Most HEATED Moments On Undercover Boss!

In this video, we've compiled the most heated moments on Undercover Boss. Without further ado, let's get started. Number seven, Mark Mallory from Cincinnati, Ohio. I'm Mark Mallory. I'm mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. It says the mayor is the official representative of the city and that the mayor plays a role in the budget process. You know, the official job of the mayor is defined in the Cincinnati Charter. So, the job of Mayor, as I see it, is to make sure that the city is running efficiently as possible. Structure of the job of being mayor, that's really up

to whoever the person is that sits in this seat. We are creating jobs, keeping the citizens safe, and creating a great environment for our citizens to live in. You cannot be a Mallory and not be in politics. My father served in the state legislature for 28 years. He sort of started this whole thing. >> I wanted to be in politics to try to change those things. The impact that my father has had on the city of Cincinnati and on the state of Ohio is great. I am clear on the fact that I'll never be as

great as my dad. What I want to be able to do is to make my father and my mother proud of the work that I'm doing. I worked at the public library of Cincinnati for [music] 14 years. I served in the House of Representatives for 2 years. My parents both impressed Upon me and and my siblings [music] the concept that you have to give something back. And I served two terms in the Ohio Senate. Then I decided to [music] run for mayor of this great city. And I am the first directly elected African-American mayor of

the city of Cincinnati. I'm Mark Mallory, [music] and I'm asking for your vote on November 8th. To understand how city services are really operating behind the scenes, [music] Mark Mallory goes undercover at Cincinnati's Fleet Maintenance Division. There, he meets Steve, a mechanic responsible for [music] maintaining emergency vehicles that the city depends on every day. The city owns and operates more than 3,000 vehicles. One of the things that we had to do in this last budget was to delay the purchase of some new vehicles. This maintenance facility takes care of all of those vehicles and all

of that equipment. >> Yeah, Steve. How are you? >> Rick Wilson. >> Rick Wilson, good to meet you. >> Yep. Yep. That means the existing vehicles we have are going to have to run for a little bit longer. First thing we do when we when we do an oil change on a motorcycle is to start it up. We're getting the oil flowing. >> I'm a mechanic for the city of Cincinnati. My big thing that I do for the city is the motorcycles. Okay. >> So, obviously the first thing for Emergency vehicles, you want to make

sure all the lights are operational. One thing you want to remember at all times this is somebody's life in your hands right here. Right. There's your horn. Siren. Get you ready to get dirty. Let's get dirty. You got to get down on your knees, man. Put your knees on these pads. I used to work on cars years ago back when I had to when I didn't have any way of paying For it myself. >> Don't be afraid to You're going to get dirty. You're going to get Yeah. Slide the pad under it. It's not going

to burn you though, but it might I get that Get the Grab that out of there cuz it's going to get covered in oil. Just There you go. Whoop. There it went. Mechanic hands? No, he's got soft hands. >> [laughter] >> I don't know what he does for a living, but I'd say Rick doesn't work a lot with His hands. This this particular bike here, this is actually uh >> [music] >> it's a good friend of my my younger brother's. See this one right here? Right. Right. That's your transmission oil. Same thing. So, is it

your favorite to work on the bikes? Absolutely. Some of my guys are are worse on their rear brakes. Some of them are worse on the clutches. And it helps to know who the rider is, too. Obviously, this is the Kind of work that, you know, at the end of the day your knuckles are all busted up. Your hands are bleeding. >> He takes personal pride and some real ownership in his work. He's the kind of guy that just says, you know, it's all part of a day's work. That's the kind of commitment that I'm looking

for from city employees. Just put it on the bench. If you was working on a 3-year-old car or 13-year-old car, which one is going To cost you more to keep on the street? Uh that 13-year-old car, for sure. Well, you know, mechanics are at the bottom of the totem pole anywhere you go. You got city council who wants to cut our budget. It costs $12 million to run fleet services. Okay. So, you know, the high and mighties up at council, Nobody realizes it, man, but fleet services is the backbone of the operation. Well, if we

farm it out, we'll save $12 million. Well, you're not. No, you're not. It's going to cost you money. While working on the vehicles, [music] Steve starts opening up about the lack of respect his department receives from city leadership. And as the frustration builds, the conversation quickly starts to heat up. >> your first responders, police and fire. When other departments are overwhelmed or short on manpower, they come to us. [music] We do a lot of things that the public doesn't see. The big Queen City Barrel Fire, we had mechanics on duty fueling fire trucks. We're basically

the second responders. These guys in this garage, they plow the streets. We manned the pumps at Lunken Field when the flood was coming. Come on down like you, Rick. Let me put you in a blue shirt. Let's Let's see what I do. And we get no respect. >> So, [music] what would it take to fix some of that stuff, particularly on the communication? What would it take to fix That? >> They ain't going to do it. It's politics, man. You You hit a good button there, man. That That was a good one. >> [laughter] >>

Steve vents about budget cuts and explains how critical fleet services really are to keeping the city running safely. [music] And hearing how overlooked the department feels, Mark realizes this issue runs deeper than he expected. Steve really gave me an Earful. He was just talking from the heart. A guy in his position really wants to be heard. He wants people to understand that he knows what he's talking about. I mean, he was really bringing it about how he feels, and it kind of knocked me back on my heels. And right now, I don't get the sense

that he feels that way. That's something that has to change. >> Steve continues speaking from the heart, making it clear he is tired of city Workers being ignored and undervalued. And in that moment, Mark is [music] completely caught off guard by how heated and emotional the conversation becomes. Steve, I got to tell you, you gave me [music] an earful. Yeah, I Yeah, I know I did. >> [laughter] >> Well, Steve, I really appreciate what you do for the city. I want you to hear that from me as the mayor. You kick me around a little

bit, you know. >> [laughter] >> You bust my knuckles up, you know. I know there's that annual car show that happens out there, but I want to have a showcase of equipment. I'm going to talk to the city manager >> [music] >> and see if there's a way that we can get some of these issues resolved. I'm going to be there. I want to bring [music] city council there so that they can meet you and they can meet the rest of your Team. That really puts out to the general public the variety of things that

you guys work on. People need to know [music] the importance of your work. I'm going to make sure that happens. Okay? All right. All right. During the reveal, >> [music] >> Mark tells Steve that he heard everything and understands why he was so frustrated. And as tensions finally settle, he promises to make sure city Council recognizes the importance of their work moving forward. [music] Number six, Toby Bost of O'Neill Clothing USA. My name is Toby Boast and I'm CEO of O'Neill Clothing USA. We make everything [snorts] from t-shirts to board shorts to bikinis. If you

can wear it, we make it here at O'Neill. O'Neill is an action sports company. We specialize in apparel and accessories. [music] Going undercover, I'm looking for things That we can do better. We want our brand to be number one. If we're not the hottest brand on [music] the block, I want the information as to how we become just that in order to market and sell [music] this brand. That's Frederick Wilson. Done. While undercover, I'll be posing as Frederick, [music] a guy from Utah who's going through a midlife crisis and wants to open a surf shop.

