Ep 3. Big Earl's Gone Wild

In Mystery Diners Season 1 Episode 3, titled "Big Earl's Gone Wild," the host and his team head to Tennessee to investigate a popular barbeque joint called "Big Earl's."

The owner, Earl, has noticed a significant decrease in profits despite having a loyal customer base. Earl suspects that his employees are stealing from him or giving away food for free, leading him to enlist the help of the Mystery Diners.

As expected, the Mystery Diners go undercover as customers to evaluate the situation. From the outside, Big Earl's seems like your average barbeque restaurant, but soon enough, the team discovers that things are not as they seem behind the scenes.

One of the first red flags that the Mystery Diners notice is the wait staff's unwillingness to make eye contact with customers. Upon further investigation, the team discovers that the employees have been pocketing cash from the restaurant and giving away free food to their friends.

The Mystery Diners also find evidence of employees drinking on the job and behaving inappropriately with customers. Earl is devastated to learn about the theft and unprofessionalism happening in his restaurant.

To catch the culprits in the act, the Mystery Diners install hidden cameras around the restaurant. The footage they collect confirms that some of Earl's employees have been stealing from him and engaging in inappropriate behavior.

After confronting the employees, Earl decides to terminate the guilty parties and implement new policies to prevent future theft and inappropriate behavior. The Mystery Diners also provide Earl with additional recommendations to improve his restaurant, including training his employees on proper customer service and management practices.

Overall, "Big Earl's Gone Wild" is a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of running a restaurant and the importance of conducting regular employee checks and implementing strict policies to prevent theft and unprofessional behavior.