, the owner of New York City restaurant Uncle Jack's Steakhouse, who goes behind the scenes of various restaurants across the country at the request of their owner(s). He takes the keys and installs hidden cameras to examine their service problems.[3]

Willie and the owner(s) observe the restaurant's operation from a control room, and Willie comments about what he sees. Once Willie has assembled a list of key issues, the owner(s) calls a staff meeting. Willie appears at the meeting and confronts the staff with his findings. After that takes place, Willie returns the next day to help correct the problems. Some time later, Willie returns (now dressed in casual clothes) to get a status report.

The show differs from other similar shows in that its primary focus is on identifying ways to provide better customer service. Unlike Kitchen Nightmares and Restaurant: Impossible, there is rarely a problem with the cuisine, restaurant cleanliness, menu, or decor. The owner's main fault is being much too easy on the staff. Mystery Diners is also scripted, but usually about determining who is actively undermining the restaurant and getting them fired (although occasionally, a few employees have been fired on this show).

Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
16March 11, 2012 (2012-03-11)April 11, 2012 (2012-04-11)
213August 29, 2012 (2012-08-29)December 12, 2012 (2012-12-12)
313March 13, 2013 (2013-03-13)June 26, 2013 (2013-06-26)
413September 11, 2013 (2013-09-11)January 8, 2014 (2014-01-08)
513June 4, 2014 (2014-06-04)September 10, 2014 (2014-09-10)

Season 1 (2012)

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No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Restaurant Location Original air date
11"From the Top Down"Firefly RestaurantLas Vegas, NVMarch 11, 2012 (2012-03-11)
22"Party All the Time"Lexington Grille & PubBardonia, NYMarch 14, 2012 (2012-03-14)
33"Find the Leader to Follow"Mt. Ivy CaféPomona, NYMarch 21, 2012 (2012-03-21)
44"The Son and the Father"Agnello's PizzeriaNew City, NYMarch 28, 2012 (2012-03-28)
55"Paint by Numbers"Bar + BistroLas Vegas, NVApril 4, 2012 (2012-04-04)
66"Oh, Brother"Willy Parkers American Bar & GrillWilliston Park, NYApril 11, 2012 (2012-04-11)

Season 2 (2012)

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No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Restaurant Location Original air date
71"Nobody's Runnin' the Store"Trends RestaurantStaten Island, NYAugust 29, 2012 (2012-08-29)
82"When the Cat's Away"Nauna's Bella CasaMontclair, NJSeptember 5, 2012 (2012-09-05)
93"The Customer's Always Wrong"Oakwood DinerStaten Island, NYSeptember 12, 2012 (2012-09-12)
104"Damsel in Distress"PepperJack GrillStaten Island, NYSeptember 19, 2012 (2012-09-19)
115"Who Hires These People?"Pita GrillHoboken, NJSeptember 26, 2012 (2012-09-26)
126"Act Like the Boss"Liberty Bar & GrillHoboken, NJOctober 10, 2012 (2012-10-10)
137"That Money's Out the Door"Anna Maria's Italian RestaurantLarchmont, NYOctober 17, 2012 (2012-10-17)
148"This Place Is a Circus"SerataOyster Bay, NYOctober 24, 2012 (2012-10-24)
159"You Can't Fire Family"Ariana RestaurantHuntington, NYNovember 14, 2012 (2012-11-14)
1610"On Its Last Leg"Haven Grill BBQPort Washington, NYNovember 21, 2012 (2012-11-21)
1711"Little Place, Lotsa Drama"Taqueria AutenticaBloomfield, NJNovember 28, 2012 (2012-11-28)
1812"My Big Fat Greek Nightmare"Athena Mediterranean CuisinePark Slope, Brooklyn, NYDecember 5, 2012 (2012-12-05)
1913"A Bunch of Spoiled Brats"Joey D's Pizzeria & RestaurantMetuchen, NJDecember 12, 2012 (2012-12-12)

Season 3 (2013)

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No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Restaurant Location Original air date
201"Barbecue with Attitude"Hot Rods BBQWharton, NJMarch 13, 2013 (2013-03-13)
212"Mamma's Boy"Latin KitchenBronx, NYMarch 20, 2013 (2013-03-20)
223"You Can't Be Everything"AJ's BurgersNew Rochelle, NYMarch 27, 2013 (2013-03-27)
234"Three Strikes and You're Out!"Shiraz Persian RestaurantElmsford, NYApril 3, 2013 (2013-04-03)
245"The Big, Not So, Easy"The BayouNorth Bellmore, NYApril 15, 2013 (2013-04-15)
256"To Catch a 'Restaurant' Thief"Danny's Grill & Wine BarRed Bank, NJApril 24, 2013 (2013-04-24)
267"Giving Away the House"Gus's Franklin Park RestaurantHarrison, NYMay 1, 2013 (2013-05-01)
278"Kitchen Mafia"Dock's Clam BarStaten Island, NYMay 8, 2013 (2013-05-08)
289"Your Smokehouse Is a JOKEhouse"Smokehouse BarbecueSomerville, NJMay 29, 2013 (2013-05-29)
2910"The Place Is a Ghost Town"Roasted PeppersMamaroneck, NYJune 5, 2013 (2013-06-05)
3011"Tuscan Tumbleweeds"The Venetian GrilleSomerville, NJJune 12, 2013 (2013-06-12)
3112"What Would Your Father Do?"Michael's Roscommon HouseBelleville, NJJune 19, 2013 (2013-06-19)
3213"What Are You Servin' Here?"BarzolaFlushing, Queens, NYJune 26, 2013 (2013-06-26)

