This is a giant, like, teenage man cave basement
rumbled grandpa's room [laughs] I mean, yeah,
people do come in here and tell me they feel like
they're in their grandpa's basement.
narrator: For over 30 years,
Jon Taffer has traveled the country
saving hundreds of bars from failure and ruin.
The past two years are unlike anything
I've seen in our industry.
But we're bouncing back.
The people are going out again
and restaurants need to get ready.
narrator: Now, Jon is faced
with a new set of problems.
There are supply chain issues.
Why are we out of this shit?
Staffing shortages.
Every week, we get a new staff.
We have to crash course them.
And consistent health concerns.
These can't fail.
It just can't.
narrator: So now, Jon is back out on the road
and heading to Ybor City, Florida
to rescue Cerealholic Cafe & Bar.
This is a new era for our country.
So we need to raise the bar and rise to these challenges.
narrator: In early 2021,
Lisa and Darrell Lawson
decided to open up Cerealholic Cafe & Bar
in Ybor City, Florida.
Cerealholic is a nostalgia bar
and it was named Cerealholic is
because everything is cereal-based here.
It's like '80s, '90s, which [indistinct] sprinkle
a little bit of '70s into it too.
narrator: Intended to be a place
for families to make memories,
the Lawsons also saw it
as a way to create their own family memories
by bringing their son Brandon in
to manage the bar.
He is a good general manager when he's present.
Like, I don't know how many times, countless, I've come in
and there's fruits sitting still
in the tray out, you know what I'm saying?
From like Sunday and I, like, come here Tuesday.
We all work in the hospitality industry.
Uh, I was a general manager
and then I have masters in finance.
And my husband and I wanna retire one day
and let this be successful
and Brandon be the one that runs the brand.
narrator: With backgrounds in management and hospitality,
Lisa and Darrell felt confident
in investing their lifesavings
into the peculiar concept.
One that would also honor Darrell's son Alex.
Who had tragically passed away in 2019.
We wanted to honor him
because he's just the life of the party
when he went somewhere,
and this is what we're trying to do here.
narrator: However, the unique idea never gained traction
and Cerealholic has barely scraped by from the start.
I think this theme is a little bit touristy,
it's a cool spot for people to go,
"Oh, I went there one time."
It just looks kind of
like you're walking into a children's playground.
I don't think anything on the menu
really sounded appetizing. Like our meatballs,
they have a cinnamon toast crunch glaze.
Our burgers for the Hit The Road Jack Burger
are infused with Apple Jacks.
We're losing about 9,000 a month.
We get business but it's not enough business to sustain.
We're having to get these little loans
to pay payroll because we wanna make sure
all our people are paid at the very least.
narrator: And the quirky decisions
in both menu and decor have caused conflict
between Brandon's practical management style
and Lisa's creative flair.
The dynamic between Lisa and Brandon
is, um, hysterical.
They see different things,
like Brandon wants to go in one direction
and Lisa wants to go another direction.
- I want you to take it over. - Yeah.
But I just feel like if I don't do it
that you're gonna want to get it done.
- Yeah. - As a general manager,
I don't feel like I can count on Brandon.
I don't think he wants to do the job.
Well, the biggest problem is,
you know, people weren't listening
people weren't showing up on time, liquor costs,
people were stealing money, stealing liquor.
And I just feel like I'm not being utilized.
Well, I'm utilized is whenever things start hitting the fan.
I have to deal with the mess afterwards
and that really gets frustrating
when I could've just done it from the get-go
and then we wouldn't have a mess.
narrator: As a result, the sacrifices
that Lisa and Darrell have made
to keep their bar afloat
have caused further emotional stress
on them and their family.
What's at stake for me is, is, is a--is personal
because my wife's Lisa's dreams when she'll be gone.
I can't not think about what bad decisions
that I've feel like I made him make.
- You didn't make me. - No, I know I didn't make you.
We agreed to it both.
narrator: So to save their lifesavings
and honor the memory of their son,
Lisa and Darrell have agreed
to pull back the doors, bust open the books,
and make a call for help, to Bar Rescue.
So here we are, Cerealholic.
I mean, Ryan, I just wanna make sure
you're seeing the same thing I am.
I'm looking at a back bar
that has cereal rather than alcohol.
It's [indistinct]
narrator: For the kitchen,
Jon brings in Chef Ryan Scott.
Chef Scott is an award-winner,
cookbook author, and grand ambassador
for some of the most well-recognized
culinary products in the country.
His experience in catering events large and small,
are perfect for revamping an aging bar menu.
Anything on the menu is available.
We're running a little short on stuff
so just let me know before and I'll see what we have it,
uh, we're out of.
So there's Lisa. She's the owner.
Okay.
And there's her husband, Darrell.
Darrell cooks.
Making himself some pasta.
Looks like he's got some butter and cheese.
