30 minutes in with no food.
My mom's always micromanaging.
You want me to turn this empty pot off?
Don't take the dirty plates to the other table.
No sugars and creamers in the dish tub.
I finally left.
I resent feeling alone.
[Robert] That's why I'm here, right?
You're never alone.
That's for sure.
[Tom] All right, let's load it out, guys.
I don't think it's too late for you to save your family
and the restaurant.
David, nothing is more important to me
than this family.
[Robert] Quick, quick, quick, let's go.
-[Jeanette] That's really good. -[Brian] That's phenomenal.
[Robert] Open your eyes.
[Robert] I'm about an hour outside Detroit in Williamston, Michigan
headed to Sunnyside Cafe.
The owner's name is Jeanette.
She needs my help and that's all I know.
I can see that it's a very build up area,
so I wonder why that it's in trouble.
Where you guys at on this ticket?
I need that piece of toast.
[Jeanette] Sunnyside is open for breakfast and lunch.
We serve homestyle food.
Nothing fancy, just good food. [chuckles softly]
My mother ran it until 1985 when she was forced to close.
My mom was very passionate about caring for others.
She was just really great.
All my siblings and I, eight of us, all together,
worked for her restaurant in some capacity,
and it was a second home to us.
Then in 2005,
my siblings and I decided to reopen Sunnyside
in honor of our mother.
In 2018, my brother put the restaurant up for sale,
and so I purchased it in 2019.
And so I just continued running the restaurant in the same location.
What can I get you to do it today?
It's always been my passion to own a restaurant.
That's what gives me my purpose.
Abby, your food's dying.
When I first opened in 2019,
we started getting busy, really busy.
And I was just overwhelmed
just trying to deal with the surface issues.
Because when my family worked here,
we didn't have to have all these standard lists and things like that
because we had each other's back.
So I had to figure out how to keep the restaurant going without them.
It was a lot.
And in 2020, business went down.
I couldn't find adequate staff except for my son, David.
[Josephine] They worked together, like, I'd say,
probably for a year or two straight
before it became really bad,
like fighting in front of customers.
And he just packed up and left.
[Jeanette] Since he's left, we've been through a dozen cooks here.
I just don't know what to do.
My current debt is 132,000.
My physical health is suffering.
And physically, mentally, I just can't keep this pace up anymore.
But I can't even imagine the feeling of failure
that would come crashing down if this was to close.
It's scary.
[Robert] Here we are.
[bell tinkles]
So the first thing I notice is this is a trip hazard here.
Tiles.
Eleven tables.
A counter here with four chairs.
-[rattling] -And they've seen better days.
Banquet chairs, table tops that are banquets,
and banquettes that are ripped.
But that's about it.
Now it's to find out the story.
Jeanette, come in the restaurant, please.
-Good morning. -Good morning.
-How are you? -I'm good.
So tell me about yourself.
-Sunnyside Cafe is a family diner. -Okay.
Inspired by our mother.
She had a family diner in another village
about half hour down east of here.
How long ago was that?
1974.
So when did that restaurant close?
In 1985.
And then, in 2005, we got together as siblings and decided to reopen.
And my brother, in 2018, put the restaurant up for sale.
So I bought it 2019.
-Singly? On your own? -Yes.
Okay, I see a lot of family pictures on there.
Do they work here? Who are they?
[Jeanette] Right now, just my brother Don works here.
[Robert] And what does he do?
Don is my head cook right now.
-He went to school for cooking? -No.
-Can't wait for this. -No.
We grew up working in our mom's restaurant,
-we learned how to cook from our mom. -Okay.
Everything here is her legacy.
-And-- -Everything we do is based on her.
Do you have kids?
-Yes. -Okay.
I have three adult kids.
I have a daughter, Josephine,
and I have twin boys, David and John.
-Do they work here? -Not, not now.
Okay. So in 2019, what was the revenue?
[Jeanette] Around 320.
And what did it cost to make that?
I don't know, I wasn't any, I wasn't working here at the time.
Wow. That's an issue.
You bought something from a family member
that you don't know, have a clue about what you bought.
Because the first thing you should've done
is ask for all the numbers, to look at that, right?
Well, it was the only way to save the restaurant.
-Regardless. -I know, it...