Throughout my undercover journey, my Employees will be [music] tricked into thinking they're on a hosted reality show. Today we're at O'Neill clothing in Commerce, California. In which they will work alongside Frederick and then decide whether he deserves to win funding from an investor to open his own surf shop. And my employees will [music] have no idea that this is secretly undercover boss. And the man pretending to be the host of the fake show will keep asking questions about whether Frederick [music] deserves the money. Oh my gosh, you look like you're from the '90s. Do whatever

it takes attitude at this point. Let's go. I'm excited, you know, I'm really really curious [music] as to what we're going to find out there. I'm here in Las Vegas today at O'Neill's outlet store. I'm going to be working with the seasonal sales associate. >> [music] >> We need outlet stores so that we can move our past season stock. So, these People are newbies. Seasonal sales associates are brought in during high traffic times. >> What's up, buddy? Hey Zeus. >> Yep. Frederick. >> Nice to meet you, man. I'm really interested to get in there and

see how much training has gone into seasonal sales associates and how much they really know about the business. You are the contestant? Yeah. All right, cool, man. Well, I'm here to just show you the Ropes. All right. >> Toby Bost goes undercover to see how well employees represent the brand at one of the outlet stores. Expecting professionalism and strong product knowledge, he quickly realizes standards are slipping. Got the collared shirt and like the khaki pants and the really dorky running shoes. Frederick looks like a high school principal, unfortunately. But, I mean, he's got a badass

mustache, that's for sure. So, That's cool. >> [laughter] >> I'm your trainer right here, buddy. >> Yeah. All right. Uh you see a customer, I just like Hey, what's up, guys? >> How long have you been [music] working here? Honestly, I've been here for like about a month. >> So, it's not like, "Hey, welcome to O'Neill." No, it's not like, "Hello, welcome to O'Neill. Thank you." I didn't Mind the casual greeting, but I was probably expecting just a little bit more of a formal approach. What is that? Yo, what up? This job is really not

that hard. I can do whatever I want. What's a rash guard? I'm going to guess it's like maybe to prevent a rash from like from like your wet suit. You need to know exactly what these products are all about. It's what we do. Hey Zeus got stuck on [music] the rash guard, protection from the Elements. There it is, man. So, it's a Thursday, so it's kind of kind of slow. So, [music] we're going to Swiffer, dust, and clean the mirrors and stuff. >> I feel like I'm going to go out tonight, man. I'm off tomorrow.

Should be fun. It didn't seem like he was an employee of that store. [music] Yeah, it's pretty spotless, buddy. Jesus was messing around and not working. He definitely came off very, Very nonchalant. What about the front doors? Do you want me to do those, too? Are you done with both mirrors already? >> Yeah. Oh, sweet. Dang, you're freaking fast, man. Toby meets Jesus, a sales associate who struggles with basic product knowledge and approaches the job far too casually. Early on, Toby can already tell there are serious issues with both training and accountability. So, what'd you

do before this, man? I was in medical School. I kind of dropped out of that. Smart man. Me, personally, I wouldn't take a lot of these like this clothing, like this this type of clothes in in here just because, straight up, man, it's just a douche brand. You know, I'm here to try to win my own store. >> [music] >> Yeah, man. I'll be a good I'll be a good experience for you. You'll learn a lot. This this style right here, it's dead. >> [music] >> It's dead. Over with. You'll never see me wearing an

O'Neill shirt. >> To me, that was just so out of left field. Jesus had an attitude, and he had a lot to say. You know, you're going to pick up a girl on your first date, you want to look like a man. You don't want to look like a five-year-old like your mom picked us up. >> He hates the clothes. That's not a good fit for any retail store. That's like a fifth grader would wear instead of a Grown-ass man. >> Is it mostly tourists that are coming in here? >> Yeah, that's why you really

have to let them know like, "Elsa? I'll go with that." If that's in your shot of a customer, that's obviously a problem. He was acting like a punk, kind of hitting all those points that I just can't stand. >> I'm here for you to respect me. I'll hurt the up and get whatever you Want cuz I got a date in 30 minutes with a badass Smoke with you, I'll drink, you know. Come in smoke a bowl before work just to like calm down. Sorry, what was that? >> All right, buddy. Nobody calls me buddy. I'm

I'm just straight up lazy, man. Like If he's talking like that to a coworker, or worse yet a customer, we could be in some deep trouble. >> I know how to grow some really good weed if you You're really interested. You have knowledge in like medicine, right? >> A little bit. Really? I mean, talking about pot and dispensaries and marijuana. I mean, come on. >> Have you ever thought about opening a like a pot dispensary? I I mean, it would be a really good business. I just don't know what to do with this kid right

now. I just want him to stop talking. The situation gets worse when Jesus Openly admits to being lazy and disrespecting the brand. He then reveals he has come to work high, leaving Toby stunned as the shift continues. Hey, what what does your tattoo say on your arm? Is that good? Boom, there we go. You picked up real quick on this one. Yeah. That is my mother. Uh-huh. She was the one that raised me and taught me Oh, that's right. >> man, man. Straight up. Your parents divorced [music] Or I'm 23. They've been going out this

