Mystery Diners - General Discussion

[bluepiano]

The "who's who of Hollywood" frequent this rip off joint? Uh, don't think so. Probably more like suburban drug dealers and pimps.

 

The whole concept of bottle service is appalling to me. I know that pretty much everything we see on this show is phony, but in any event, can't work up sympathy for someone who is charging a 5,000% percent mark-up on a bottle of booze. (If that was even a real club and not a set, which is what it looked like. The super bright lighting is not something I think you would find in a club).

Edited November 16, 2015 by bluepiano

[MrHufflepuff]

I've got a friend who likes to do bottle service so he can skip the line at the club.  It's not my thing, but I can kind of see the logic in that.  I wasn't really paying attention to the episode, though, but it seemed like you got this bottle service after you already had a table?  Which seems weird to me, unless I misunderstood something in the episode -- I wasn't watching it that closely.

[NikSac]

The "who's who of Hollywood" frequent this rip off joint? Uh, don't think so. Probably more like suburban drug dealers and pimps.

 

The whole concept of bottle service is appalling to me. I know that pretty much everything we see on this show is phony, but in any event, can't work up sympathy for someone who is charging a 5,000% percent mark-up on a bottle of booze. (If that was even a real club and not a set, which is what it looked like. The super bright lighting is not something I think you would find in a club).

 

So agree on the bottle service!  I attended a bachelorette party where the bride-to-be really wanted champagne for our small group. I went to ask the bartender about getting a bottle and he very seriously pointed to a locked cabinet, wrote down a number, and slid it to me across the bar (all used-car-salesman style). I laughed and said no way, started to walk away, and whaddaya know the $500 champagne was suddenly $25. It was still like a $7 grocery store brand, but I couldn't believe that whole thing. I told the bride what happened because she thought I'd actually paid that original price and felt terrible, but to this day we joke that I got her some $500 bottle of $7 champagne.

 

I guess maybe that whole scheme works in some places, and it seems like it's practically a given in some like Vegas, but I really hate it.

[Alapaki]

I've come to the conclusion that this show is, essentially, nothing more than an infomercial for Charles' company.  

 

But I find it a lot of fun to watch for the "camp" factor, including the formulaic fodder-fodder-for-drinking-games stuff:

 

Charles: (as if genuinely curious) "Bob, take a look at that camera.  Is sucking off the busboys behind the bar something you condone your bartenders doing?"

[NikSac]

I've come to the conclusion that this show is, essentially, nothing more than an infomercial for Charles' company. 

 

Totally agreed. The funny thing is I'd love to work for his company though.  I think it'd be an enjoyable way to earn money. I've tried to do the "mystery shopping" thing before and it generally just isn't busy enough or lucrative enough, but I bet the people who work for him have more frequent/regular jobs and decent pay.

[NikSac]

Aw. Okay I know this show is mostly fake but I just saw the most recent one, including Chris (I think?) who hangs out too long socializing and playing cards with a customer. Maybe he's in the wrong job but I loved that guy and kept thinking how much I'd want him as my parents' delivery person if they ever needed one. He very obviously cared.

[leighroda]

Totally agreed. The funny thing is I'd love to work for his company though. I think it'd be an enjoyable way to earn money. I've tried to do the "mystery shopping" thing before and it generally just isn't busy enough or lucrative enough, but I bet the people who work for him have more frequent/regular jobs and decent pay.

So I always thought "mystery shopping" would be the easiest job ever... So although I did not get paid, my sister was a manager for a well known computer chain, and had me secret shop her stores, But when the people don't do well and I know they are getting in trouble I felt terrible.

My sister lived in LA, and I went to visit during a break, so she thought that would be a perfect opportunity to send me in and "spy" on her team, she gave me a story, what college I went to, price range I was looking at, everything. The only potential flaw in the plan was that we look quite a bit alike, but if we aren't together and you aren't suspicious I can see not noticing or just thinking its a coincidence.

