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NARRATOR: Tonight on "Mystery Diners,"
Janaya Mallow, general manager of Putter's
in Las Vegas, Nevada,
believes her graveyard-shift bartender, J.R.,
is the cause of low sales.
JANAYA: When J.R. is working,
it doesn't seem like we're making any money.
NARRATOR: Is business just slow,
or is he running his own business?
He's running his own personal bar out of your bar.
The Mystery Diners will have to belly up to the bar
in order to show Janaya what's really going on.
[ Cheering ]
He thinks he's Tom Cruise in "Cocktail."
I want to throw up, Charles.
What the hell are they doing?
If the Health Department was to catch this,
they'd shut your kitchen down.
Owning a restaurant isn't easy.
You can have great food, atmosphere, and customers,
but reckless employees...
You're not welcome here anymore.
...can ruin everything.
That's where the Mystery Diners come in.
Charles Stiles has helped thousands of restaurants
find their problems and remove them.
With the help of his undercover operatives...
I'm Chris. I'm the new supply guy.
...he shows restaurant owners
what really happens when they're not around.
MAN: You were stealing from me.
I don't know.
This is my home! This is my business!
That food is my life!
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
I'm Janaya Mallow, and I'm the general manager
of Putter's Bar & Grill in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Well, Putter's is a really great place to hang out.
We're open 24 hours a day.
Almost everything we serve here is homemade.
We have great burgers.
We have tacos, quesadillas, chicken wings.
Anything you're in the mood for, we've got it.
My dream is really to own my own bar,
so I consider what I do here
kind of like training on the job.
I'm getting paid to learn how to do this for myself someday.
Finding good employees in the restaurant business
has been hard.
I'm always having to interview, rehire, train.
It's a very expensive process
that really takes up a lot of your time.
Fortunately, I've put together a pretty good staff here,
but my only problem lately seems to be with J.R.
J.R.'s the bartender that runs the graveyard shift.
But because he's the only one here
for the majority of his time,
he actually is the manager on his shift.
He's been working here for about six months,
but I've noticed over the last three months
sales on his shift have dropped dramatically.
I take my responsibilities here very seriously.
And most importantly, the owner of Putter's
has put his faith and trust in me,
and I cannot let him down.
I can't be here 24 hours a day.
I really need help finding out what's going on.
CHARLES: Hi, Janaya.
Charles Stiles, Mystery Diners.
Nice to meet you, too.
Got some work going there.
Yeah, just ordering the beer for the week.
That never ends.
Nope, never ends 'cause we never close.
You know what? Tell me a little bit about
some of the problems you guys are having.
I mean, obviously you called me in. You've got some concerns.
All the negativity
seems to be centered around the overnight shift,
which is probably just about the only time I'm not around.
So, you have a nighttime manager or...?
I do. It's a gentleman named J.R.
He bartends, and he's also the manager on his shift.
Okay, so it's just him by himself?
Yes.
When J.R. is working,
it doesn't seem like we're making any money.
The cash sales are way down.
You sure it's not just a slow shift?
When the other graveyard bartender works,
we're ringing in $600, $700 worth of cash sales.
Is there any alcohol missing, any food missing?
I have noticed the food inventory's been a little off,
but there's no alcohol missing at all.
Why haven't you just fired him?
He was recommended to me by a very good friend,
so I want to make sure I'm right about this
before I do anything about it.
NARRATOR: For this sting,
Mystery Diners will be focusing on J.R.,
an overnight bartender
who is experiencing low sales on his shift.
If he's up to something, we're gonna find it.
I just really want to get to the bottom of it and know the truth
because it could cost me my job.
To carry out the sting,
cameras have been hidden at key locations throughout Putter's.
Cameras one, two, three, and four
have been set up in the bar to give an overall perspective
of the restaurant and its customers.
Cameras five and six have been set up in the kitchen.
And camera seven has been set up by the front entrance
to track any action outside.
