Restaurant Stakeout (2012– ) User Reviews

Hidden Camera "Reality" Show, can possibly be good, maybe

[slaternx · 4/10 · 21 March 2012]

This show seemed interesting to me, and I tuned in for the first episode. As I watched, the premise seemed legit, but the production made it seem mostly set up, however I really liked the actual set ups he did sending in people to be "bad customers" to test the staff, except that the waitress Dainel was so over the top it was just unbelievable, especially When she tried to make out with another employee, Totally ignored a customer with a hand up to the face and then flung a drink at a customer, was fired and "conveniently" not there for the "Staff Meeting" the next day, and the speech Willie Degel gives is so obviously edited between voiced over and actually filmed I laughed. And all the blurred out faces, even from staff, made the whole thing feel staged.

I have not seen episode #2, but I did Watch Episode #3 the Mt. Ivy Cafe tonight. Everything seemed more real, Degel had the owner watching the whole time with him, Of course you need some drama in a show and that's what these type of shows are supposed to do, but the newly hired waiter, who at first I was like, "well he's new, hasn't been trained right" messing up things like a rookie would, Then Right at the end he get's fired for saying the owner said it was okay for him to have a drink, when she didn't, blah blah, he's FIRED, and not there for the "Staff Meeting" the next morning.

Degel's speech at the meeting is a lot better then the obvious voice overs in the first episode, but I still wonder how much is scripted, and I don't think any of it needs to be.

Sending a large party in 20 mins to close on purpose, what does the waiter do when his customer forgets his wallet, or seeing how they react when a customer changes their mind over and over, I love it, That part is great, and feels more real then some of the drama that feels so fake it ruins the rest of the show.

I will watch this show again, but mostly to see if it gets more fake or more real, and there's always Restaurant Impossible, that's real, Degel might wanna take notes if he wants this show to continue.

Ridiculously fake show with fake waiters, busboys, and an annoying host who tries to act like Tony Soprano.

[Rockland4433 · 1/10 · 21 June 2013]

This silly excuse for a reality show essentially hires actors to pose as busboys, managers, chefs and waiters and tells them to screw up as much as humanly possible.which they then do.This occurs as Willy Degal, owner of Uncle jacks steakhouse( which based on the very average yelp reviews rating, the only one who thinks his restaurants are great is him)observes and basically tells the restaurant owner that people that drop dead from food poisoning are usually very bad tippers, and that he needs to get his act together by trying to hire waiters that don't throw the food, and telling chefs that serving peanuts to people with a life threatening peanut allergy is bad for business, but fear not. At the end of the show Willie tells them they need to improve then shows up 6 weeks later unannounced( except for the 8 cameras to cover every angle) in shorts basically looking like "An army mule with bosoms" and saves the day. It seems his 3 minute pep talk was enough to put there work ethics into overdrive and now there totally different employees. Oh if only life were that easy. Anyway, its a badly staged fake show that gave up with even trying to look real last season.and remember folks, as Willie says at least 123 times every episode" The customer is king"

Ugh....,.

[tabbykat9698 · 30 September 2013]

You could make a drinking game out of how many times Willie says "right?" and I've worked in restaurants for 15 years, though drama and crazy things happen, its obviously fake, and like someone above me said--the "hidden" Mic's sure do pick up a lot of clear sound.....The camera angles also just so happen to be perfectly on whatever is going on in the restaurant. But seriously do they have a hidden Mic at every table? And why does this review require 10 lines, that is all I wanted to type... Hmmm OK also the show Mystery Diners is fake, I was watching and saw a friend on it. He had to audition for the part. Much like this show, I'm sure.

Cancel the show or get a new main Character

[skinsman61-1 · 1/10 · 10 October 2012]

This guy is awful, keeps repeating the same stuff over and over and over and over and over and over. after the first few minutes you have seen all the camera shots and know exactly what he thinks.

Willie can't even act at all Not photogenic and definitely not for on air film.

The show we thought would be great but it is so horrible can't stand to watch it. If the repeat isn't enough the horrible people that are caught on film NEVER GET FIRED OR EVEN punished in any way.

This Show is totally ridiculous, who ever casted this show should be castrated for putting in Willie !

MORE Restaurant Impossible!!!!

Get rid of this Awful show!!!

seriously!

[randomemailz99 · 3/10 · 6 September 2012]

This show just irritates the F out of me. Among many things the most is that not once has anybody been fired from their position. I saw things that, even if faked for the show, they should of at least fake fired them.Restaurant Impossible is a great show. Robert knows what he's doing. Hotel Hell, and Kitchen Nightmares both great shows. Regardless of anything it all comes down to the "host." And Willie is just annoying. I'm also a little sick of so many shows and/or restaurants being based in New Jersey or back east. Not all but too many. I'm tired of these Jersey Shore(Hate JS) wannabees with crappy attitudes. New Jersey is over. Sopranos and Springsteen..that's it!