So "stores" were malls kiosks (if you haven't guessed by now the computer brand is dell) so she set up camp at a near by table and sent me in, I approach and the guy is just hanging out. I was so nervous (I really don't know why) but I just casually looked at some of the displays and tried to make myself conspicuous, he still didn't budge, he was already committing a sin by sitting, and I glanced in my sisters direction and she was already mad I had been there for about 30 seconds without even a hello. Finally he greets me, and just says if I need anything to let him know... I didn't know what to do, he clearly didn't plan to help me and I didn't think it was really fair to bait him when I had no intention of being a sell. I had missed it but my sister appeared at the other side of the kiosk tapping her foot next to him, at that point I really wanted to slip away when I was outed... The dude saw my sister and was like "hey *****, oh whoa it's kinda funny there is a girl right there who looks like you" furious my sister was like "you mean my little sister!? That secret shopped you and you ignored" I was mortified and wanted to sink into the ground, I mean he made his own grave but still, my sister was being really harsh, she even took his stool away. Most awkward moment ever came at her good bye party with the company when they were moving her back to Texas... I didn't remember who he was so I introduced myself like we never met, and he was like "yeah I know you, I'm the one who got in trouble" I was like ooopsie.

There was a good story took though, even though I swore I wouldn't do it again she had me do one more kiosk (she managed like 5 I think) she promised it wouldn't be as bad, so she hid in a crate and barrel and watched from the window, I approached and he asked all the appropriate questions and was small talking, I thought I was busted when he was like "you look familiar I know you from somewhere, do you go to (some school), I just laughed it off...luckily this employee did fantastic, so much so that when someone else approached he said he'd be with them in a second, I didn't want to get in the way of a real customer, so I said for him to help her and when he was like it's no problem we'll get you taken care of I was like , "no really dude, I'm *****'s sister she's watching" and tried to motion to where she was without her noticing, he laughed and said something about knowing I looked familiar, and waved at my sister, she bought him dinner for doing a good job and we all lived happily ever after. But I will never secret shop again.

[MrHufflepuff]

Lol.  The plate of food kept appearing and disappearing from Hal's kitchen table.

[BogoGog24]

Lol.  The plate of food kept appearing and disappearing from Hal's kitchen table.

I noticed that as well. 

[MrHufflepuff]

I noticed that as well. 

 

They're not even trying anymore, are they?  Come on, show.  We all know it's fake, but at least try to pretend it's real.

[cooksdelight]

I would be like the guy who wants to hang out and chat with the elderly person.

[John]

The "owner" actually used his real name. I thought he was an actor turning into restaurateur until I saw the "investors". They're a few porn actors I recognized from watching Cinemax.

[candall]

You want the TRUTH?  

 

You can't handle the truth.  If we even knew what went into the making of Mystery Diners, the hours, the planning, the intricacy, the schedule, and perceivably, the biggest challenge of all, getting restaurants and owners to agree to do the show in the first place, we'd all probably spend a lot of time praising this show that has lasted as long as it has, and continues to pull off a formula that brings in consistently high ratings.  It really does, just check out ZapIt.  It may be Food Network's little red headed stepchild, but for a show to surpass 10 seasons means one thing, it's bringing in the ad bucks, and the Network finance folks are laughing all the way to the bank.  Yeah, they have Guy Fieri......who doesn't like him?  But that's one dude, a couple cameras, a producer, and a country full of good spots to go eat.  They have their "American Idol of Food" show, their guy that eats monstrous proportions, and a bevy of competition shows that just replace singing talent with culinary talents.  But this show, this little juggernaut of a show, plays with high tech toys, hyperbolic story lines, and continues to draw those viewers who are simply in it for the "Whodunnit" reveal, or the hilarious moment when Charles, who could pass as a bored high school algebra teacher with a seriously devious kinky private life, explodes into anger that clearly makes even him uncomfortable and red in the face.  Yet episode in and episode out, these guys have sucked you in, made you look, and made you wait, even though the writing is written on the walls from the beginning of the episode.  