- What the hell was he making? - That's--
I guarantee you he calls that mac and cheese.
That cheese product that he's trying to melt with his hands
is not melting because it has a wax on the outside.
I call that straight in the trash.
Oh, yes.
There's Grant, he's the bar manager.
- Okay. - There's Tanner,
he's the bartender.
Am I gonna go out after?
Of course I am.
It's a what, a Wednesday?
So the story is remarkable.
Lisa's stepson
got in a car accident and passed away.
- Oh, wow. - Terrible.
- Yeah. - They got $190,000
- settlement from his death. - Okay.
They took a hundred sixty thousand
of that hundred and ninety thousand.
Oh!
And they bought this bar with it.
- Uh-hmm. - Now,
they've invested another 40,000 or so.
- Okay. - They are so far in debt.
They're out of money. They close in two weeks.
- In two weeks? - In two weeks.
They're losing 9,000 a month, so.
This isn't just a rescue.
This is sort of an emergency rescue.
So we gotta put in a menu that's really low-cost,
put them in a very low-cost labor situation.
- Uh-hmm. - And have them dig out.
Because the creditors are gonna take the space away from them.
Well, I'm actually getting myself a drink,
it can be dope, something to eat.
- So for recon tonight... - Uh-hmm.
...I got Danny and Scott.
Two great on-air DJs...
- All right. - From Hot 101.5.
Heard this place is haunted.
I don't mess with that.
I don't mess with that but I am excited.
And the great thing about a Hot Radio Station format,
they're all about bars. They do remotes and bars,
three, four days a week.
If there'd be age of prime bar goers,
we will get an honest evaluation from them.
narrator: Jon's spies enter Cerialholics,
a large 6,200 square foot space
with multiple levels and an open floor.
A small bar at one end. And a tiny kitchen
- in the back. - Okay.
Hey, you guys, you can have a seat anywhere you like.
- Thank you. - Thank you. Thank you.
Ha! Is this complementary?
What is this?
Oh, most places give you bread.
They give you like nut, yeah, as a cereal.
On the house cereal.
All right, sweet.
Okay. I got a little stale-- I got a stale corn chip.
They probably keep topping and topping.
It's been sitting in there for months.
Is it the arcade? Would, would, like if it worked,
- that'd be awesome. - If it worked,
but it doesn't work. So what's the point of it?
You gotta go bang on the side of it?
Did you guys see anything that you want?
Oh, yeah, so yeah, yeah,
I'mma try the Judgment Day. That one sounds cool.
- Judgment Day? - Yeah.
I'll go ahead and do that Puff Pebble Mudslide.
All right. Sounds good. I got you.
I'm thinking about how sweet these are.
- Right. - And eating that cereal
at the bar can be pounding you with that sweetness.
It's the exact opposite of what would cause you to have a drink.
Uh-hmm. Oh, yeah.
- Keep the water coming. - Is that your...
This is the Judgment Day, right?
- Yes. - Okay.
Oh, man.
All right. Let's see what happens here.
- Here we go. - Smells like a rum.
- Oh, I don't like that. Oh. - Is it too much?
- It just tastes... - Strong?
Not that strong.
It just tasted like an old can of, of juice.
- You wanna try? - No, you keep sipping that.
I'm-I'm waiting for, for mine.
See, that like the orange juice that
- turns brown after a while. - Right.
- Oh, wow! - Wow, bro.
Look at that.
Boozy dessert drink. Is it more of a dessert?
Oh! Yeah. It has a kick at the bottom.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
I'm gonna be on a sugar rush for sure.
- For real? - So is that a cocktail
or is that just a chocolate shake?
- It's interesting. - I don't understand.
I don't--I don't either.
I think I'm gonna try get some food.
Looks like we can get food menu.
Here we go.
Go ahead and do that chicken sandwich.
- All right. - I wanna, uh, do own my burger,
cheddar, bacon and then a fried egg on top.
All right, let's go. Come on down.
Let's get this food going here.
And the ticket's just sitting there.
Standing by.
This is why they got the cereal...
Yeah. Yeah. Holds you down?
- You know what I mean? - Holds you down
so you don't starve waiting.
He still hasn't started making the food.
He's putting gloves on. That's a good thing.
- How's it been? - Eight, nine minutes.
- You see a chicken cooking? - Nope.
- Did you see a burger cooking? - Nope.
What is this guy doing?
He's running circles.
And the smallest circle I've ever seen.
How's the food coming?
I have two different tickets.
Well, one and one and [indistinct]
No, because I know I put it up there, you threw it away.
Oh, that? Oh, Grant threw it away for the one...
Oh, yeah.
So the manager came in and threw the ticket away.
He threw the ticket again.
- What? - Yeah.
So they're just not starting their order at the end.
- But he's doing it though? - Yeah. He said
- that you threw it away. - Who is it for?