I know, it was an emotional decision.
You have no, you have no knowledge what it cost him--
No, but I figured I'll figure it out.
[sniffles]
Somebody get me the numbers, please.
Oh.
So, in 2019, what did you buy it for?
The original note is 150.
How much have you paid off on that?
Um, we're down to 132.
What is the debt of the restaurant?
Maybe 10 grand.
So you're $142,000 in debt.
-Correct. -Okay.
So what was your first year in revenue?
[Jeanette] We hit about 250.
What did it cost you to make $250,000?
I actually cannot remember off the top of my head.
[Robert] You should know this.
So for you to make 252,000, it cost you 312,000.
Here, the same kind of thing,
to make 251,000, cost you 295,000.
So you haven't made money since you started.
No.
Do you have a home?
Is it tied to the restaurant?
Yes.
-So if you don't pay... -That's yeah, yeah, that's lease.
-That's against the lease. -You know what happens?
-Yeah. -What?
Well, they take their house.
Yeah.
Based on looking at this, you don't know what you're doing.
So why are you in this business?
Because of my mom,
and I just was trying to bring it back.
I understand trying to bring it back.
Since you started, you haven't even broke even.
Okay.
That's why I'm here, right?
But I can only help you if I understand what's going on.
All right, when I opened, I thought,
"Okay, this is what we're passionate about, what we do."
We love our community.
But I don't have my mom to help me.
And I resent feeling alone.
Oh, my goodness, my goodness, my goodness, Jeanette.
Okay.
Give yourself a minute.
I'm going to watch how the restaurant runs,
and I am here to help you.
All right? You're not alone.
I know you felt that way.
-You're not anymore, all right? -Okay.
All right, go get yourself ready.
-You're never alone, okay? -[chuckles]
That's for sure. We'll fix it.
-Okay? -Yes.
[Jeanette] I know I'm failing.
Came here to try and continue my mom's legacy and, um.
And I don't want to fail.
[Don] I'm pretty much ready.
Hello, you can come in.
[indistinct]
What can I get you two to drink?
I'll have some ice water.
Ice water, yes, ma'am.
What can I get for you today?
I would like a BLT.
So there's only you and her, right?
Yes, sir.
[Robert] So I started the stopwatch
because she opened the door for 45 people
in the restaurant with two servers,
which means it's going to be a stressful day.
[Robert narrating] These customers are going to be
waiting a while for their food.
To make matters worse, Jeanette's communication style is less than ideal.
Make sure you go hit the customer's table first.
And hit this one on the way back.
You can take that with the coffee,
but don't take the dirty plates to the other table.
My rotation is a little bit different than yours.
But as long as it gets done, does it matter how it's done?
-No, I need it done in that order. -Okay.
[Abby] I've been here three years
and Jeanette definitely has a problem with micromanaging.
She tends to, kind of, make things
a little harder than they need to be.
Abby, you want me to turn the burner off on this empty pot?
Sorry.
-Does this happen all the time? -Often enough.
-Don't you get fed up? -Absolutely.
You give me anxiety just the way you run.
[Robert narrating] I hope things are running more smoothly in the kitchen.
-Are you Don? -I'm Don, yes.
-The brother, is that right? -Mmm-hmm.
Where's my French toast and sausage links?
That should be done by now.
I know. I'm not even close to that.
I'm still working on that first ticket.
This is for I-4.
Hold on, I forgot the thing on this.
I forgot to put eggs down for him.
I don't think we have any fries on this order.
I guess I didn't see those.
You only got three tickets, right?
Two.
[Robert narrating] Don's doing his best to help
but it's obvious that nobody's ever trained him to run a kitchen.
I think some guidance would be good.
I mean, my goals are not to work in a cafe,
but I wanted to help my sister.
Who was the cook before Don?
My son David.
And why is he not cooking now?
Um, because there was just a falling out.
Okay.
[Don] I forgot the onions.
Abby, I just lost that ticket. Hey, Abby...
There's no ticket for these guys.
I sent it back.
-Does he not have it back there? Check again. -No, we don't have it.
[Abby] I don't know how they keep losing tickets,
but this is the third one that's been rang in.
[Robert narrating] This little cafe has huge problems.
There aren't any systems in place.