23 years, you know? Just straight up. Yeah, I'm really close to my mom. I don't really have a father relationship Uh-huh. with my dad, so you become who you are by the experiences of your life. Yeah. But, uh, my dad, he was never there for me, so. It is what it is. I felt for Jesus. He came [music] up from a broken home. He's still struggling with whatever it is that was happening throughout his Upbringing. I have a really hard decision to make with Jesus. He did a lot of things wrong today. You have a

lot of years on me, but I've learned a lot in my life, and you know, what's outside of your control, you just just can't control that. I'm going to meet with him in a few days, and I'm going to make a [music] decision as to what his future will be with O'Neill. Despite everything, Toby starts to understand there are deeper personal [music] struggles behind the behavior, including family problems. It leaves him conflicted as he weighs how to handle the situation. Jesus, the style of O'Neill and our clothing is made for 5-year-olds. Yeah. So, are you

ready for some really honest feedback? Yeah, I guess. I personally think you guys could do a little better than the way you guys are doing right now. Working with you, you were a liability. Really? For sure. I never knew what was going to come out of your mouth next. Have you ever thought about opening a pot dispensary? That's your opinion. I mean, it is what it is. Do you really think Frederick should get into the weed business? I was just trying to give him advice. I'm not going to let you off the hook. I'm like

you in a lot of ways. I was 23 [music] once, too. I was going to ask you one question. Am I fired? And the beauty of our company is we've got great advice for people just like you. I got to party, but then I grew up a little bit. You, to me, are at a turning point in your life. Really become something before you turn 30 and look back and say, Where did my life go? You're going to work with me. You're going to work with a lot of my executives. I want to fly [music]

you out to Irvine for an entire week because I think it will help You. Is that something you'd be willing to do? Do you think you can listen to what I'm saying? I guarantee it 100%. She's going to help you understand [music] the etiquette. Your first conversation when you come out is going to be with our senior vice [music] president of human resources. I think that'll be a really, really important first lesson for you. I know not everybody gets this opportunity, so I'm going to take it to The fullest. I'm embarrassed because, you know, everything

I did, but So, I'm going to see you real soon. >> [music] >> I won't let you down. And I was like, "Oh my god, I'm going to get fired." And I've never had that father-like advice. When he first told me that he was the CEO of the company, my heart felt like it was going to explode out of my shirt. I got I learned everything by myself, so I look up to him as a mentor. At the reveal, Toby makes it clear how serious the situation has become and explains that Jesus has been hurting

the business. Expecting to be fired, Jesus instead gets one final chance to turn things around and prove himself moving forward. Number five, Kevin of Waste Management. Waste Management is the largest trash and recycling company in North America. Well, my title is president and chief Operating officer. >> [music] >> At the helm of a $13 billion business is Larry O'Donnell. >> And in that role, I'm responsible for all of our operations in the company. I'm sure everyone is wondering what is going on here in the field, and I'm going to go undercover. What I'm going to

be doing I'm actually going to go out into the Operations. This is going to give me the opportunity to really see what it's like to work at Waste Management. You serious? If I'm able to pull this off, [music] I may be able to revolutionize some of our processes. I'm sending out targets and cost-cutting goals from my office. I want to see if the targets are realistic on the ground. It could make us more efficient, which can mean saving jobs, and that's what I'm looking for. [music] People will think I'm shooting a small TV show about

trying out entry-level jobs at Waste Management. While I'm undercover, I'll be posing as Randy Lawrence, a construction worker [music] who's being followed by TV crew. Larry O'Donnell goes undercover to experience the company from the front lines at a busy recycling facility. Expecting physically demanding work, he quickly realizes the operation runs under constant pressure and strict Oversight. Got your clothes all ready? Get changed and then come back out to see me. Okay. Good morning. I'm Sandy. Sandy, nice to meet you. I've really got to remember to stay undercover and be that first-time employee. These here are

sleeves because there are sometimes needles. So, there's needles out there? [music] >> Yes. All right, we need to get the ear plugs in. We do get needles up on the line. I see. Hey, are you ready? What exactly am I going to be doing? You're going to be picking trash, cardboard. I'm seeing that. Cardboard. I'm missing it again? This goes pretty fast. >> Trash and garbage. Diapers are trash. DON'T LET FAST. THIS is the slowest line I have in here. >> Oh, no. Yeah. >> You got to be kidding. I missed it. I missed it.

I was sweating bullets because I know how expensive that equipment is. Okay, I'll send them all to lunch. Cardboard line plugged up down there. You can send them all to lunch. We're jammed from one side of that belt to the other. All right, we're going to take our half hour punch lunch right now. Okay. Okay. Larry joins Sandy on the sorting line where non-stop conveyor belts and strict Safety rules make it hard to keep up. As mistakes start piling up, the pressure escalates until the entire operation is forced to stop. Some big piece of cardboard

or something got in there. I tried to lift it, you know, catch it with one hand, and I missed it, so I lost it. I hope I didn't mess something up. I tried to grab it. It was way out there underneath a bunch of trash, and I saw the corner of it, and I know I was putting the wrong thing, you know, I Grabbed What's happening? I don't think I'm very good at this job, so that's that's a little frustrating for me. >> [music] >> During lunch, Larry tries explaining what went wrong, but the team

has little patience for excuses from a new worker. The tension grows even more when Sandy suddenly rushes off in a panic. I had to punch back in Or I get docked. You get in trouble? Right on time. I had to punch in. I only have a half hour lunch. That's the way Kevin does that. Where is he? He's sitting right here in his office. I can get docked 2 minutes every minute that I'm late. That doesn't seem very not Is that the most frustrating thing to you? I wish they didn't have them. There's cameras up

there, so he's watching us constantly. Larry learns about Kevin's strict lunch policy, where even minor delays can lead to employees being penalized. Seeing how tightly workers are monitored confirms deeper leadership [music] problems inside the facility as the reveal approaches. I'm a little concerned about Kevin. He has a problem right now, [music] so it needs to be fixed. Hey Kevin. Hello, Larry O'Donnell. Nice To meet you. Did you meet the employee? No, I did not. Would it surprise you to hear it was me? I understand you had somebody working at your recycling facility last week. Yes,

we did. I've seen the way you ended up implementing our policy about 30 minutes for lunch. What frustration it's causing. One of the reasons I I've done this is I want to understand what things that are causing frustration with our employees. Sure. I think we can figure out a a better way to do it than than what we're doing. You know, if they're 3 minutes late, we don't penalize them. And that seems to be the thing that is just really frustrating. Can I count on you to get that done? Okay. I don't think that's something