Who is it for? Guys hanging up there.
Guys over-- the ones on the end there.
- [indistinct] - He is?
Yeah. Because he thought it was the same,
because it's what they have but it was another.
So now it'll take 20 minutes
for that food to come out of the kitchen.
Easily, half an hour and still no food.
I'm gonna go. This is just unbelievable.
How are we looking?
- On the food? - Yeah.
Uh, it's coming, couple more minutes.
- Okay. - More like 15 probably but...
- Oh! I hope not. - Oh, man.
Oh, dear.
Seeing Jon is--it was surreal.
I wasn't--I was frozen. I didn't know what to do.
This is the moment that it's gotta happen.
- Fun times people, hey. - Hey, hey.
- Hello, guys. - Hey, brother.
- How are you doing? - I'm fine.
- I'm waiting for the food. - Feeling pretty good.
- Still waiting but... - You had sugar shock yet?
I'm in big-time sugar shock.
I don't think I'm gonna be able to finish.
Absolutely right.
That's pretty funny.
Is it me or is it just hot?
- Is it hot? It's hot. - It's hot.
Where did you throw the thing on?
Grant. Come on over here for a moment.
- You know who I am? - I do.
Okay. I-I just wanna say hello.
Yes. Hi.
Because they ordered some food.
- Yes. - Tanner was great,
put the food order in,
put it in the kitchen, put it on the line,
it sat there for about six or seven minutes
and Darrell, the cook, never did anything.
Then Grant who's the manager
walks into the kitchen, takes the ticket,
throws it in the garbage pail, it was never cooked.
Now it's laying in a garbage pail.
Good job, buddy.
Now it's laying in the garbage pail,
am I right Tanner?
Am I telling the story correctly?
- Correct. - And you happen to go back
to the kitchen to find the ticket
that your manager threw in the garbage pail
that Darrell never cooked.
Your manager did that.
Doesn't that concern you a little bit?
to find the ticket that your manager
threw in the garbage pail
that Darrell never cooked.
Good job, Lisa.
So your manager did that.
Doesn't that concern you a little bit?
- A lot. - Yeah.
Concerned me a lot.
Okay. We need to talk.
We do?
- I've been doing this 45 years. - Okay.
Couldn't understand this place.
Bar food is sold in the afternoon and evening.
You're focused on cereal, which is sold in the morning.
- That makes no sense to me. - Uh-hmm.
Then every one of your drinks is so sweet.
- You never sell a second one. - Uh-hmm.
So you, your alcohol approach is completely well,
I walk into the environment,
you know that in this area
that people that come to these bars
tend to be 25 to 34 years old, right?
- Uh-hmm. - So that to them
is grandmother stuff, that's dated,
it's completely irrelevant.
This is the anti-bar.
It's great, everyday core thing is completely wrong
un-relatable to the audience that comes here.
It misses on every possible thing
that it should connect with.
And Darrell, how much money have you put in this?
Out of my pocket? Probably a hundred seventy thousand.
We thought it would make sense.
We thought it would make sense to like a...
new demographic if you will. If--I mean...
Did you think it would make sense?
At the time, probably not.
- But... - So if you want her dream
to come true and it doesn't seem right to you,
shouldn't you protect her and speak up?
Yeah.
Well, let me tell you something, buddy.
This is the time to be forceful, not weak.
- Right. - This is the time to step up.
- Uh-hmm. - And I'm guessing
for the last two years you've written a lot of checks
that you haven't wanted to write,
you've been a nice guy about it.
And now you owe it to him to make it right, don't you?
- I do. - Because you blew the money.
- I do. I do. - Well, how you feel
when I say that?
I want you to feel accountable, Lisa.
- I do. - Because I want you
to come in here tomorrow and aggressively fix this
and make it up to him.
- I do. - I understand.
So whatever you need to do to save it.
Okay. Well then, I'll meet you here tomorrow morning guys,
but bring some crates and some stuff
we need 'cause all this stuff has to go
first thing in the morning and then I'll go to work.
- Okay. - Okay. Good night.
- Okay. - Thank you.
It's okay, all right?
[dramatic music]
Last night taught me one blaring thing,
- Lisa cannot run this place. - Hi, Jon.
She's lost $170,000 of her family's money.
And I'm hoping her son Brandon,
is the opportunity I have to place management
that can actually read it forward.
- Let's all talk for a minute. - Okay.
So today I wanna talk to Brandon, Lisa, and Darrell.
I also wanna talk to the staff
to really understand what's going on.
We have to have some honest conversation
so I will understand each of you, all right?
So I can help. What do you think of this place?
Um, I think the concept itself
trying to find a place for people to be,
a little bit goofy as an adult was great.
I think sometimes the implementation
wasn't the best thing, kind of like all over the place.
You know what's interesting is,
is you're in a pretty useful marketplace down Orange.