30 minutes in with no food.
[Robert narrating] Jeanette is an overbearing manager.
Abby, no sugars and creamers in the dish tub.
[Robert narrating] And it's total chaos in the kitchen.
[Don] Damn it, my kitchen's in complete chaos.
[Robert narrating] This place is going to have to make
some radical changes to stay afloat.
So where are you guys at?
I'm still on the first ticket.
48 minutes.
Normally, breakfast is served 8 to 10 minutes.
I want to say thank you for coming in.
We'll see you tomorrow.
[Robert narrating] The service here at Sunnyside is disorganized and slow.
Now I have to try the food.
-Hi, how are you doing today? -It was painful, wasn't it?
Yeah, it was a little bit.
What can I get for you?
-[Robert] I'll do the Carol special. -Gotcha.
[Robert] Pancakes with chocolate chips,
biscuits and gravy.
Meat lover's omelette,
corned beef hash bowl,
and the Sunny chicken.
-Thank you. -No problem.
[Robert] I'm going to start with biscuits and gravy.
[groans]
Not a good family recipe.
This is the Carol.
This is a family recipe, I'm told.
This is eggs and potatoes on a piece of toast.
This is supposed to be a family recipe.
I think Grandma would turn in her grave right now.
Pancake.
Nothing I can't get anywhere else.
Meat lover's omelet.
Very greasy, processed ham.
Under seasoned.
This is a chicken.
A frozen chicken tender.
Corned beef hash from a can.
Um.
[coughs]
Just exactly what I thought.
There's nothing fresh.
There's nothing here that would make me come here.
Disappointing is an understatement,
considering this is supposed to be a family legacy restaurant.
I want to talk to Jeanette, but before I do, I want to,
kind of, pick the brain of the server that served me this.
Get some insight on what's going on here.
Abby.
Just pull up that chair and sit here.
Yes, sir.
What is it like working here?
Um, I feel like the restaurant is severely under managed at times,
but, then, also, micromanaged at others,
and there's no true balance in between it.
Like, there needs to be for things to run smoothly.
How long have you been here?
About three years.
Right, and you've always been a server?
Yes, she is offered for me to become a front house manager here.
So why haven't you?
I didn't want to be the one to have all the responsibility
of the issues that are set that I can't change.
Okay.
So you worked here when her kids were here, right?
-Or David? -David, yes.
-Yes. -How was that?
He is a great cook. He's a fantastic cook.
He's very creative.
And he could get food out the kitchen?
-Yes. -Okay.
-All right, can you do me a favor? -Yes, sir.
-Thank you for that. -Absolutely.
Can you get me Jeanette?
Yeah, absolutely.
-I will be right back with her. -Thank you.
-Yes, sir. -Thank you.
[Robert narrating] I know Jeanette is in a fragile state,
but if I'm going to help her, I have to be brutally honest.
This is why you are $142,000 in debt.
Okay.
It's abysmal.
And that's an understatement.
-Corned beef is out of a can. -Mmm-hmm.
There's nothing that says homemade at all.
There is no skill in the kitchen.
Don, he's doing the best he can do,
but that's not good enough in a restaurant.
Unless he has somebody else in there
that they can really cook.
And the servers, the only good servers you have is Abby.
There is no leadership.
It took you an hour and eleven minutes to serve forty people.
That's an issue.
I don't know the answers yet.
I've got to figure that out.
Okay, have a cup of coffee.
I've got to think about this, okay?
Okay, thank you.
[Robert narrating] Jeanette has a lot of changing to do,
and step one is getting a new manager
and a chef to lead her brother Don.
And if she's going to step out of the day-to-day operations,
then this place needs a server as well.
[Jeanette] Everything that I believed about ourselves
and was proud about ourselves for,
may just be something in our own heads.
I'm not going to be able to keep going at this pace.
So I don't know
how to stay here.
I just can't find the path by myself.
-[Lynn] Hello. -[Robert] Hey, hey, hey.
So welcome to the Sunnyside Cafe.
There's nothing sunny
-about this place at all. -There is not.
This is a breakfast lunch place,
and as you can see, not much to it.
-[Lynn] Yeah. -[Robert] 'Cause I'd normally say keep the floor.
They put a brand new floor in,
but they picked the wrong color for the type of food that it is.