 

I praise these guys.  I know what it takes to wire up a command center like the room Charles hosts from, and the miles of wiring, cabling, rigging, and the small army that has to put this circus together week in and week out.

 

I'm sharing all this because  I've actually seen the show while they were shooting.  My retail neighbor and buddy two doors down owns a restaurant that was featured on the season that just aired, and he invited me over to check it out during their "Build" day, as the producers call it.  Backstory: a very pretty young producer came by a few days before and explained what would be happening over the 3 day process, and what kind of impact it would have on our shopping center and parking.  Very straightforward, very articulate, and very thoughtful.   She even bought some cupcakes from the shop next door for the crew.  This lovely lady gave me just enough information as not to give away what the show was, but intelligently described the process so that it alleviated any of my concerns.  The first day they would "build", the second day would be the big "shoot", and the third day would be a "smaller wrap up" shoot.  They even rented an empty retail space another door down from me,  carried in loads of tv's, cameras, and other interesting stuff..........and it was on the Big Shoot day that I saw Charles walk in....and boom, it all made sense, that was the Charles Command Center (or whatever they call it).....but then it didn't make sense.  How was it possible that this "absolute fake crappy pathetic lame" show that you all call it, could have such a professional, thoughtful, and from the looks of it, very organized crew, who genuinely appeared to be working their butts off, and not just standing around smoking cigarettes like most filming crews I've seen.  They've got quite the operation.     It's pretty fucking impressive.  Multiple trucks packed to the gills with all sorts of techy toys, lights, gear, stuff, stuff, and more stuff.  I've seen big commercials shooting in our area with 1/8 the amount of stuff these guys had.  Then they had this 20-30 foot trailer that said "TGP Security Systems" on it parked in back, with wires running in and out of it, and all around the complex....their mission control I guess.  I noticed some of the crew had shirts that had the same security company name "TGP" logo on them......perhaps to throw onlookers off the scent of something more interesting going down.  That's the only thing I could fault them for......the amount of people running around "posing" as a security company?  Unless they were preparing a security plan for God himself to come visit our little retail center, no security company on earth would ever have this many people, that many cameras, and not make people even more curious.  I could tell some of the crew wore the shirts kind of sheepishly, over their normal "set attire", as if they were disgusted by being part of a ridiculous illusion that just drew more attention than had they just shown up and done their thing.  I did sneak out back and had a cigarette with one young crewman who told me (while clearly biting his tounge) that they were shooting a food documentary for a new untitled show.  I swear he winked at me, or at least his demeanor did.  But the mother fucker smoked that cig fast, and was quickly back to work, allowing me to catch a glimpse inside the "mystery trailer".....and what I saw was nothing less than what I would picture in a NASA command center.  Big screen TV's with all sorts of camera feeds, all kinds of techy looking racks, wiring, and shit that would make the geed squad geek out.   But they came, they built, they shot, they left without a trace.  My buddy who owns the restaurant didn't actually participate in the filming, they brought in an actor to portray the owner of the restaurant......and they changed the restaurants name. So there, so what....it's scripted and pre conceptualized.  Good for them, and must be even more complicated to do it that way, but like I said, it was awesome to watch the whole thing go down.  I tried at times to take my cigarette breaks near their power generator, where their smokers seemed to gather to gossip in between scenes and tasks.  It was during these moments, watching and listening to them talk about their day, that i developed a respect for the show.  With the exception of somebody named Peter who was referred to most often in harsh and negative quips......(I presume he was one of the top dogs, but i could never figure out which one)  they all seemed to get along, enjoy their jobs, and you know when you can just tell that a group of people is seasoned at what they do.......well you could tell with this bunch.