- Yeah. Yeah. - Uh-hmm.
You know, these bars in this town
are successful with 21 to 34-year-olds.
- Yeah. - 34-year-olds
don't relate to those 45s in the walls.
- Yeah. - They don't relate
to the stuffed babies on the walls,
they don't relate to any of this.
Uh-hmm.
And then when I look at breakfast cereal,
well, that's morning day part.
- Uh-hmm. - These are night day parts.
- Yeah. - So these were slapping
the bar business in the face with this kind of approach.
- Now, if you were downstairs... - Uh-hmm.
In a family market in Tampa,
and you wanted to create a Cerealholic,
really fun cereal and ice cream parlor
kind of concept, I'm with you.
But when you call it a bar...
- Yeah. - Uh-hmm.
That's when the disconnect happens.
- Right. - Rather than coming together.
- Uh-hmm. - Correct.
So here's where we're at,
what do you think you have to do
to attain breakeven in the bar business
10 times your rent?
- Yeah. - Uh-hmm.
So if you're paying $10,000 a month in rent,
you gotta do 100 grand a month to break even.
- Uh-hmm. - Yeah.
So all the numbers work.
So what are you retaining now in sales?
25,000 to 30,000 on average per month.
A month? And what's your rent?
- 6,000 - 6,000.
You're running at half of what you need to be.
- You studied finance, right? - Uh-hmm.
- You totally get these numbers. - Yeah.
How come you don't run this place?
My mom and I tend to lock horns a lot.
Um, I am more of a logical numbers-driven person.
She's big and bold, which is I love her for it.
So that's where we kind of have a disconnect.
We were fighting a lot and I just rather
keep my mother than...
- Right. - Lose my mother.
So how come he isn't running it from your perspective?
Would you like him to?
Um, I'd like him to be like a mix of it.
So Brandon is more, um--it turned into either,
"Mom, it's all in what I wanna do
or I just can't be in." That's really why he isn't
because I wouldn't let him be in all.
I'm gonna ask you a very difficult question.
I want you to really give me an honest answer.
- Right. - If you're an investor,
not her husband,
and you had invested $170,000 in this business,
understanding that pretty much every decision your wife made
- has cost you money... - Right.
Would you want her involved in decisions going forward?
- As an investor, not a husband. - Right.
Would you?
As an investor, no.
You've proven one thing.
You don't know this business.
Your decision making in this business is awful.
When I hear you say that you need to be involved,
that's an ego statement.
That's not a logical statement, is it?
Uh-hmm. When Jon said
this is a time for me to put my ego aside,
it hit my ego kind of hard.
Then I started recognize about how controlling I am
and how detrimental it has been.
All these thoughts are going through my head like he's right.
You ready? Let's pull the staff together, okay?
- All right. - Come on over, guys.
Can we pull everybody over?
[laughs] [indistinct]
Hi. Some--a, a new face.
- Yes. - Hi, what's your name?
- Tim. - And what do you do here?
- I'm the cook. - Cook? Okay.
And Grant, how long have you been here?
Uh, beginning of October.
So you're saying four months or so?
- Yeah. - Okay.
And what is your role here?
Uh, bar manager.
And what do you do as bar manager?
- I do inventory. - Okay.
But what other responsibilities you think he has recently?
He's basically quality control of the bar
for-for us as far as, um, liquor and stuff like that.
So what does that mean quality control?
Just to make sure nobody's over-pouring,
under-pouring, stealing, taking stuff out of the bank,
you know, like he's checking
like deposits and stuff like that,
so, um, just kind of cue-seeing that for me.
And you think that's going well?
I think it's going okay, but it needs to be better.
Let me show you how it's gone.
So this is Partender.
Partender is an inventory product that I use.
That is absolute.
They come in, they weigh every liquor bottle,
do an inventory and let you run for a few days.
We poured $3,194 worth of product.
We sold $2,041 worth of product.
So over those three days,
we lost $1,153 in sales.
If we look at it, every weekend, how much is it?
- 1,153. - Every month how much is it?
11,690
- Every year how much is it? - 140,282.
So is Grant managing anything?
So Grant, when I look at you, I wonder why you're here.
Because I see you walk into a kitchen, take a ticket,
throw it in the garbage pail.
For the life of me,
I cannot fathom how a manager
can walk up to the line, look at a ticket,
throw it in the garbage pail and walk out.
- I don't understand that. - Um...
I mean, do you understand how moronic that is
for a manager to do something like that?
I mean, that is about as moronic as it gets.
2How does that happen? Explain it to me.
I don't--I--the, uh, last time was a mistake.
I thought it was a ticket
because it looked like the same as the people
that were sitting at the front.
But you didn't ask anybody.
And--yeah,
that's--I take responsibility. It's my fault.
So Grant, you gotta prove yourself tonight, okay?