-[Robert] All right, I don't like the chairs. -[Lynn] Okay.
[Robert] Don't like the table tops.
-I like the wood a little. -[Lynn] Yeah.
The other side of this wall is just the bathrooms.
I'm okay leaving it if we do something, like--
-Close it in. -[Robert] Close it in.
Yeah, it's weird, right now because you want to know what's back there.
[Robert] Yeah, so I don't mind the counter here
so they can pick up and go--
-I was going to say-- -It's good for pickups.
But I don't want this.
-[Lynn] No seats. Okay. -[Tom] Okay. Good.
-I need a new top. -I think it goes. A new top.
Lighting, I want something cool.
-I want something-- -I knew that was coming.
[Lynn] Well, it's never going to feel warm with these kinds of lights.
We got to get rid of them all.
I want to make it pop.
Yeah. Kind of a vintage modern breakfast place.
Boom!
-[Lynn] Few bright colors. -Vintage modern.
-Okay, let's get her torn apart. -Nice.
All right, get your staff.
Jeanette, come into the restaurant.
All right, let's load it out, guys.
Come on. Come on, hurry up.
We're going to do chairs first, chairs out the door.
[Robert] All the salt, peppers, everything off the tables.
Keep them away. You know where they are.
Take this one out.
That's going to go right to that pickup truck right there, guys.
Thank you.
There's not much to start off, with this place,
but that's what I love about working with Robert is he understands design.
Even though this floor is new, it's the wrong floor.
That's not really going to give us that pop of color he's looking for.
[Robert] Everything out, everything out.
So, this is your restaurant.
When was the last time you saw it like this?
Hmm, this empty?
Not since before we opened.
-Sorry. -It's okay.
Everything in here has always been a reflection of my mom.
It's okay.
Sometimes, you don't like change.
-Yes. -But that's the reality is,
if it doesn't work, you have to change.
You're going to have a lot of tough hours ahead of you.
Take one last look around, okay?
Okay. Off you go.
Jeanette's all emotional
because this was supposed to be their legacy of her family.
Well, guess what? It didn't work.
As upsetting as it is to Jeanette,
I'm going to change it for the better.
Hey, hey, hey. Oh, oh, oh.
-[Lynn] Hey, hey, hey. -[Tom] Hey, Robert.
Wow.
What do you think?
Well, you completely removed the ceiling.
We were putting in the new lighting,
and when I took the old lighting out,
all the wiring isn't up to code,
so why not just drop the whole ceiling and redo it?
[Lynn] And the lights are going to be really cool
so I'm glad we're getting the new ceiling
because it's going to be bright, fresh, and clean when we light it up.
The plan is to cover up the dingy gray floor
with the new black and white vintage inspired floor tile.
We're going to take the bathroom wall all the way to the ceiling,
cover that with brick and paint it a bright white.
I'm also going to bring in a new logo
that has some retro-inspired colors like teal, red and yellow.
Along the side wall, I'm bringing in some shelves
with some sunflower to add some life.
New yellow chairs and new lighting will illuminate the entire space.
When we're done, the Sunnyside Cafe's
going to be hip modern with a retro vibe.
-All right, love it. -Cool. Okay.
-I will see you-- -Long night ahead.
I've got a long night too, so.
[Robert narrating] Tom and Lynn have their work cut out for them and so do I.
I need to dig deeper into Jeanette's feelings of isolation,
and her need to micromanage.
I also need to figure out why this restaurant isn't turning a profit.
When David made specials,
it's the highest category on the sales report other than soda and water.
[Robert narrating] But when David went away, so did the specials.
I can fix the restaurant.
But if I don't have somebody creative like David in the kitchen,
it's never going to evolve.
[Robert narrating] If David's cooking was the moneymaker,
then I need to find out more about why he left the restaurant.
So I've asked him and his sister Josephine to join me at a nearby cafe.
-Good morning. -Hi.
Hello. Good morning.
-David, very nice to meet you. -Nice to meet you.
-And your Josephine, right? -Josephine, yes.
-[Josephine] Mmm-hmm. -Thanks for coming.
-[David] Yeah, thanks for coming to help. -Thank you for having us.
Okay, so you got nothing to do with the restaurant, right?