 

It gave me a whole new respect for this "crap show".  They consistently deliver a campy, hard to turn your eyes away, train wreck storyline.  This is not a case of a group of people trying for TV Gold and coming up with shit....this is a group of professionals, working hard to keep the successful formula on track....and while though most all of you will rip on the show in some way......at least they have produced a show you can rip on, which is a lot to say compared to the all the shows out there that are trying to be something their not.  At least Mystery Diners knows what it is, and doesn't try and go all Mark Burnetty with it. And that my friends, is a successful accomplishment.  A TV show that works, even though it doesn't.  Or maybe, its because you don't want it to and it still does.    

 

I'm high as a kite right now writing this, and it probably won't make much sense when i read it back to proofread, so fuck it, just gonna hit reply and let it live on line as is. Bravo to the Mystery Diners crew.  Bravo to Charles, who i tried to catch coming or going from his "Charles Room" (as the crew referred to it while bustling around)....I was going to shake his hand and tell him way to go, keep up the good work, and keep saving the livelihoods of restaurants everywhere.  Because nobody else is.  And have you even seen Bar Rescue?   They don't even attempt to make it seem like the cameras are really hidden.......that show is so fake, that it makes Mystery Diners look like Abe Lincoln.   

 

 

I enjoyed this passionate defense of the Mystery Diner production team more than the actual episode I just watched.  The post even has a final reveal I didn't see coming.  : )

[BogoGog24]

Last night's episode was the fakest I've ever seen. I laughed several times at how clearly fake it was. The acting was horrendous, the scripted lines fell flat, I think when Charles was running to the beach it was a stunt double that didn't even look or sound like him. LOL! The whole thing was so bad it was good.

[NikSac]

Oh my goodness, that woman they added to the latest episode as a mystery diner was AWFUL. The one who flung the plate of food on the patio, and looked like she was about to slap the guy who got 'fired' while she hugged the absentee owner. I couldn't stop laughing.

[BogoGog24]

Oh my goodness, that woman they added to the latest episode as a mystery diner was AWFUL. The one who flung the plate of food on the patio, and looked like she was about to slap the guy who got 'fired' while she hugged the absentee owner. I couldn't stop laughing.

Oh God that was so stupid! I didn't understand why she didn't just drop the plate right next to where she was sitting so that it would look more realistic that she dropped the plate. Realistically how would someone just drop a plate in the middle of the patio ten feet from where they're sitting?

I didn't understand why they didn't make Charles wear a disguise. What if the guy had seen the show before? Stuh-ooopid.

[MrHufflepuff]

I just binge-watched six or seven episodes...

 

Look, Charles Stiles.  This is Writing 101.  If there's a taser, it has to go off before the end of the episode.  It's Chekhov's taser.  Next time, I better see Operative Jamie get his ass tasered.

 

On a related note, Operative Jamie is looking kind of sketch nowadays.  I think he might be partying too hard from his Mystery Diner lifestyle.

[NikSac]

Oh God that was so stupid! I didn't understand why she didn't just drop the plate right next to where she was sitting so that it would look more realistic that she dropped the plate. Realistically how would someone just drop a plate in the middle of the patio ten feet from where they're sitting?

I didn't understand why they didn't make Charles wear a disguise. What if the guy had seen the show before? Stuh-ooopid.

 

I know! Even if any of it was real (which I kind of doubt), it looked to me like the Ryan guy did a double-take when he first saw Charles. So either they already knew each other - which is my guess - or he DID recognize him. And then the silent owner guy all awkwardly looking away was way more conspicuous than if he'd just nodded and gone back to his food, or looked at his phone, or something like that. Something more normal than turning away and staring at the booth.

 

The really high strung girl flinging the plate was still the highlight of the episode for me, though. That was hilarious. You know she was the "tattle tale" growing up. She was having wayyy too much fun with that role.