And I'm sorry, guys,
but I'm fighting for their lives.
You gotta understand,
they got $170,000
invested in this thing and they are broke.
Broke! Done!
I was not aware that Lisa and Darrell were in it so deep
that they were losing that much money
and it was about to close down.
So I was shocked when Jon says
that they were going to go under.
Let me get my experts in here. Let's go to work, guys.
These are two warriors of mine.
We've done so many rescues together.
Mia Mastroianni is one of the best bartenders
in the country.
narrator: For the bar, Jon brings in Mia Mastroianni,
a legendary bartender at Soho House Los Angeles.
Mia has served Hollywood elite
while also creating cocktail menus and programs
for bars across the country.
Ryan Scott is a great chef and a master
of not only restaurants which he's owned
over the years, but he started in food trucks.
So he's a master of the small kitchen.
Okay, so Ryan, why don't you run in the kitchen
with chef, take a look at what's back there.
Let's see what we got it and let's go take a look at the bar.
- Right. - I'm gonna see we got.
- Let's go my new friend. - 'Sup?
Grant, Tanner, can you come behind the bar?
[upbeat music]
Hello.
all: Hello.
So Jon basically told me
that everything is wrong with this bar.
I'm coming into training today
with already some areas of major concern.
No communication, there's no consistency
or accuracy behind the bar
and a wildly unbalanced
and overly sweet cocktail menu.
Quite frankly, milk was not a good choice.
So we've got a lot of work to do.
We're in Tampa, it's hot.
Who wants a glass of dairy when it's 80 degrees?
I want oranges! I want lemons!
I want citrus! I want flavor! I want colors!
So we have our tropical parrot.
So we're gonna start with our vodka,
ounce and a half.
We're gonna layer it with very cold
fresh orange juice,
bringing in the citrus flavors of Tampa.
And finally, we're just going to layer in
some blue curacao,
so you will see the layers of color
that will still provide whimsy
but it is a nice chilled orange-based beverage
and we are not garnishing it,
this is just going straight to our guests.
Simple.
You can make that very, very quickly.
You can get those out. It's visual,
people are gonna be asking what's in that.
You can sell these.
I'm so ready to make more money
and more money the better, right?
You know, a little bit of inspiration
where Jon was coming from on this was he's like,
"Ryan, you got that breakfast theme,"
and there's nothing wrong with breakfast,
but brunch is something that's more indicative
to drinking, correct?
So, I'm gonna say something maybe new maybe not.
I'm gonna say a little chicken and waffles. Don't, don't...
- [indistinct] - Don't walk out on me!
Why are you gonna walk out with it?
I've been trying to get chicken and waffles in here
- for like two months. - Wait, wait a second.
You've been trying to get it on the menu for two months?
- Yeah. - All right. So it just takes
Jon Taffer walking through the door
and now you got chicken and waffles?
- Has a bigger name. - Yeah. Well, that's true.
You just take this buttermilk brined chicken breast,
goes right into this salt and pepper and seasoned flour.
Basket goes down the bottom.
This is anywhere from six to eight minutes
depending on the temperature, 165.
This is honey and buttermilk based waffle batter.
Here's a waffle iron which I know, chef,
- you have been wanting to use. - Yeah.
You just take your scoop with it, you guys have in house,
it is a one-third of that scoop.
Chicken is done.
So we took a little bit of a homemade hot sauce
and some butter.
We're literally gonna paint this chicken.
Gonna take my hot chicken seasoning,
and I'm gonna overly do it.
My crispy honey waffles are gonna go right here.
This cold coleslaw, it's gonna go right here.
I'm gonna set that hot chicken,
and we glaze that chicken.
Finish it with a little bit of green onion,
a little bit of green chives, slice and nice.
Enjoy it. What do you guys think, huh?
That's good.
- Hello, everybody. - Hi.
- Are you guys ready? - Yeah.
All right. Come on in.
- Yeah. - Come on in.
[upbeat music]
Let's make some drinks.
How are you guys doing tonight?
Do you guys want anything to drink?
No, go ahead.
I'm gonna get chicken and waffles.
Chicken and waffles? Okay.
We should be pouring! We should be shaking!
- What do you have with vodka? - Vodka?
That would be this one right here, the Tropical Parrot.
Off and runnin'.
So it's three drinks, and three drinks,
and three, um, foods?
And for you, ma'am?
Yeah, I'll do the [indistinct]
There we go.
And this is called what?
The Cuban Espresso Martini.
- Cuban Espresso Martini? - Yes.
We've got three.
You got three, you got one.
He's got three, he's got one.
We got chicken and waffles
and a grilled loop sandwich. You know what that is?
A grilled-- that's a grilled cheese.
Here's your water.
- Oh, thank you. - Uh-huh.
Seems like the floors got a lot of water.
You guys got the good seats because no one on the floor
is getting anything from the bar.