No. In high school and college, I worked there.
-Okay. -Yeah.
So, David, I heard that you're very creative.
-Oh. Yeah. You know. -Yeah.
It's like he didn't know that.
Yeah, so I don't, I never really got any feedback.
Like, I just knew that I would do the specials each week.
And try to bring people in,
make them interested in what's going on.
So what was the straw that broke the camel's back?
-Why did you leave? -[David] Ah.
I think I just, kind of, realized that my mom,
she would micromanage the situation,
but when she, kind of, came in, um,
when I would try to point out what was going wrong,
she didn't want to really accept those things.
So how's your relationship with your mother now?
-Fractured? -I mean, it's, yeah, I mean, it's where it's--
[Josephine] It needs to be repaired desperately.
It's very toxic.
So as of right now, sitting here in front of me,
you don't want to be associated with the restaurant or you do?
Um, it's not the restaurant,
it's just working, like, for and with her.
So, hypothetically,
[chuckling] if I could remold your mother,
would you consult on menus, would you...
I mean, I'm trying to figure out
because I don't want to lose your creativity
and it would be stupid
not to have you involved in some way shape or form.
Even if it's creating specials, creating something,
would you be open to that?
Oh, yeah, and I feel like after I left, I did try to approach her,
you know, and, like, "Can I be a part of..."
-At the end of the day, blood's thicker than water. -Yeah.
So why is the legacy of the restaurant so important to your mom?
My mom really admired what her mother did.
Yeah, my grandmother ran that kind of thing--
Like being a part of the community.
-And, like, opening the door to everyone who needed help. -Yeah.
Well, it's not your grandmother's restaurant anymore.
-And it's not your grandmother's era anymore. -[Josephine] Mmm-hmm.
It seems that family legacy is breaking this family apart.
-Yeah. -Oh, yeah, 100%.
All right. I will catch you tomorrow.
-[Josephine] All right. -[David] See you.
[Robert narrating] Jeanette has been holding on too tight
to her mother's legacy,
and it's driving this restaurant
and her relationship with her son into the ground.
-Come on, let's have a chat. -Okay.
[Robert narrating] David might be open to working on some specials for the menu,
but only if Jeanette made some big changes.
If she keeps focusing on the past,
this restaurant will have no future.
I have an idea to help Jeanette see herself more clearly.
The biggest thing
that's making this restaurant fail is one thing.
[Jeanette] Yeah.
This person.
Pull that chair up.
For us to move forward in this restaurant,
there's a lot got to change.
Based on what I'm hearing,
you don't allow people to do their job
and you have to control everything.
You were trying to micromanage
and you think you're helping people, you're really not.
You think you're taking care of the community, you're not.
That's what we have to change.
How do we change your behavior
so that you can, at least, communicate?
And that's one of your biggest problems,
you don't communicate well.
'Cause you hold it here.
Where does that come from?
Um, some of that, I think, still comes from being a mom,
and taking care of everything myself.
Okay.
But I feel, based on conversations, that there's a fear.
Your failure to change anything is based on fear.
If there's something there and you're not sharing it, and I need to know that.
Whatever the fear is,
you got to tell me.
-This is a do or die conversation. -Yes, it is.
Because if you continue, you will lose this in a matter of weeks.
You have two choices: you either pack it in,
or you change.
Um, some of that, I think, still comes from
dealing with the loss of my mom in 2004.
I mean, I've never lost someone that close.
It doesn't look like you've grieved that yet.
I didn't really grieve, and I thought...
I didn't really show that to my kids
'cause I'm the only stability they had,
so if I'm weak,
that takes away their feeling of security.
All the losses you've had, I'm sorry about those.
-Have to take that plunge. -But I feel that you feel that you're going to lose your mom.
I don't want to act like she didn't exist,
She's never going to go anywhere.
She's part of that restaurant,
she's part of you, she's part of your family.
Yeah.
But unless you evolve the restaurant...
It's not your mum's restaurant, it's your restaurant.
I don't think it's too late for you to save
not only the restaurant, but also, the family unit.
And it's going to take a lot of soul searching from you.
But what are you willing to do to change?
-Right. -Okay?
All right, I'm going to give you some homework.
I want you to come up with one big idea for the restaurant.