that can't be done. At the reveal, Larry confronts Kevin directly and reveals he was the undercover employee the entire Time. He calls out the harsh policies and makes it clear the way employees are being treated cannot continue, leaving Kevin's future with the company in serious doubt. Number four, Rick of Checkers and Rally. I'm Rick Silva, president and CEO of Checkers and Rally's. I love the business I'm in. It is incredibly competitive. I love to compete. I love to win. I [music] hate to lose. And you can only win one way. Get everything right. Anything less

than That is a complete failure. The other competitors may chase us, but [music] they'll never catch us because we're already on the next thing. We're at 800 restaurants today. My aspiration is that we'll be at [music] 1,000 restaurants the next couple of years, and we'll continue to grow. This is the perfect time to re-evaluate and find new [music] things that we can do different. The thing that would upset me the most is if I saw either a guest being treated Inappropriately. What do you think? Oh my goodness. I don't know if I can let you

go on the road alone now. >> [laughter] >> Employees being treated inappropriately, that to me would be very, very [music] upsetting. I personally have asked Checkers and Rally's to sell more product at a faster pace than we've ever done it before. I'm here today to see how the work we've already done is >> working. Are you the new guy? Yeah, my name is Alex. >> Hey Todd. You're Todd? >> come around there and I'll meet you there. Because I want to make sure that we're not somehow sacrificing great quality food and great quality service. Rick

Silva goes undercover to see how one of his restaurants [music] is really operating. Expecting strong service and quality standards, he quickly notices problems from the moment he steps Inside. My name is Todd. I'm a crew member here. Main things that I'm going to teach you today are the grill and the fry station. So right now we're going to start by washing our hands. So how long have you been here doing this? >> I've been here for almost a year and a half now. You follow me, you won't go wrong. Thank you very much. >> No

problem. I was surprised that Todd wasn't Properly trained. That position [music] is absolutely critical. So I'm a little worried. How long did it take you to get the hang of it? Me, it took it didn't take me too long because I kind of sort of trained myself. Rick meets Todd, a crew member who explains he mostly learned the job on his own. Right away, Rick becomes concerned about the lack of structure and training in the store. Not so much uh seasoning on each one. Don't forget to press the [music] button. Oh, I forgot. Okay, thank

you. Tell me to flip them? Yeah. Uh-oh. Got it? Okay. Make sure cuz it's looking a little burnt. How we doing our meat, guys? How we doing? What's step aside? Take your phone call. Ask. Sorry, I'm slowing you down, aren't I? Yeah. How late you stay? I got an axe. What made you get this job all of a sudden? You want to go own a business like this? I was thinking about going to the Buddha. I had a drugstore in Philadelphia, and um we had to shut it down. I always wanted to be a chef

since I was in the seventh grade. Went to school for it. I had to stop going to school. It's more than you cooking uh a deep patty. You're satisfying your customer. Why did you stop? It seems like you really love it. I'm all about my mom and my family, helping her out with the bills and everything like that. I don't think of it as me being in a tough bind or tortured by anything. You bring money home for her? Yeah. I'm I'm I'm her rock right now. I'm doing what I can, and I'm doing it

to the best of my needs. No problem. Should I have some down now? Sir. I don't want to get you down. I don't Want to get you in trouble. >> No, no, no, no, no, no. Okay. I don't want to get you in trouble, though. I understand. It's It's okay. It's okay. >> Okay. We do a lot of yelling. Okay. That's our way of communicating. As Todd trains him, Rick watches store manager Steven interact harshly with the crew. The more he observes, the clearer it becomes that deeper leadership problems are affecting the entire location. Once

you get up Here, it's all about speed. Two medium fries? A lot going on over here. Give [music] me a five-piece and a barbecue. >> Okay. You can hit the button that says finish strips. Heat it up cuz it's all about time right now. Yeah, I'm going to break the box, though. Go ahead and drop six strips. We have very strict standards in terms of How the product should be cooked. That's why we have all those timers. Okay. The timer I don't know. The buttons they're a little messed up. >> [music] >> Can you help

me with the buttons here? Tell me which button to hit. Oh, down here? Yes, sir. The buttons weren't properly labeled, which is a waste. Hit O R, which is for onion rings. Do that one. I saw that they We cooking it in ways that weren't necessarily correct. This is crazy over here. This is They weren't following our procedures. And so then when they were preparing the product, they weren't preparing it the way they're [music] supposed to prepare it. >> While working the fryer, Rick notices more operational issues, including confusing controls and inconsistent food preparation. Multiple

problems surface In a short amount of time, adding to his growing frustration. I kept hearing the general manager barking orders. Sir, I need you to drop what you're doing. I need you to take some time. Sir, I need you to take trash out there. No problem. How many hours do you have right now? You got 20. So, if you go on overtime, I can take you outside and beat you up, right? I Need you to drop what you're doing. Can you do me a favor and pick up some fresh training, please? Okay. Todd, is this

what usually happens when you try to do something, someone's calling you all the time? I can't tell you right now. He He needs to help me here. Is that okay? No, he can't. You're going to go with him? Okay. Okay, good. I try not to, you know, pay attention to it so much. Is that what he always does? Yeah, That's how he is. Like he was telling people they would get in trouble if they didn't do their work? Yeah, he's incredible. I would never let someone talk to me like that. It's my job. >> keep

working for checkers then? >> Because I do it because I need to help my mom. I couldn't work in a place like that. I really could not [music] work there. I couldn't work there for 10 minutes. Does that make you feel? Like I'm worthless. Steven's behavior becomes harder to ignore as tension builds throughout the kitchen. Rick struggles to stay composed while watching the crew deal with constant pressure and disrespect. Let's go talk to him. No, I don't think so. >> Yeah, I want to talk to him. Come on. I don't I don't think so. >>

