Let's give Jon a call
so he can tell us what's going on
- and what we're doing here. - Okay.
( line ringing )
- Jon:
Hi, Lisa. How are you?
I'm good.
Do you see that maroon bar?
- Yes. - Yes.
That's the Island Bar and Grill,
so we're about five miles outside of Chicago
in Blue Island.
It's about 47% Hispanic, 29% African-American,
about 20% Caucasian.
So it is a diverse, very ethnic market.
And just to give you the scoop,
that bar was opened four years ago by Adam.
Adam was in the finance business.
He opens up this bar to bring in income
and be a positive thing for his family.
So in the past four years,
this poor guy is losing up to 5,000 a month.
( sighs )
He's $400,000 in debt.
-
His whole family works in this bar,
so this has turned into a complete disaster for his family.
So, Lisa, you'll dissect the bar.
Aaron, you'll dissect the kitchen.
We'll get a scope of the building overall,
and let me know what you see
so we can come up with some ideas together to fix it.
Then we gotta re-huddle and figure out
what our plan of attack will be, okay?
You got it. Thank you, Jon.
So looking at the outside, it's really, really dark.
Gloomy.
Looks like it used to be a restaurant at some point.
The inside looks a little outdated.
I don't even know their identity.
What's the theme? Who are you?
Now there's Adam, and that's the owner right there.
Welcome to Island Bar. How you ladies doing?
He's the one that bought this place for his family.
We got Jerroid.
Sup, man? All that talking.
Come on, let's get these orders out.
He's a kitchen manager, and he's also Adam's uncle.
There's Tricey.
All right, let's take everything towards the back.
Why? We gotta put 'em in, man.
Let me get these right here.
'Cause we gonna have to carry 'em out here.
Lisa:
and she's Adam's cousin.
Why you guys so quiet back here?
That's mama Linda.
You guys act like we're at a funeral.
The mom, the uncle, the cousin.
- Yep. - This is truly a family affair.
There's another cousin Kenaz.
Oh, I'm sorry. That's Adam, man.
This my big cuz.
- Nice to meet you. - This my everything.
He cooks.
We've got Sharee behind the bar.
She's a bartender.
Sharee is Adam's sister.
- That's Prentiss. - Gotcha.
He's a manager. Playing pool.
- During business hours. - Yeah.
Well, I guess he couldn't fit in the kitchen
with the rest of the family,
so he must be an outsider.
Alison's a bartender,
so we got a couple people that aren't blood.
Okay, so here's the recon Jon had us sent in.
Announcer:
a 5,000-square-foot space
with a 40-foot bar,
a dance floor, and a staff mostly comprised
of the owners' relatives.
Jon really wanted to make sure
that we had a local group of guys
but people that have never been to Islands.
So this way we get to see a fresh look
at how the bartenders treat new people.
- Hello, guys. - What's happening, ladies?
Hands on hips. That's the way you supposed to go to a table.
- You got Micheladas? - Who?
- Micheladas? - What the ( bleep ) is that?
A beer with tomato juice in it?
Nah, man. Now what you want?
Do you recommend anything?
Tricey: Don't ask me if you're not gonna take what I offer.
She looks intimidating.
She just doesn't look very happy.
-
The recon has never been in there,
and she's treating 'em like her cousin.
How about a little professionalism?
Absolutely.
You gonna stick with onion rings?
Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna have a...
I'll take the shrimp and grits.
Look at this grease in this fryer, how black it is.
Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.
If Jon was here, he would flip the ( bleep ) out.
I can tell you right now
that they're not taking time at the end of the shift
to drain that fryer and clean it properly.
The hoods are loaded with grease.
Stove top is filthy.
Obviously they haven't cleaned this kitchen in a long time.
With that many people standing around,
you think somebody would have time to change out some grease.
Come on. Let's get these orders out.
No, he told me-- they say put 'em down.
I'm gonna go, bro. I got ( bleep ) going on, bro.
I'm dead serious.
There's a lack of training
front and back of the house.
Absolutely.
What kinda drink was that?
This is where I need you to help me understand.
She just served a huge bowl of something blue.
- Look how big that is. - Wow.
- It's real strong. - They make it strong. She make it strong.
If I drink that, dude, you're gonna have to take me home.
The biggest thing I learned from Jon
is you wanna get them to stay there longer
and you want them to order more drinks.
Jon would be the first one to say,
"You serve that to somebody,
they're not ordering a second drink.
You've literally lost your sale
and you've got them way too drunk.
Try your shrimp.
Too salty.
Seriously.
Nah, wait till the waitress comes.
Where is she, man?
Lisa:
and she's eating!
Seriously, dude?
What kind of bull( bleep )...
Aaron:
You're gonna sit out in the dining room
and have a meal in the middle of the shift
on what should be a busy going out night.
Please go in the back and eat, Tricey.
This is ridiculous.
It blows my mind when we come to places like this
and they cannot give customer service.
Everybody that walks in that door is paying your bills.
Sir, are you not eating your chicken?
You ought to try it.
That was a pile of lard.
That was, like, a salt shaker.
Tricey: He dumb. He don't know what he talking about.
We gonna have a problem.
- You know what? - You don't like your grits?
What? What'd you just say to me?
Okay, Tricey is on my ( bleep ) list.
Not only did she try to convince her table
not to send the food back, but she gave 'em attitude.
- It's not about you. - It's not.
- Adam. - Hello, gentlemen. How are you guys doing?
Tricey:
That tastes like this in the same grease.
I apologize. Just give me one second.
I'll be right back with you.
I see him trying to make good with the customers.
Because he just doesn't know how to fix the problem.
They didn't, um...
They didn't like any of the food.
Huh?
They said the grits were a little bit too salty.
Like I give a ( bleep ) about these orders, man.
Aaron:
that are inexperienced,
then you got yourself just a cluster mess of bodies.
Not able bodies. Just bodies.
That's Kenaz.
And then Jarroid back there just saying-- keep talking about,
"Do this, do that." You do that ( bleep ), bro.
Okay, Jerroid is getting on your nerves,
but you cannot just walk out like that, Kenaz.
Those right there are great. Taste 'em.
I mean, that grease has gotta change, so...
I been here three and a half years.
I know when I come to work what to do.
Powerball.
I got everything back there clean.
I filled up the coolers.
"I got everything back there clean"?
You can't keep walking out, Kenaz.
Come on, man. I'm not gonna keep doing that, bro.
( bleep ) that. This is business.
Get your ass back in the kitchen,
- and while you're at it, clean the ( bleep ) fryer. - Exactly.
Can I get ten minutes to myself please?
Kenaz. Kenaz. Come on, now.
( bleep ) powerball.
- ( engine revs ) -