Great show, lots of drama

[Revclaus · 9/10 · 25 August 2012]

I've seen most of these and I love them! Obviously whoever thinks this show is staged has never run a restaurant. These kinds of things happen on a daily basis. When you find a restaurant worker who takes pride in their work and shows professionalism give that person a bonus!! Everybody thinks being a waiter is a piece of cake, but it takes a lot of coordination and energy, respect for the rest of the staff and, of course, the customers. Again, I love this show! Willy's approach is rough but effective, and he's ready to praise when praise is warranted. If owners don't have training, and most don't it's hard for them to manage properly. I'm amazed by the number of people who go into the restaurant business without having a business plan or a clue about how they should be run. Willy has learned the hard way and knows how to help. This is a fun show to watch and I highly recommend it.

Make-Believe Drama

[hazyness · 1/10 · 13 September 2012]

The show has potential to be good, but it falls flat for pretending to be something it's not. If it was a genuine show about restaurants' customers and staff then it would be worth watching for a glimpse "behind the scenes," but the producers obviously felt that would be too boring for the average viewer and have taken it upon themselves to stage most (if not all) of the drama. After watching the "When the Cat's Away" episode I thought something seemed off, and a quick Google search confirmed my suspicions that it's just staged. Needless to say I won't be watching again, and won't be recommending it to any of my friends.

Willie is no restaurateur

[maxrebos · 1/10 · 11 February 2014]

Willie claims to be all about customer service in "his" restaurants... Well people who go to restaurants are called GUESTS, he calls them customers. Extremely poor restaurant etiquette Willie. This show takes ignorance to a new level. Tony Soprano would be a better host. Not a Tony wanna be.

It is pretty funny how all the problems the owner claims he has in his restaurant happens during the filming of the shower. What perfect timing huh? LAME. Most of these owners should not be in the business in the first place. You give up all qualities of life when you enter the restaurant industry, especially as an owner, so having this fake reality show hosts come in for a little hidden camera action will NOT make your life better and will NOT give your family life back to you.

As they say, if you cannot stand the heat, get out of the kitchen

Why Is This Show Still On The Air?

[bravecape · 1/10 · 11 October 2012]

1) Willie is Awful! 2) So much repetition. Saying the same thing over and over. 3) Just saw the Liberty Bar and Grill. The owner tells Willie she only is there for 35 hours a week. Not ONCE she say why she wasn't there much. She said this and that, gym.... Nothing basically. He didn't push it. 4) At least other fake shows put in half an effort to make it Seem like it's real. 5) One thing that pisses me off is that near the end of each show when Willie comes into the restaurant there is obviously two cameras filming. NOT ONCE before he walks in does anybody in any episode look around and say anything about the cameras. 6) And have you ever noticed how in every episode, the sound is always really good no matter where somebody is speaking? With "hidden" mics it would Never be so clear. Gosh it's almost like they were using professional mics used to narrow sound and cut out background noise. Now golly how can that be, if that were true people would see them. Well Garsh I canz figurs it out!! Bottom line is somebody thought they could throw in crap next to a good show Rest. Impos. and it would come up roses. Sorry but it just make RI stink more.

After a few Episodes noticed how fake it seemed....

[sonata-miseria · 1/10 · 24 April 2013]

After watching a few episodes I had noted some things in the episodes first off I had thought in order to be on a TV show everyone who took part per episode has to sign some form of paperwork...even those whom are eating at the restaurant. Second if an owner is that ridiculously ignorant why do they even run a business they call an obese PI whomever this man is to spy on their employees how lame and suspicious for any show plot... and my last complaint if this is a real show why is the sound so perfect? anyone who worked with cameras for security know its not always so clear what is said and sometimes a lip reader is needed in such cases. I would of hoped Food Network would of created something far better than this excuse for entertainment for now its just another show that needs to be ditched and they need to go back to plan A for a new idea.... so to me its all staged and its just lame to see more of these fake shows on the television.

So Fake....So So fake

[pyrocrashe · 1/10 · 26 February 2020]

Seriously, I'm watching this, and I'm supposed to believe this is real?! I mean, it's funny, hilarious even, but real...there is no way any of this is real. This is the biggest insult since Restaurant Mysteries, but at least that was a bit more entertaining...there is no way any part of any episode of this is true. This is reno 911 the restaurant edition...host is sitting behind an executive's polished wood desk with two pen holders like a banker...c'mon, try a little harder next time.

This Show is Painful to Watch

[WereWolf1776 · 1/10 · 6 March 2024]

Restaurant Stakeout is so bad with the blustery restaurant mafia type dude and the subpar acting! The "bad" waiters seem like actors from community theater. I watched for 5 minutes and I was convinced that the waiter's lines were all scripted. In addition, it was so formulaic and predictable in every aspect of the show. I had hoped that after the first or second episodes that the show would find its way, however, I was sorely mistaken. This show was cast with tacky and predictable over actors. It was painful to watch as it was so scripted and the acting was subpar. I will grab a book to read before I ever watch this garbage again. Waste of time.