I want to talk to him. Let's go. What's wrong? What's wrong? I didn't say nothing. I need my job at any means necessary. I just want to work. I just need a job. You still have a job. Is that that job today? No. How How training did he give you? I come to work and I do what I got to do. What kind of job do you want? I want a job where I can be respected. I didn't [music] I didn't I didn't get any training here. I trained myself. Basically, I took what I learned

from McDonald's and I put it into this. As Rick reaches his limit, [music] Todd steps in and asks him not to escalate the situation because he needs the job. Instead of calming things down, the moment pushes Rick even closer to confronting Steven directly. Steven, is that your name, sir? >> Steven Seal, sir. Can I talk to you for a second? Of course. I may have an opportunity to join Checkers and Rally's system. I'm going to talk to him. Give Me his name. What's his name? His name is Steven. What excuse is there to talk to

people without being respectful to them? They will not listen to you unless they they Who's they? The crew. What excuse do you think that would be? >> think I was disrespectful. You have to talk up. The first hour that you talked to me that way, I would leave. I wouldn't even leave my name tag in my I would walk out the door and never come Back. Why would I want to work for you with the way you talk to people inside there? I would say that you couldn't handle the job. You do what you got

to do to get them to listen to you. You run them, they don't run you. If I don't scream at them, they don't listen to me. I came into this company just like you. Wanted to be nice, low tone. It doesn't work. But I'm not going to let you continue telling me I'm disrespecting my crew. Rick finally calls Steven out over the way he treats employees, but Steven refuses to back down and argues that he runs the store his own way. The confrontation escalates quickly as both sides clash in front of the crew. I've studied

the restaurant business. >> studied. >> [music] >> Have you any experience in the restaurant business? Have you been in the fast food business Before? Uh no, I haven't. Maybe that's my problem. >> business. I have been in the restaurant business for [music] over 20 years and I've been in the fast food business for over 20 years. Actually, I do. I'll be honest with you. I do have experience. I'll tell you exactly. I'm CEO for this company. I know exactly what it takes to run a restaurant like this. And what I saw Here [music] today is

completely the wrong way to do it. I was asking people questions about what was right button and they didn't know what the answer was. >> [music] >> And guess what? I know the right way to do it and I know the wrong way to do it. When you see our advertising, do we say, "Hey, we sell lukewarm burgers. Come get them." Is that you think what's going to sell burgers? >> No, sir. Right now, you're not doing the job to our standard and so you don't belong in that restaurant. Okay? I guarantee you half the

people that came through this restaurant today didn't get hot product. They got lukewarm product. Right here, right now, we're going to shut the restaurant [music] down. With tensions boiling over, Rick [music] drops the disguise and reveals he is the CEO. He immediately shuts the restaurant Down, leaving the staff stunned and Steven's future uncertain. I was thrown into this position. There are certain things I don't know right now. I don't know. >> Right now, you're not doing the job to our standard. It's completely unacceptable. How long have you been in this restaurant? About 6 weeks. I

was on my third week of training as an assistant manager before they said, "I want you to run the restaurant." >> Okay. I didn't even finish training. I'm very disappointed. I'm disappointed in myself because at the end of the day, accountability rests on my shoulders because we didn't properly train them. I cannot train them because I don't know everything yet. This is going to be the last car we serve today, right now. Erica, ma'am, we're shutting down. We're getting one last car and that's it. We're shutting down. We're closed for the night. I'm mortified. I

actually am mortified that this happened, but [music] there really was no other solution under the circumstances. Steven admits he was never properly trained and reveals the same is true for the [music] rest of the staff. Rick realizes the problems go far beyond one employee and point to a completely [music] broken system. Um My name is Rick Silva. I'm CEO of Checkers and Rally's. I decided that we weren't going to keep operating this restaurant. We're going to close it. The person who I was training [music] was actually the CEO of Checkers. I'm still in I'm still

in shock. So, we're losing our job? No, you're not losing your job. I want to apologize [music] to all of you guys cuz I let you guys down. The reason I'm shutting this restaurant down is because of you guys. No long faces, everyone's [music] getting paid, Everyone's got a job, and it's going to be a better restaurant than it was today, okay? The truth is, if we haven't trained you how to do what you're doing, you're doing the best you can. It's not your fault at all, okay? It's my fault if you're [music] not properly

trained. I couldn't leave that restaurant today not knowing that when I left, that restaurant may not be operating at my standards. I want to make sure that we got a crew here before we reopen this Restaurant. Not doing very well. In fact, I'm having a horrible night. What I need you to do right now is to get me some general managers from other restaurants. My legacy at Checkers and Rally's will [music] always be we do things the right way, and we win by doing things the right way. We're going to shut the restaurant down. [music]

You think that's the right thing to do? You think I made a mistake today? You're the CEO, so It's kind of a weird situation Here, but what you did was you gave me an opportunity to see where we're missing the boat. I will make [music] sure that you and I meet somewhere uh in about a week or so, okay? Tomorrow we can make it a better restaurant. What do you think? Rick temporarily closes the store to fully retrain the team and rebuild operations from the ground up. Despite everything that happened, the employees keep their jobs

as the reset Begins. Todd, the thought of somebody treating you with disrespect really disturbed me. You spoke up. You had the courage to speak up when I asked you. You know, I felt like it was my fault. I'm incredibly proud of what we did that night. I really am. It started with you. [music] When I found out that the team in that restaurant was not properly trained, and as I think about it, I'm proud of what I did. And I [music] wouldn't change it. No regrets. As the CEO, I felt responsible. I don't ever want

to see that [music] happen ever again. Every new employee at Checkers and Rally's is going to be trained on our values that's about treating everybody. Just so you know, Steven's is being retrained. Yeah. Because of the experience [music] that I had at your restaurant, with a great deal of respect, you inspired me to change the [music] company. How do you Feel? I feel good. We're going to pay for you to go back to school and finish your culinary degree. We're going to pay for everything. When we were on the grill, you lit up like a

light bulb. [music] It really showed the passion for cooking. All your expenses so that you can finish that culinary degree. Thank you. I I really feel like I need to give you a hug. I really I really do. I'm going to stand [music] up for what I believe in. It's my time to shine. When Rick meets Todd again, he follows through on his promise to improve training across the store. Seeing Todd's dedication, Rick supports his goal of becoming a chef and leaves realizing the real failure started with leadership. Number three, David of Baja Fresh. I'm