[indistinct chatter]
This is the first ticket.
[bell dinging]
- Now, this is all... - Oh, it's printin'.
Okay. So let me understand this.
You made one full drink and then to make a second one
you grab all the bottles the second time
and made another one on top of the first one?
Because I went to talk to them
before I can finish making the two on top.
But if you were making two at a time
When you have just doubled up your forecasts
in the first place?
That's where your martini's in,
now you got cream in everything.
[bell dings]
Ticket number right here.
Chicken and waffle ready to go.
Server please at the bar.
This is not hot chicken and waffles.
Go on, baby. Hot wings rather.
- Chicken right there. Yeah. - Here's a grill loop.
You gotta make sure you take both things on the ticket.
- All right. Grant. - Yeah.
Where does this one belong?
That's not mine.
It's got your number.
I already got-- that already went out.
Grant, keep moving, please.
- Where, where's it going? - I don't...
Where is this going?
Did you put that in?
That's my name on the ticket? No, it's not.
It's Grant. But Grant [indistinct] taking orders.
- Then it was Grant. - How in the Mother of Jesus?
- I don't--that's Grant. - Okay.
- I'm gonna figure this... - What?
Your food's out.
No solution in sight.
Question, did you guys have burgers?
No, no.
I know you guys didn't have it.
You're killing me here.
[bleep] hell.
All right. Tell me what's going on.
- Ticket. The ticket... - It's still sitting here.
Yes. It's still sitting here.
I've never seen a more messed up ticket system.
And now he comes in here with this machine
to drop a ticket.
This is the most ridiculous thing in the world.
- Yes. - [indistinct]
And will that possibly come up there?
No [indistinct]
Let me just [indistinct] this real quick.
This guy right here has done 18 tickets.
Eighteen tickets.
There's five of you out there
and you can't get the [bleep] food to the table.
And this guy is walking the food out.
- I know. - It's frustrating. Yeah.
Frustrating.
It's three burgers.
I need to know where the burgers go.
I don't remember bringing up three burgers.
I remember three burgers, four chicken waffles
all of it over here.
Do we know where this food is going?
I really don't know.
[groans]
[bell dinging]
There's something you haven't heard in a while,
a bell and hot food.
[bell dinging]
Runner, this is our last burger--
you know what? Take that. I--you just keep--
I know you wanna sell that one. Go ahead.
[indistinct]
Yeah?
Yeah. Keep being an ass.
Wait, you can't walk [indistinct] what's wrong?
[bleep] I can't live with this stupidity.
- what the table number is. - No. The way you're acting.
Oh, it's because you actually have
proper running management back here and that bothers you?
Uh, yeah. Okay.
Yeah, I saw you cook. You can say all you wanna say.
Yeah, you can say I'm not...
- I've been in your situation. - Exactly. I'm not...
I have been in your situation before.
I'm here to help you.
I'm not here to tell you're a dick.
Tell me where it's going on. You're gonna [indistinct]
That's what I'm trying to tell you.
- I don't know. - Okay, then leave it.
So, that's what I'm trying to find out.
- Then leave it. - Okay. Chill.
- You chill. - Okay.
Well, we're running 25-minute ticket times.
And the food still isn't out.
They're running around insanely
trying to figure out where the food goes.
Tim has put up 18 tickets,
and half of them didn't make it to the table.
This is a complete failure.
It's just mistake after mistake.
This is just a complete disaster.
I'm gonna call this, Ryan. We're done.
Tanner, I want you to please tell everybody
we're closing it down. Apologize.
Tell them we're closing and ask 'em
to come back in two nights.
Thank you, guys so much for coming.
[upbeat music]
- Hello, team. - all: Hello.
How is everyone feeling after that brutal stress test?
Oh.
Uh, it was, uh, chaotic, to say the least.
We did the best we could with what we got to work with.
But we definitely saw that we have a lot to learn.
All of that, we're just gonna leave it in the past.
So we decided those cocktails last night
in spite of the fact that it was tough
to get them out to the floor.
Everybody liked them.
But we're going to finish your menu
with new cocktails which we'll start with today.
Standards are set very high in terms of a balanced cocktail.
When we got here, everything was unbalanced
and super, super sweet.
So today, we're going to be adding new flavors
that are really going to hit the mark with this demographic.
First, here's our Whiskey Tiki Sour.
We're starting with four dashes of Angostura bitters.
Citrus forward,
half an ounce of fresh lemon juice,
and an ounce of pineapple juice.
Then we have for orgeat but it's almond syrup and rye.
Ounce and a half and three quarters of an ounce.
Allspice liqueur.
Ice the glassware all the way to the top.
Pour over fresh ice.
And we're going to garnish a pineapple frond.
And this is our Whiskey Tiki Sour.
It's sweet. I like it
and you still get the citrus sour.
I like it because there's some drinks
- you could only have one. - Uh-hmm.