Mystery Diners Adam, Hollie, and Barbara will pose as customers.
See, we got the control room all set up.
We got cameras everywhere.
When I first walked into the control room,
I was just completely blown away.
They had camera angles that I didn't even know existed.
It was amazing.
Well, we've already got one Mystery Diner
that's already in the bar -- Adam.
He's gonna be wearing the glasses with a camera.
He'll be rigged to the microphone.
That'll all be recorded.
We want him in place before J.R. comes in shift
so that he's already there
and J.R. will just be able to serve him when he comes in.
For this sting, I'll be coming in to Putter's as a customer.
If J.R. is doing his job properly,
there should be no change in activity on his shift.
Who's managing the bar right now?
That's Jamie down there right now.
So, how long has Jamie been here?
She's been here about four years.
She's one of the longest-term employees right now.
Okay.
I'm assuming he should be coming in any moment now.
Actually, I think that's his S.U.V. right there.
That looks like a pretty nice ride for a bartender.
Well, I know when he's not working at Putter's
he also drives for a limo company.
Well, we'll be able to watch him walk in.
At least you know that he made it on time.
[ Chuckles ]
He's a pretty good size guy.
He is. He's his own bouncer.
The customers really like him. That's for sure.
Well, that's good.
It looks like he's counting the money out in the shift.
It looks like he's getting
the shift change like he's supposed to.
He's doing a good job making sure
all the open tabs are accounted for
between the manager shifts.
And there goes the cook.
The kitchen is officially closed for the night.
J.R. is the only employee working right now.
He's got full control of the bar at this point.
Everything seemed normal to me.
He was polite to everyone.
He counted his cash drawer.
He followed all the proper procedures.
So I didn't know what we were gonna see.
Is he going outside?
That's what it looks like.
And he's your only employee right now
and you got all these people at the bar?
Your register's unattended. Your alcohol's unattended.
There's nobody in there watching the bar but your customers.
He has a keg of beer.
He must be pretty strong
if he can carry a keg with one hand.
I wonder if there's anything in it.
Why would he be bringing that into your bar?
I'm sure you're fully stocked back there
and you have your own beer and your own liquor.
Absolutely.
He's unhooking your keg of beer and he's tapping his own.
He's gonna be selling his beer,
is what it looks like, instead of yours.
And he's got his own bottles of alcohol, too.
What's he hanging up here?
What the hell is he doing?
That's why you're not making any money.
Now he's drinking on the job?
If the Health Department was to catch this,
they'd shut your kitchen down.
This is really upsetting.
[ Cheering ]
I mean, no wonder they call it The Junkyard.
NARRATOR: Janaya Mallow,
general manager of Putter's in Las Vegas, Nevada,
believes her overnight bartender, J.R.,
is responsible for a dramatic loss in sales.
Charles has set up a control room next to Putter's,
where Janaya can watch what happens in her restaurant
with our hidden cameras.
We got everything covered.
You didn't miss anything. That's for sure.
Mystery Diners Adam, Hollie, and Barbara are posing as customers.
And as soon as the rest of the staff leaves,
J.R. starts bringing in his own alcohol.
He's gonna be selling his beer, is what it looks like,
instead of yours.
And he's got his own bottles of alcohol, too.
What the hell is he doing?
Adam, take a look at that sign for me.
"J.R.'s Junkyard"?
According to his drink special,
he's got a drink for every night of the week.
Oh, so today's Wednesday. It must be Half Price Hump Day?
I hate to break this to you,
but he's running his own personal bar out of your bar.
That's why you're not making any money.
[ Sighs ]
JANAYA: I cannot believe the nerve of this guy.
He doesn't have to pay any rent.
He doesn't have to pay any electricity.
He doesn't have to pay for the televisions.
He didn't even have to buy his own toilet paper.
Adam, I want you to go ahead and order a drink
and see what a Half Price Hump Day special will get you.
What's the deal with the J.R.'s Junkyard?