Season 4 (2013–14)

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No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Restaurant Location Original air date
331"Joe Broadway's or Bust"Joe Broadway'sStaten Island, NYSeptember 11, 2013 (2013-09-11)
342"Your Mom's Gotta Go"Sugo CaféLong Beach, NYSeptember 18, 2013 (2013-09-18)
353"Blonde Ambition"BlonDee's Bistro & BarHuntington, NYSeptember 25, 2013 (2013-09-25)
364"Complete Pushover"90 ParkNorth Bergen, NJOctober 2, 2013 (2013-10-02)
375"Kiss Beso Goodbye"BesoBedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, NYOctober 9, 2013 (2013-10-09)
386"Family Style Failure"The Original Mama Angelo'sNorth Arlington, NJOctober 16, 2013 (2013-10-16)
397"Bad News Bistro"PK's Restaurant & LoungeStaten Island, NYOctober 23, 2013 (2013-10-23)
408"Clueless Cousins"VB3Jersey City, NJOctober 30, 2013 (2013-10-30)
419"Starving for Customers"A Plate of SoulJamaica, Queens, NYNovember 27, 2013 (2013-11-27)
4210"Whine Bar"12 GrapesPeekskill, NYDecember 4, 2013 (2013-12-04)
4311"Somers Almost Over"Somers 202Yorktown Heights, NYDecember 11, 2013 (2013-12-11)
4412"Division Street Disaster"Division Street GrillPeekskill, NYDecember 18, 2013 (2013-12-18)
4513"Dysfunction Junction"Junction 46Ledgewood, NJJanuary 8, 2014 (2014-01-08)

Season 5 (2014)

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No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Restaurant Location Original air date
461"Las Vegas Stakeout"Buon Gusto Italian RestaurantLas Vegas, NVJune 4, 2014 (2014-06-04)
472"Sushi on the Strip"Osaka's Japanese CuisineLas Vegas, NVJune 11, 2014 (2014-06-11)
483"Hoover Dam'd Pizza"Vinny's PizzeriaBoulder City, NVJune 18, 2014 (2014-06-18)
494"Unlucky in Vegas"Sonrisa GrillLas Vegas, NVJune 25, 2014 (2014-06-25)
505"Hammered in Vegas"Hammers Grill & BarHenderson, NVJuly 2, 2014 (2014-07-02)
516"Ciao, Vegas!"Gina's BistroLas Vegas, NVJuly 16, 2014 (2014-07-16)
527"Golf Course Stakeout"Oh' Brian's On the GreenClark, NJJuly 23, 2014 (2014-07-23)
538"Fuggedabout Mario"Mario's Tutto BeneUnion, NJJuly 30, 2014 (2014-07-30)
549"Willie Shuts It Down"Red RoomNew Rochelle, NYAugust 6, 2014 (2014-08-06)
Willie comes to the aid of the owners of a restaurant that has previously suffered a money theft that has prevented the owner's mother from retiring. For the first time in show history, Willie does not try to help revive the restaurant after seeing too many key issues with the restaurant. The owner and his wife decide to shut down after Willie meets with the staff where Willie ends up calling in an associate that specializes in restaurant auctions to help the owners raise money for the owner's mother to finally retire.
5510"Father Daughter Stakeout"Villa Monaco RestaurantWest Islip, NYAugust 13, 2014 (2014-08-13)
5611"Standup Stakeout"Stress Factory Comedy ClubNew Brunswick, NJAugust 20, 2014 (2014-08-20)
5712"Grand Opening Stakeout"Brookside GrillHighland Mills, NYSeptember 3, 2014 (2014-09-03)
5813"Million Dollar Stakeout"Trovato's DueOakland, NJSeptember 10, 2014 (2014-09-10)

References

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  1. ^ "What to Watch: Restaurant Stakeout". Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  2. ^ "Food Network's Restaurant Stakeout: as fake and staged as it seems » reality blurred". reality blurred. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  3. ^ "About the Show". Retrieved 9 December 2012.
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