That's when I get out with a couple of.
So, yeah. It would be good. Yeah.
[dramatic music]
I don't have to tell Lisa or Darrell
that last night was a disaster. They know it.
And it reinforces the premise
that Brandon needs to step up to run this bar in the future.
I want us to get a chance to talk, you know,
parent-to-parent because Brandon is a pretty terrific young man.
- He is. Yeah. He is. Uh-hmm. - And you know what's great,
is he understands the numbers of the business.
I see him as a tremendous asset.
He is. Uh-hmm.
But I also see your personality
as a tremendous asset to this business.
So, I wanna get Brandon in here for a moment if we can.
- Hold on. Okay. - Howdy?
You know, your mom, dad and I were talking and,
you know, we were talking about, you know, them stepping back.
And when I look at the two of you,
you migrate to operations I'm guessing,
- that's your personality. - Yeah. And I like--
- I like my own. - Uh-hmm.
So, you're gonna migrate to operations, Brandon.
You're gonna get involved in the procedures
and the numbers and get all those things
tightened up that we need tightened up.
- Uh-hmm. - And she'll keep the smiles
in the front of the house while you do that.
Yeah.
Does that sound like the right way to go about this?
Yeah, it's perfect.
And once you get those systems in place
they'll sort of function on your own.
- Uh-hmm. Uh-hmm. - And that's when
you can start working on growing the business
and developing the concept and making it all yours.
Uh-hmm. Uh-hmm.
So, when I think about it,
uh, I don't want to be emotional.
- Uh-hmm. - But I think about Alex.
And I think about him up there watching and I believe he is.
What would he say to you today
if he were watching this week, "Step back, mom"?
- Oh, he would. Yes. - Step back.
- Yeah. - Let Brandon step up now
give him a chance to do this. Back him and support him.
- It didn't work the other way. - Uh-hmm.
Would he be saying the same kind of things I am?
- Yeah. - He would be saying that.
So his legacy has grown this week, hasn't it?
- It has, yeah. Yes. - Uh-hmm.
And this new concept is every bit
as much about him as the old one does.
- Okay. - So, you know, when,
when we remodeled bars like this,
I was looking for assets
that we can exploit in a building.
And those windows are the assets
that you exploited, in that space.
It creates a really, really dramatic...
- That's beautiful. - ...and beautiful space, so...
We were hoping that you could use that--
the culture of the building, just how, you know,
because it's just a beautiful building.
Yeah. That's exactly what we're gonna do.
All that comes together, right?
If we keep this a [indistinct] place.
This is your shot, buddy.
And if you can turn this around like I think you can,
think of how you're gonna feel in a couple of years.
Okay? We good?
Yeah.
- Thank you, sir. - Knowing that Jon
is gonna completely change it up,
we know that this is something that's going to evolve,
and Alex's memory will evolve with it.
We're looking around the place and we'll say,
"This will be Alex." I could just see him
sitting here, I see that, you know, so...
it's not really the theme of the bar.
It's really what we did because of his memory.
[tense music]
- [applause] - All right!
Look at the bar before.
How you doing?
- Hello! - I know.
Hi.
- all: Hello. - Hi.
- You look nervous, Lisa. - I'm so nervous.
- Are you? - Yeah.
How was this experience for you this week?
It's been rough. For me.
I gotta say, I'm very proud of you.
Because I came at you, I challenged your decisions.
I challenged your choices.
- Brandon, she's tough. - Yeah.
Oh, yeah. It's where I get it from, so.
Yeah.
So, this bar had to target
a young crowd to be successful.
It had to target an evening crowd
to be successful.
And I had to create a concept
that would work at night in this environment.
I want it to have more elegance, more style.
I want it to be a place that somebody
would go dress like you are right now, Tanner.
By the way, you clean up pretty good, buddy.
- Thanks. - So, you're ready to see it?
- Yes. - All right, here we go.
One...
two...
three.
- [cheering and applause] - That is awesome.
One...
two...
three.
- Ooh. - [cheers and applause]
That's dope.
- That's dope. - Wow.
- That's cool. - That is awesome.
We got the signage over here.
The Loft.
I had to pick a name, Lisa, that 50 Upstairs.
- You liked the brand? - I like it.
- It works well. - Yes.
Look at the entryway, it's got class, doesn't it now?
Look at the beautiful windows.
When you look inside, you see those candles up there?
It draws you, doesn't it?
How do you feel, Darrell?
Good. Proud.
How do you feel, Lisa?
It's beautiful. It's just beautiful.
Yeah. But you can't wait to see the inside?
I can't wait to see the inside.
- All right. Go ahead, guys. - Yes, yes, yes.
[cheering]
Oh.
Is it--oh, my gosh.
Oh, my gosh
Look at that.
Oh, there's [indistinct]
Oh, my God.