Okay.
Number two: you write your mum,
and I want you to write David a note.
-Hmm. -All right, stand up.
Look in that mirror.
I want you to talk to the mirror, I want to talk to yourself
say, "I am going to change."
-I am going to change. -I can't hear it.
-I am going to-- -I can't hear it.
[louder] I am going to change.
Okay.
And tomorrow, I want to see a different reflection
than I see today, okay?
Yes.
-I appreciate you. -Thank you so much.
-Okay? -Mmm-hmm.
-[Robert] We will fix it. -I appreciate you.
-We will fix it. -Thank you so much.
[Jeanette] I've got to let some things go.
But I realized I wasn't digging deep enough.
I was just trying to deal with issues.
And I know you have to go deeper than that
because everything is just a symptom of the big issue.
So I'm the big issue.
And I need to bring my family back closer to me
and trust them.
I really miss my family.
[Robert narrating] I'm at Sunnyside Cafe in Williamston, Michigan,
a breakfast joint in desperate need of a major change.
In the dining room, we've replaced the floors and the entire ceiling.
And we've still got a full day's work ahead in order to open on time.
We need a leader in the kitchen,
a manager, servers.
And the owner Jeanette has to stop micromanaging,
and start steering this ship, or this restaurant is going to sink.
Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.
-Good morning. -Hey, what's going on?
Um, I asked your mum to do some homework yesterday.
And this is why I want you here
not only the to talk to her,
but I want her to become a little vulnerable with you, okay?
-Yeah. -Let's see what happens.
-[Jeanette] Good morning. -[Robert] How are you?
-I'm okay. -[Robert] I brought some friends.
Hi.
[Robert] So first and foremost, how did you sleep?
Um, first it took me about seven hours
of processing what had happened through the day.
I realized that I was, you know, always doing everything,
going, "Well, this is how my family did it.
This is how we do it, this is how we do it," and...
Now I can see I was not living what I know a legacy to be.
I was living out of fear.
-[Robert] Isn't that interesting? -[Jeanette] Yeah.
[Robert] And that's the first step, by the way.
Introspective, looking at, "Hey, who am I? What am I doing?
-Why am I doing it?" -Right.
I don't want you waitressing and I don't want you cooking.
I would rather you come in and kiss babies and shake hands.
Can you do that?
Yes.
So I gave you some homework yesterday.
-So for my mom. -Yeah.
"Hi, Mom.
I love you.
You see where my stubbornness slash passion slash loyalty has led me.
And it is time to break free of the mourning chains I've wrapped around myself.
I know I have your blessing.
I know you believe in me.
And I'm forever grateful that one of God's angels on earth was my mother.
Thank you for instilling faith, hope and love
as our legacy to move forward."
Isn't that amazing?
-Her love is your legacy, her legacy. -[Jeanette] Yeah.
-[Robert] Right? -[Jeanette] Yeah.
So next piece.
-Go for it. -All right.
"David, I need my son.
And I can't watch this suffering relationship go on.
I wanted to create an environment where you could soar, and I didn't.
I am truly sorry for that.
Nothing is more important to me than this family.
So...
I love you, David."
[Robert] How does that make you feel, David, when you hear that?
You know it's good to see her, I guess, vulnerable, I guess.
And trusting and being honest,
like, really kind of, just letting her guard down.
You know, it makes me happy that we still got a chance here, um.
Um, I think all of us, including our mom,
should work on being more empathetic with each other and respecting feelings.
Listen, this is not going to be a quick fix.
It's not.
But it's a stepping stone to doing the right things
and be able to listen to each other.
All right, I also asked you, a big idea,
that's your idea to change the restaurant.
Um, the back of the house, I just hired a cook to come in.
Let him put that spark under it that we needed.
-Is this new guy here? -Yes.
-What's his name? -Brian.
-Brian? -Mmm-hmm.
You get with Brian.
-You create me a dish with Brian, please. -Okay.
I'm going to check on my design team.
Okay. Thank you.
[singsong] Good morning!
Welcome back.
All right, so let's talk about the restaurant.
New ceiling, it looks amazing.
-Such a big difference. -I mean, completely different.
[Lynn] You wanted a floor, we got you a floor.
Brightens the whole place up,
has a cool retro feel for breakfast place.