Yes, I can read.
Get another one.
Jack and Coke.
CHARLES: You're losing sales,
but at least you're not supplying his alcohol.
75% of our income is based on the sales of alcohol.
Sounds like the Hells Angels are rolling in.
Yeah, the people that were here on Jamie's shift
have pretty much left,
and these are his customers now, I guess.
So, you know who this guy is who just came in off the bike?
Never seen him before.
He's acting like he's working for him.
He's sitting in here in your front door.
This is really upsetting.
You guys normally have a bouncer?
No. We don't charge anything to come in here.
Well, we already know how J.R. treats men
coming into The Junkyard.
Let's see how he treats women.
All right, ladies. Put on the charm.
Barbara and I are gonna come in as a couple cute customers
to see if they'll break the rules for us.
Oh, my gosh. I totally forgot mine.
I'm 27.
22.
The Junkyard definitely had an anything-goes atmosphere.
We could have easily been underage.
Hi. How are you?
I thought it was Putter's.
Putter's?
Are you J.R.?
[ Both laugh ]
Yay. Looks like we're in luck.
Girls, tell him you want a shot.
I'll do a shot.
Mm...
Honestly, I couldn't believe J.R. did not check their I.D.s.
That's awful.
We could lose our liquor license for that.
We can't have underage drinking.
That's a shot.
This is J.R. Junkyard shot.
Raise our glass.
Cheers.
Now he's drinking on the job?
He's responsible for everybody here.
If he keeps drinking all night,
he's just not gonna be coherent enough
to be taking care of the bar and managing all your customers.
JANAYA: Those aren't my customers.
Those are his customers.
But this is your bar.
He is your employee,
and you're legally responsible for whatever he does.
He just invited his buddy to come around behind the bar.
That's another violation. He doesn't work there.
I have no idea who that guy is.
Putter's has gambling bar-top machines.
You have to have a special license to be behind the bar,
and that doesn't have anything to even do with serving drinks.
CHARLES: He's just pouring away and handing them out.
I cannot believe that this is happening to me.
Seen it all, but this is a new one.
Do you normally let your customers go into the kitchen
to cook their own food?
Absolutely not.
If the Health Department was to catch this,
they'd shut your kitchen down.
He thinks he's Tom Cruise in "Cocktail."
Disgusting.
[ Cheering ]
No wonder they call it The Junkyard.
NARRATOR: With the help of hidden cameras and undercover Mystery Diners,
Janaya Mallow, general manager of Putter's,
has learned that her overnight bartender, J.R.,
is running his own bar using her supplies...
This is really upsetting.
...charging customers at the door,
and letting his friends cook their own food in the kitchen.
CHARLES: Do you normally let your customers go into the kitchen
to cook their own food?
Absolutely not.
I cannot believe that this is going on.
[ Oil sizzles ]
As if it weren't bad enough
that old grandpa was hanging out behind the bar,
he lets two of his idiot friends
in the kitchen to cook chicken wings.
You know, it's one thing to steal a couple of chicken wings.
But it's another thing to have two unsanitary guys
in your kitchen using your equipment.
They get back there and burn themselves --
they've been drinking.
They have no business
being in the back of the kitchen.
Those two, not only could they have burned themselves,
they could have started a fire
and burned the whole restaurant down.
Yeah!
Unbelievable.
NARRATOR: Within a couple hours,
all of J.R.'s regulars are at The Junkyard.
[ Cheering ]
Shots on him.
So, he's gonna give
everybody in the place a shot on him.
[ Cheering continues ]
Looks like The Junkyard's a great place to be
if you're one of his buddies.
I mean, you got free shots
and you get to help yourself to the kitchen.
You can do whatever you want.
Look at them. They're like jackals.
He thinks he's Tom Cruise in "Cocktail."
Disgusting.
[ Cheering ]
[ Glass shatters ]
[ Cheering ]
What the hell are they doing?