[indistinct]
Wow. Look at the bar.
Wow. I would throw drinks back at the bar.
No cereal.
Holy crap!
Oh, my God. It's so classy-looking.
I can't imagine simply walking by
and not wanting to come in and say this place.
This is gonna just attract so much.
Oh, my God. I love it.
- Wow. - Really nice.
ell, what do you think?
Oh, my God.
I love it.
What would Alex say right now if he was looking at this?
Oh, he'd be sitting right there just as happy as can be.
He'd be proud of you, wouldn't he?
- Well, yeah. - You even look a bit emotional.
Yeah. I get that way every now and then.
Yeah.
Alex would be proud of this place.
It is still elegant and it could be a nice place
for him to come to have a drink and stuff.
I think he's looking down and he's proud.
There are a lot of things I had to fix.
So I got your two Harbortouch terminals
and a bunch of handheld tablets.
Oh, nice.
I got PathSpot,
which is one of my favorite things.
PathSpot is a hand-washing system.
Remember that 140,000 hours
that we looked for annual losses?
So I got you a lifetime subscription to Partender.
Oh, wow.
I got Tektronix to come in here and overhaul
your entire audio and video system.
You have good content now that you can air.
I got Jason Hulfish with Grand Theming,
one of my favorite people in the world
to do that funny mural downstairs
with the rooster with the cigar.
- That's a photo spot. - Right.
We're elevated. We're classy,
- but we're still fun. - Yeah.
And that rooster communicates that fun.
- Uh-hmm. - What do you think, Lis?
I love it. I can't wait to get in it.
I can't wait to just see it in action.
You have a lot to fight for, don't you, Brandon?
- Uh-hmm. - Right?
This is more than just a bar.
This is a legacy you're fighting for.
A family you're fighting for.
And I think I gave you the tools to do it.
- Yes. - Oh, yeah.
- You feel good? - I do.
All right, guys. You ready to do this?
- Uh-hmm. Yeah. - Let's get to work.
- All right guys.
Grant, seize this tonight, buddy.
All right? Step up tonight, really seize this.
All right? Congratulations.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
[cheering]
Welcome to The Loft! Come on in!
Welcome [indistinct]
[upbeat music]
So start here is one.
Up and down. Just let her know.
- Hi, guys. - both: Hey.
- How you doing? - Welcome. What do you think?
- Looks great. - I love the bar.
It looks fantastic.
Coming in, there's a ticket up.
- All right. - Grilled cheese, Cuban,
breakfast sandwich, onions on the side.
Oh, some [indistinct] tickets coming in.
Get it running, please.
[indistinct] in here Cuban Panini
and a grilled cheese dip.
Talk to me, gentlemen. How are we doing, Tim?
- Doing good, sir. I'm doing... - How many tickets we got?
- Just one more now? - Just one right now.
- One but one big one. - Party going out.
- Excellent.
Runner!
[bell dings]
Straws. Grant, you're doing beautifully.
Oh, yeah.
That's a [indistinct]
So far so good.
Grant has really stepped up, I must say.
I don't see him as a manager tonight.
He's functioning as a bartender, but a good one.
He's holding his own. Tanner is holding their own.
Ticket times in the kitchen is doing well.
Most important, Brandon is leading.
Lisa is helping out.
Darrell doesn't even have to do anything
because we're running so well.
I left lipstick on you.
[indistinct]
It's a rough week, but I mean,
Jon freakin' nailed everything here,
so yeah, I'm excited. Yeah.
[laughs]
So I wanna share something with you.
I lost my mom just a few years ago.
So it was not easy for me to come here
and pick on you and your decisions.
It was not an easy thing for me to do.
You remind me of my mom a little bit.
So this was not easy for me.
So I hope you know everything I said to you
I said out of love...
- Oh, I know. Yeah. - ...out of respect
and to help you and look at what we did.
- I know. - Yeah, yeah, they're good.
- Are you proud? - I am.
Yeah. I am. I have...
Are you feeling you're set up to succeed?
I am. Yeah, I do. Yeah.
Well, my work is done.
Now it's all up to you. Congratulations, buddy.
You got this, don't you?
Oh, yup, got it rock and rolling.
And, and you got peace in the family again.
I'm good.
That's a good thing too, isn't it?
Absolutely, sir. I'm [indistinct]
- So a little group hug? - Oh, for sure.
- Ah, congratulations. - Oh, thank you so much.
- I wish you all the very best. - Thank you.
- both: Thank you. - Goodnight.
- Thank you, Jon. - Goodnight, everybody.
[upbeat music]
announcer: Promotional consideration provided by
Harbortouch, PathSpot, Partender, Orange Door,
Draft Medic, Tektronics, LoweGear,
The American Clean, LLC, Grand Theming,
Signs Now of Brandon, One Stone,
The Barterhouse Ybor, and Ersi.