Really Food Network...

[GL225]

I just watched mystery diners episode with Chef David. The person working the phone gets an order for 10 pizzas. So she tells Chef David by saying "we just got an order for 10 pizzas." And then the girl walks away. So apparently chef David is either a mind reader or is going to guess what kind of pizza each is. She didn't say pepperoni or cheese just 10 pizzas. Also, why can you hear the waiters/suspects so clearly and loudly but not the other customers at the restaurant? Last, if someone actually did something like not card underage drinkers they would be shutdown...This is being passed on as a reality show but I think I have some concerns about the "real" part.

[janniecooks]

One would think if the show is so fake and terrible, it wouldn't merit a fourth topic:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/823316
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/879062
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/851426

[monavano]

And yet it has.

[Samalicious]

QUIT TALKING THAT WAY. IF IT'S ON TV IT'S TRUE!

[chloebell]

I'm beginning to think Food Network is going downhill all together. There aren't hardly any new shows, it's DD&D's or Chopped, almost 12 hours a day.......makes me sad. I used to love watching it all the time.

[Midlife]

I suppose it depends on your particular perspective, but most posters here caught this 'trend' years ago. Food Network, for the most part, has slid all the way down the hill and has been bouncing around at the bottom for a long time. They supposedly started The Cooking Channel as the alternative for "serious" viewers, and it has held a relatively lofty perch for the most part. Hounds tend to feel that the best food programming is on PBS.

[alliegator]

I agree. I have the tv on in my home almost all the time as background noise, and don't get Cooking Channel in my new home. I had it on food network for the day yesterday, and yikes! Not good. Just boring :(

[Njchicaa]

It has been discussed thoroughly here that this is an entirely scripted and fake show. It is a disgrace.

[monavano]

I think this is one of the most fake shows I've ever seen. Think about it-- who would sign a release to allow footage of them boozing it up, stealing and being an a-hole on the job?
Kiss your career goodbye.

[nofunlatte]

Never underestimate the public! Lots of people post stuff like that on personal Facebook sites, etc., not all of them college-age either.

That said, I've never seen the show. One of the perks of not having anything more than basic cable, I guess!

[mpjmph]

I know from personal experience that plenty of restaurants sell to underage drinkers, and most get away with it. The punishment for getting caught depends on the jurisdiction, as does the likelihood of getting caught. I live in a college town, and have since I was 17 (I'm 30 now). Some places are really good at carding, like the grocery store that watches groups of young adults shopping together and cards everyone in the group regardless of who's paying. Other places are not so good, like the restaurant/bar that starts carding at the door at 9pm so they don't have to check ID for every order, but people who are under age can enter before 9pm and wait an hour before they start drinking.