David Kim. I'm the CEO of Baja Fresh. You know, I was thinking about you know, we grew so big as a company. >> We actually have a an opportunity to go on this show called Undercover Boss. Cuz I think we should be reaching over almost 400 stores now. Oh, by the way, hey, this is my disguise. Check this out, guys. >> [snorts] >> Check this out, right? We really don't get to see a lot of [music] the people out there. I like to go see what really Goes on. >> No, but I think it's a

very good opportunity. How do I look? Do I look different? >> [laughter] >> You don't look like David. David, when when you can't roll a burrito, don't cry. >> [laughter] >> I'm trying to be a punk rocker or something, but hey. >> Korean punk rocker? Have the goatee catchers on fire, you're on your own. >> [laughter] >> Yeah. Hi, it's David. Yeah. How are you? Good. How are you? I'm good. Are you okay? I'm I'm better. Losing my mom and now having to lose my dad, um my father is ill. [music] He has a disease,

a lung Disease that's not curable. That's not easy, too. >> [snorts] >> Going undercover helps me to see the truth. In the past, that's what I [music] did is to work at the restaurant. >> Dear Lord, while I go on this trip, keep him safe. Watch over him. And I just need me praying. Amen. I think I might be better than the rest of the guys. We'll see. Have a safe trip. Bye, Dad. This Baja Fresh has had some issues and some complaints in the past. I'm looking for Ramy. I'm Ramy. >> Oh, I'm My

name is Ken. How are you? >> you, Ken. If you do a good job, this could be your office. But recently [music] has been turned around and is doing exceptionally well. And I'm here to find out what they're doing well so that we can implement it throughout the country. In business, there's always ups and downs, and I like to learn how to Rebound. David Kim goes undercover [music] to understand why one Baja Fresh location is outperforming others. At the store, he meets manager Ramy, but early into the shift, something already feels wrong. So, we're going

to take this, stick it kind of in between everything. What we got to do at 10:30 every day is we we check our temperatures before we start prepping anything for the day. And wait for that number to go down. All this should be under 40°. Over 40°, we Call that the danger zone. Temperature hasn't dropped to 40. Yeah, temperature. Yeah, temperature. It's when you get parasites and all that stuff. And then it might take a little bit. So, if you don't get this fixed right away, uh that's it. This is This end of story. We're

not going to compromise on that. Temperatures are very very critical to what we do. Food safety comes first. Usually, we have covers, so all the cold stays cold. Make sure you got to make sure all this stuff is closed. So, once it hits below 40, we know it's good product. Kind of got to move it around, make sure it's dropping below temp. As we're waiting for this, You mind if I take a just a quick break and I'll be right back? Is that okay? >> No problem. David uncovers a serious food safety issue when he

notices Ingredients being stored at unsafe temperatures. Realizing customers could be at risk, he reacts immediately as frustration starts building. Hi, this is David Kim. I'm at one of the franchise stores in Mesa, Arizona. I don't know what's going to happen, but what is important right now is I need to focus making sure that we meet our temperatures. The cold table is not meeting temperature. I I'm not going to apologize for my Disappointment, but that this is not how we run restaurants here. That That's all I'm concerned about. I need this done like now. Some of

the cold tables are not meeting uh temperatures. Temperatures are very very critical to what we do. Everything about Bar Fresh is about excellence. And we got to fix that right away. Uh it's been a big eye-opener for me right now. I'm not going to compromise that. We're going to Meet our temperatures. Uh that's it. >> The avocados on the cold line were reading like 44, 45. Okay, boss. I'm good. I'm good. Like I mean, all like the cold table was fixed the other week, so everything was reading temperature. Sorry, I had to take care of

something. >> It's okay. The plastic just called me and said the container underneath ice Ice and like the sour cream, the cheese, all of it needs to be fixed. What we need to do, boss, is all the stuff like they need to be on on ice. I I don't think he had any idea. And he took care of the problem right away. I called the office and they're getting a tech in right away. I didn't feel any suspicion from Rami. David escalates the issue by contacting the operations manager, while Rami quickly moves to correct the

mistake. Although The problem is fixed before it gets worse, the situation leaves a strong impression and nearly turns into a major disciplinary issue. So, the Baja burrito comes with the jack cheese, so we'll take about 3 oz of jack cheese. So, then we take one scoop of the guac and spread it on there. Just sprinkle it over. Let the cheese melt. Take chicken. It's about 3 oz and then pour that right There. The Baja chicken right there, so basically grab the Baja and then you want to roll it. Roll it. Roll it. Roll it. Baja

chicken. You need to check the temperature of all units and make sure everything's running perfectly. >> Yes, sir. Cool. You can wipe here. Ultimo steak. Okay, now what goes in Ultimo steak? Uh I need a Ultimo steak With uh extra rice and sour cream. I'll be back in like 10 minutes, 5 to check on you. What was the order again? Can I get you ladies any drinks? Oh, yeah. Yeah, two Cokes. How you doing, ladies? What can I get for you? Rami's personality is a huge positive. He's really energetic. Regular large are only 30 CENTS

MORE. OH, WHY DIDN'T YOU BRING IT BACK? HE REALLY has that outgoing personality That can give great service to our guests. He's really engaged. You should buy another one, then. No. Okay. All right. I thought I'd ask. So, what do we have here? An Ultimo? An Ultimo? I hope so. Are we good? There's no beans in the Ultimo. Okay. So, why don't you uh I make me another one? I think I'm good. >> confident? I feel okay. Another one? Well, yeah. I mean, you can you serve that to a customer? Cuz I was kind of

debating whether he could last or not. So, I don't know if Ken's ever worked in a restaurant. You know what? That's That's what we go through every day here. We have the bathroom located right over here. As soon as you're done, I'll be in the kitchen. What I need you to do is grab uh this. Follow me to the back. I think I'm done. As the shift continues, David works alongside Ramy and struggles to keep pace with the workload. Despite the rough start, Ramy keeps the operation moving and continues guiding him through the job. Tell

me what you think. >> [laughter] >> When you're a manager, you have to control your food cost, your labor, you got to control your employees. Not easy, right? >> Uh it's hard. It's very very hard. You're looking at an opener, closer, mid. I I work all day, all night. You know, like I had to get rid of a cook and the cashier. That made me like have to find people if they can't cover the shift and So, how long have you been a manager? About 3 months now. I'm not going to lie. I'm still having

trouble with it. Because really, to be honest, Ken, this is my first opportunity. Being so young, not having a degree in Anything. But, you know, if I have to, I'll read training manuals all day just to make sure I'm doing everything correct. When I first started at the store, I was told the customer service was horrible. I guarantee you it's 100 times better. Call my owner. Go talk to him. See how he's doing now. My dad went to like driving taxis a couple for a few years. It's just It all comes, to be honest, from

my parents, you know. Where Where are your parents From? Jordan. My dad My dad's amazing. Like, he's he's the guy that I call every day if I need anything. I found out today that it is Ramy that turned this restaurant around. Here's the >> [clears throat] >> defective thermostat. Let me show it to you real quick. Running a restaurant is like being in war. And despite all the chaos of what he had to deal with So, let's go get you something to do. I Really don't want to go back to work. >> Hey. Hey. Hey.