No wonder they call it The Junkyard.
He just cost you $50 in glassware,
not to mention the broken glass all over the floor.
Somebody can cut themselves.
Well, now I know why it's a pigsty
every time I come in in the morning.
You know what?
Let's get our gals out of here before it gets too rowdy.
All right, girls. Good job.
I want you to go ahead and leave.
Bye, J.R.
Damn.
The fact that J.R. was drinking all night
meant he was incapable of making responsible decisions.
It was obvious he didn't care about Putter's.
I want to throw up, Charles.
Let's see what this is about.
Did he just say he was leaving the bar?
Better be an emergency.
There's J.R. He looks all dressed up.
He just told that guy to watch the bar for him.
That's the same guy
that was pouring drinks behind the bar earlier.
You said he drives for a limo company?
Yeah. When he's not working here.
Well, it looks like
he's moonlighting on his moonlighting job.
This is unbelievable.
I can't let this guy
leave my bar and restaurant unattended.
I'm stopping this right now.
You know what?
Just go get him and bring him back here.
JANAYA: He's taking advantage of me.
He's taking advantage of Putter's.
And whether his Junkyard buddies know it or not,
he's taking advantage of them.
Hey! Junkyard!
Where you think you're going?
My name's Charles Stiles. I'm with "Mystery Diners."
"Mystery Diners"?
Man, seriously, get out of my face with that camera, dude.
NARRATOR: After conducting an undercover sting operation
at Putter's in Las Vegas, Nevada,
the Mystery Diners have revealed
that overnight bartender J.R.
is running his own business out of the bar...
ADAM: J.R.'s Junkyard?
CHARLES: With those signs and what he's doing, he's done this awhile.
...giving his friends complete access to the bar and kitchen...
Unbelievable.
...and leaving the bar unsupervised
in the middle of his shift.
Hey! Junkyard!
Where you think you're going?
I want to talk to you.
Let's go. Follow me.
Hey! All right!
I want everybody to get out of my bar!
Now!
J.R.: What the hell you doing back there?
Let's go! Wrap it up! Drinks down!
*** out the door! Let's go!
You, out!
MAN: Party's over.
J.R.: Guys, come on. Get out of here.
Party's over!
Let's go. I got to talk to you.
Seriously, let me at least explain to you
before you go off on assumptions, please.
You don't know what's going on.
I want your friends out of here.
They're going.
Will you just give me, like, two seconds?
Do you think I'm an idiot?
I don't think you're an idiot.
This isn't my first day on the job.
Shut up.
[ Sighs ]
If you want to give me, like, two seconds
to explain to you what's going on.
This is just --
What the [bleep] is this?
My name's Charles Stiles.
I'm with "Mystery Diners." Come on back in here.
Come in here, J.R.
No. We're good. Hell, no.
What the hell is that? He's just gonna take off?
I guess he doesn't want to work here anymore.
Well, from what we saw,
he doesn't need to work here anymore.
J.R.: This is bull[bleep]
Dude, I didn't touch any of her alcohol, bro.
I was selling my own [bleep]
I brought people in this bar, so you know what?
This is bull[bleep] bro.
Man, seriously,
get the [bleep] out of my face with that camera, dude.
Get out of my face, bro.
[ Engine turns over ]
I'm glad at the end of the day we found what was going on.
It's more than we bargained for.
I had no idea we were gonna find this one.
What I saw was anything but typical.
Really appreciate it.
JANAYA: This has really been
such an incredibly eye-opening experience,
to have "Mystery Diners" come in
and show me what was really going on.
I've worked too many years and way too hard
and spent too many sleepless nights
thinking about this business
to let some jerk like this ruin it.
I'm glad that we were able to help you.
And you know what?
Get back in there and take care of business.
NARRATOR: Janaya doesn't know the whereabouts
of J.R. or his Junkyard.
Janaya has hired a new overnight manager,
and profits are back up at Putter's.