Edited January 31, 2016 by NikSac

[Singingflutist]

Just saw season 2 episode 10 night shift that features JR. It's a bar and he's the only employee at the time. He brings in his own alcohol to sell, has his friends work as bouncers and bartenders and lets people cook in the kitchen.. Yeah sure

Oh he was also drinking

[Jon Snow]

I don't understand it. If the inn was built in 1880, how it's possible Sherman watched from the roof as his troops destroyed Atlanta if the battle was in 1864? In this place had buit another building? I need an answer

[dboyd2557]

Hi guys. I was actually in this episode. Its sad to know that people have something negative to say about everything.  Even when its something that is just for entertainment,

[kokapetl]

I saw some episode about a Montenegrin guy’s wine being stolen from his restaurant. Wine bottles literally covered just about every available surface, every diner had clusters of bottles within arm’s reach. Sure made it easy for the wine to be fake stolen. 

[Ms Lark]

Been binging a bunch of episodes and so far my absolute favorite is the brothers using the a-hole appliance dealer's appliances to run their bakery. Did not see the twist coming of them being triplets and totally fooling the high tech facial recognition security system. I know they were doing wrong, but you had to feel for the guys a little bit. They even brought their own generator! Plus, the owner was full of himself. Maybe the real-life trio and boss were far different than portrayed, but I thought it was a hoot!

[Kazzy25]

I honestly miss this show. It was so cheesy. Charles is so cheesy! Always gave me some good laughs and I wish FN would make new ones.

[Destiny]

I am a REAL civil war reenactor. First of all:  reenactors AND civil war buffs are very astute and educated about the war, its politics and the battles. Even tourists who travel to relevant historic sites are WELL aware that the war took place from 1861-1865.  The states involved  finished observing the 150th anniversary two years ago.  

 

Second - they would know that all the guy’s talk is bovine excrement and would demand their money back.  Word would quickly get around through reenactment groups and Civil War Round Tables, area historical tourism, and this guy would NOT get aeay with his scam twice. 

 

Third - the show obviously hired some actors and rented cheap costumes to reenact their bust - IF this ever really happened at a business at all! No reenactor would show up garbed that way, serve fake food or participate in such an obvious fraud.  

 

Mystery Diners reached a real low with this one. We knew the show was staged, but viewers figured the investigations had actually occured and were based on real cases. Now it is just a made up rverything. 

Just now, Destiny said:

I am a REAL civil war reenactor. First of all:  reenactors AND civil war buffs are very astute and educated about the war, its politics and the battles. Even tourists who travel to relevant historic sites are WELL aware that the war took place from 1861-1865.  The states involved  finished observing the 150th anniversary two years ago.  

 

Second - they would know that all the guy’s talk is bovine excrement and would demand their money back.  Word would quickly get around through reenactment groups and Civil War Round Tables, area historical tourism, and this guy would NOT get aeay with his scam twice. 

 

Third - the show obviously hired some actors and rented cheap costumes to reenact their bust - IF this ever really happened at a business at all! No reenactor would show up garbed that way, serve fake food or participate in such an obvious fraud.  

 

Mystery Diners reached a real low with this one. We knew the show was staged, but viewers figured the investigations had actually occured and were based on real cases. Now it is just a made up rverything. 

[Mario]

On 08/09/2018 at 12:12 AM, Ms Lark said:

Been binging a bunch of episodes and so far my absolute favorite is the brothers using the a-hole appliance dealer's appliances to run their bakery. Did not see the twist coming of them being triplets and totally fooling the high tech facial recognition security system. I know they were doing wrong, but you had to feel for the guys a little bit. They even brought their own generator! Plus, the owner was full of himself. Maybe the real-life trio and boss were far different than portrayed, but I thought it was a hoot!

If anyone doubted Mystery Diners was 100% fake, this episode would have put all such doubts to rest.

The "appliance dealer" is an actor - he even has a pagenon imdb.

And a team of evil triplets running a secret after-hours bakery in a kitchen warehouse? That reads like a rejected scenario for a 1970s Saturday Morning cartoon!

[Gharlane]