Hey. He was in there. He was great handling all this precious coming all at the same time. You don't want to go back to work? What's During a break, Ramy explains how he helped turn the location around in only a few months. His discipline and leadership begin to stand out, changing David's perspective after the earlier incident. Hey, Ramy. You're like [music] This diamond in this rough. Oh, and do you remember that I asked for permission to leave the restaurant? I >> I see you the way I was >> [music] >> when I was younger. I

actually called the office to get you some help. Yeah, I was really impressed how you took care of the problem right away, so that's [music] That was a serious serious problem. >> It's okay. What I'd like to do for you is give you $5,000 towards your schooling and really mentor you to [music] become a better business person. I want you to finish that because it'll [music] help you for your next stage. And I'd like to give you $5,000 to go spend [music] it with your dad on a golf trip. When you were telling me about

your relationship with your Father, [music] I want you to have a memory with your father. And cherish that time. It's a privilege somebody wants to take the time and work with me and try to make me a better person. I'm speechless with just what happened what what happened. I can't even talk right now. Never in a million years would I think that would ever happen. At the reveal, David recognizes the improvements Ramy brought to the store and rewards him for His work. Even though no one is fired, the earlier food safety violation remains a clear

reminder of how close the situation came to serious consequences. Number two, Sarah of Boston Market. My name is Sarah Bidorf [music] and I'm the chief brand officer at Boston Market. Hi. Hi, Sarah. Have a seat. Over the past four years, there's been a inconsistent marketing [music] effort here. They're not going to know who you Are and you're going to get down to the issues working alongside of them. Okay. I've spent so much [music] time in the field, they're going to recognize me right away. You have a great advantage. The CEO is [music] putting a lot

of faith in me for this assignment and I have to get it right. >> If you see anything that needs to be fixed right away, make sure we get it done. [music] I'm hoping to get a better feel for how our employees are Representing our brand. I'm going undercover because I need to figure out how to take this brand further and then learn [music] how the customer interaction happens so that I can influence the customers [music] as well. Hello, welcome to Boston Market. I'm in Duluth, Georgia today to work as an hourly shift supervisor. Because

our hourly shift supervisors are in a leadership role, they set the tone for all of the employees in the restaurants. >> Regular or large? Large. For here? Yes, please. All right. We want them to have a great positive attitude and [music] we want them to be really focused on delivering warm and friendly service. My name's Rachel and I'm here to see Ronnie. I'm Ronnie. Hi, Rachel. Nice to meet you. >> you. I've never really [music] done these jobs before so I'm a little nervous. Hello, welcome to Boston Market. So, We're going to be working together

today, yeah? You excited? Yeah, a little nervous but excited. >> don't worry about it. You have a great teacher. Oh, good. Sarah Bidorf goes undercover [music] to see if employees are properly representing the brand at one of the restaurants. During the shift, she meets Ronnie whose behavior immediately raises concerns about the store's culture and professionalism. Standard procedure is to greet the Customer as they walk in and say, "Hello, welcome to Boston Market." You know, blah blah blah, whatever. We'll introduce you to Neil. This is the store's Hi. general manager cuz we have to make customers,

you know, on a pedestal. This is the lobby where it does get busy Mhm. but it's generally just people taking too long to eat. Okay. I started off as a dishwasher but I broke out in leprosy back there. I'm Like the Kim Kardashian of Boston Market. It's great, so. My first impression of Ronnie is that some of his jokes are on the inappropriate side, but he's really kind of fun and he's funny. >> It shouldn't be a question. You should be forcing it down their throat because that is what corporate has told us to do.

You should be asking customers like, "Hey, would you like to sample our loaded mashed potatoes?" When putting pecan pie into the thing, it has to look like that at all times. We don't ask questions, we just we just work like robots. Otherwise, we get in trouble because Boston Market again, ridiculous standards. Ronnie kept referencing that this is the way we do it because corporate tells us to. This is the sandwich station. I hate making Sandwiches. Customers always have something picky about a sandwich to do. Well, we don't make rules just to make rules, so that

[music] concerns me a little. My least favorite part is the customer always has to be right. I absolutely hate that. I am a little bit of a diva. We have some mundane activities that we need to get done and I hate doing them, so I'm basically going to make you do them. Everyone always has something to Say about me. Can you take this inside? What? Can you take this inside? I'm going to go swim. Is always hating on me even though I'm the best and there's not really that much to hate on me about. A

little bit of Ronnie goes a long way. So, in the beginning I was really amused by him. The jokes about Kim Kardashian, those are all kind of charming. >> These are our new napkin dispensers. Customers will literally sit here and take about 500 napkins and then just Throw them all over the floor. Until they, you know, sort of piled on top of each other. He started saying really negative things about customers, which sends up an immediate red flag. >> Customers do not care what it's like. Like, you could be 1000 customers over there and they'll

just come up to me like, "Um, the raspberry lemonade's out." Because none of them know what they want and they're like literally can't talk. Children and old people are literally the worst I've ever seen in my entire life. Our guests are our bread and butter. They pay our checks. They keep our our businesses open. They pay his paycheck. I don't know how hard it is to read a menu, but you know. She's going to be here dealing with her children. And we just have to wait. We can't have him disparaging our our guests like that.

At Boston Market, one of the Things that we serve the most are family meals. And families include kids [music] and they include older people. What begins as a few inappropriate jokes quickly turns into a pattern of uncomfortable and unprofessional comments. As the shift continues, Sarah watches Ronnie's behavior affect both co-workers and customers around him. How come you got a job at Boston Market? Oh, that one's kind of greasy. Not the customers or the corporation. Like >> So, you just really don't like the customers. Customers are such like little They're customers, they're not anything special. I

fell in love with the people at Boston Market. Have you had one of these? Have you tried them? You can eat one. I won't care. I won't talk. >> Oh, that's okay. Are you sure? I'm not hungry. Then like all the time it's all about like pleasing the customer like Yeah, well, that's the business that We're in, right? >> Yeah. It's not fair. I have a question. Yes. How much are you talking smack and how much of this stuff about hating customers is really true? >> [music] >> I'm getting progressively more upset as he continues

to talk. We depend on our management to put forth the best product and experience that we can. I'm going to say like 75% of it is true. They'll throw a hissy fit and I'm just like no. I literally hate customers more than anyone in the entire world. I hate them so much. I was dismayed to hear that. It's unacceptable to our [music] brand. My job is on the line. Here I am, I'm a representative of this brand and this is what happens. It's all about them all the time and they demand everything. You know what?

