Ep 7. That Money's Out the Door

In Restaurant Stakeout season 2 episode 7 titled "That Money's Out the Door," host Willie Degel visits a restaurant in Orange, New Jersey called Stella's. The owners of Stella's, two brothers named Michael and Tim, are in a desperate situation as their restaurant is losing money fast and they don't know what to do to turn it around.

Willie begins his stakeout by sitting down at a table and ordering some food. Despite the restaurant being relatively busy, Willie immediately notices that the service is slow and the food is mediocre at best. He also observes a lack of communication between the two brothers, which is causing major issues in the kitchen.

As part of his stakeout, Willie installs hidden cameras throughout the restaurant to observe the staff and customers. He also brings in a group of actors to act as secret customers who will give their honest feedback on the restaurant.

After reviewing the footage, Willie confronts the two brothers about their lack of communication and the poor quality of the food and service. He advises them to work together more closely and to overhaul their menu to focus on their strengths.

To help them turn things around, Willie enlists the help of Chef Dom Tesoriero, a renowned chef who has successfully turned around struggling restaurants in the past. Chef Dom takes over the kitchen and begins revamping the menu, introducing new dishes and improving the quality of the food.

Willie also sets up a meeting between the two brothers and a restaurant consultant who can help them better manage their finances and improve their marketing strategies. Through this meeting, Michael and Tim learn how to better track their expenses and drive traffic to their restaurant.

After a few days of hard work and dedication, Michael and Tim finally see some positive results. The food is better than ever, service is faster and more attentive, and customers are leaving positive feedback. Willie returns to the restaurant for a follow-up visit and is impressed by how much the restaurant has improved.

Overall, "That Money's Out the Door" is an intense and engaging episode that showcases the struggles that small business owners face on a daily basis. Willie's expert guidance and Chef Dom's culinary expertise prove to be invaluable in turning this struggling restaurant around.