Before it gets busy, can I let you go to the bathroom, right? Okay, thanks. You know, it's it's not it can't happen on my watch. It just can't. Not [music] acceptable at all. This is really not good. I feel like I need to shut this down. It's ridiculous. This is my worst [music] nightmare. The situation gets worse as Ronnie openly shows frustration and disrespect toward customers. [music] Concerned about the impact on the brand, Sara steps away to calm down and think through how to handle the situation. I can't have someone who just told me that

they hate customers more than anything in the world serving our guests. Ronnie, can I talk to you outside? Yes, sure. I can't stand by and and and let this happen for 1 minute longer. You're on Undercover Boss. Oh my god. I'm not actually Rachel. Who are you? My name is Sara Bidorf and I'm the chief brand officer of Boston Market. I did get you. I got you saying a bunch of things about our customers. So there is no restaurant competition show? There is no restaurant competition show. >> Oh my god, really? >> Yes. One of

our values is love to serve. Yes. And and you don't seem like you love to Serve. You're really not very nice. I'm angry and I'm heartbroken and I'm disappointed. Without the [music] guests in there, we don't have a business and you don't have a paycheck and neither do I. What I'm going to do is [music] I'm going to send you home for the day. You might want to think about whether this is really the right job choice for [music] you. I don't know if this is the business for you. Oh my god. I do enjoy

my job. It's just Boston Market made >> This is a job. Your employer is Boston Market. You're a representative of that. >> them. You should have respected them. You should have brought brought Boston Market me to work today because you're you're a professional. Neil will follow up with you. So that's it? That's That's all? I'm going to talk to him. So So go home. Yeah, well, tell him my Attitude would change, but like I don't know. I didn't think it was that terrible. I'm not trying to justify like how mean I was to a customer

like behind their back. Like they don't know I'm saying it, so it's not really that big a deal. It's not wrong of me to hate people, but now like you know, the giant lady of Boston Market knows what was going on. That's just not fair. Ronnie continues creating tension in the Restaurant with his attitude and comments toward customers. At this point, Sarah realizes the behavior can no longer be ignored and prepares to take action. As chief brand officer of Boston Market, I cannot let that behavior exist, ever. Ronnie's behavior is [music] not acceptable in any

circumstance. Neil, let's go outside for a second. Let's go outside. Well, your store looks great. Okay. Your food looks wonderful. Okay. I'm not Actually [music] Rachel. My name is Sarah Bidorf. I'm the chief brand officer of Boston Market. >> All right. How do you do? But we have a little problem with Ronnie. Oh. Uh he he said that customers are difficult and it's not fair. He has been saying some things to me that are really not appropriate for somebody [music] who serves customers. He actually called himself a robot. Wow. >> You know, he he said

a few things, [music] several times actually, about hating customers. They don't deserve the things that they're asking for. Whoa. >> And he doesn't want to give it to somebody who does because Boston corporate, we're going to need to terminate his employment. Wow. It makes me, you know, it really upsets me. >> Yep. Upsets me, too. He actually used the words, I I hate our customers. That's nice. Well, no, no. You Understand we can't have him. I hate to see him go, but you know, >> [music] >> well, it'll be a good lesson for him for

his future life. We got to do what we got to do. Okay. I hope so. >> Yeah. I hope so, yeah. Sarah meets with general manager Neil and lays out everything she witnessed during the shift. After hearing the full Situation, management supports the decision to terminate Ronnie, making it clear his behavior crossed the line beyond a second chance. Number one, Rick Smiciklas from Wild Wing. [music] It's okay to share as long as the second person orders two apps. Today's special is you buy two pounds of wings and get the third pound for free. That was

so confusing. I didn't know what was going on there. Rick Macias goes undercover as a new employee to see how one of his Franchises is really operating. At his first location, he meets Sabrina, whose explanation of the store's policies already leaves him questioning how the business is being run. Like that stuff makes sense to me. Well, yeah, cuz that's all head office stuff. The specials are joke. So, why does this guy go against head office? Oh. I I want to stick to the script. >> frustrated. >> Rick quickly notices the restaurant is operating far outside

company standards. From altered menu items to ignored corporate rules, it becomes clear the franchise owner has been running the location their own way. He's bigger than the brand. And when you're that big, there's the door, buddy. You're gone. None of this is on her. This guy, he's not going to be with us much longer, the guy that's running this store, because He beats to his own drum. As Rick talks more [music] with Sabrina, the focus shifts from operations to employee treatment. Hearing why she stayed despite everything pushes him closer to stepping in personally. I work

eight hours a night, you know that, right? You think I come here happy all THE TIME? >> MY FAULT? YOU I GIVE you the five days, six days work, whatever. I was on the lunch break, and when I came back, I noticed that something was off. Welcome Back. You look a little upset. I am. I'm furious, actually. [music] After taking time to cool off, Rick returns and finds the situation even more tense. Seeing Sabrina upset, he decides he can no longer stay quiet and directly confronts the franchise owner over the toxic environment. >> third pound

for free. Okay. It's okay to share, as long as the second person orders two apps. When you say special is Buy two pounds get one free, one person can't eat three pounds a wing. That was so confusing. I didn't know what was going on there. Between two people. Yeah. You can share it, but as long as you order two apps on top of that. What's confusing Realizing the situation cannot continue, Rick drops the disguise and offers Sabrina an immediate way out. He gives her a corporate opportunity with significantly better pay, making it clear the mistreatment

and rule-breaking Stop there. Like that stuff makes sense [music] to me. Well, yeah, cuz that's all head office stuff. It feels like a joke. Why does this guy go against head office? I I want to stick to the script. >> frustrated. >> Yeah, so we always open it for them. It's against the law. Are you guys doing tallboys today? If you enjoyed this video, click now to watch the times bosses lost their cool On Undercover Boss.