Check this out, this is just one of the glass globes for the lights.
There's going to be different ones,
so they have that vintage style going on.
We kept the original wood on this wall.
So yesterday when you came in, we were just taping this out,
we weren't sure what we were going to do.
So we painted it white to tie it in.
And then I found some shelves that hang on the wall
that will go back-to-back.
You see, obviously, we took the wall,
took it all the way up to the ceiling, painting the wall.
This wall's going to be the new logo.
Kind of, like an old motel sign with the block letters.
You said bring in color, which we decided to not do on the walls really.
You've got those yellow chairs.
-Do you have one? -I do. You want to see it?
Yes, please.
Have a seat, they're padded, they're actually really comfy.
-[Robert] Oh, they're padded? -Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
We got rid of the stools.
I still have my counter here.
And we cut some nice butcher block tops to put right over that whole thing.
Great. All right, lots to do.
Catch you later. Thank you.
Hey, I'm loving it.
[Robert narrating] Sunnyside Cafe is a hive of activity.
The dining room is getting a massive facelift.
[David] I got this bread here.
[Robert narrating] David, and the new cook, Brian,
are creating a new dish.
[David] So we could either do the caramel apple,
or we can take this and, kind of, like,
make a French toast sandwich.
[Robert narrating] Jeanette is meeting with Abby.
There's changes that are going to be made.
[Robert narrating] And I'm hoping she's ready
to let go of the reins in the front of the house.
We're talking about the front of the house management role.
Catch me up on that. What's going on?
I see in Abby so much potential to be a leader.
And I would really like her to consider taking over the front of the house.
What other changes are you going to make?
Because one thing I remember talking with Abby yesterday
was she was interested in doing it,
but not if she's going to be micromanaged.
No.
[Jeanette] There's been situations that come up in the restaurant
and she understands where we're at,
she understands what our priorities are here,
and that's someone I can trust.
If you're going to trust Abby, then you have to trust her.
Yes.
And if you're interested in that.
Absolutely.
I would definitely be willing to, at least, give it a try.
-Okay. Oh. -Oh.
[Jeanette] Oh, hi.
Ooh, that smells good.
I could even smell it before it got here.
[Robert] And who's this?
This is Brian.
He's the cook my mother's just hired.
Nice meeting you, sir.
It's not clear what my exact role will be yet.
I'm here to learn and see what they want me to do.
So what do we have here?
[David] Caramel apple, French toast,
fried apples with some cinnamon sugar,
and a homemade caramel sauce.
[Robert] No, I'm not waiting.
[Robert narrating] Jeanette has done a lot of talking about change.
Now she's got to show David that she means it
to win him and his specials back.
So what do we have here? Tell me.
[David] Here, I call it the caramel apple French toast.
-[Jeanette] This is amazing. -[laughs]
[Robert narrating] Jeanette is ready to get out of David's way in the kitchen,
and that's a huge first step in breathing new life into their uninspired menu.
-That cinnamon bread really makes a big difference. -[David] Yeah.
[Robert] Flavor is amazing. Apples are cooked beautifully.
All right, here's the fun part.
So we get to go and cook.
-All right, when I'm set, I'll call you. -[Jeanette] Thank you.
It felt good to be back in the kitchen.
I feel like my new position, consulting with specials,
is perfect for me, 'cause, you know, it's fulfilling.
[Jeanette] It was wonderful to taste David's flavors again.
I'm very excited and I get to do something with my family.
It's been a great day.
[laughs]
So this is my favorite part of the show.
I'm going to show you three dishes,
starting with a corned beef hash.
Yesterday, you gave me a canned corned beef.
Worst thing you could ever do to me is give me canned anything.
So, basically, it starts with fresh corned beef.
Corned beef has been braised slowly, so it's nice and succulent.
Potatoes, onions, peppers, my eggs.
-And Swiss cheese. -[David] Yeah.
Just want a little ooey-gooeyness.
[Jeanette] Hearty portions.
[Robert] Thousand Island dressing.
-My egg. -[David] Look at that.
[Robert] Just to finish.
[David] Little scallion on top.
[Robert] Try it.
-Go for it. Break the egg. -[Jeanette] Go, on David, you do it.
-There you go. -[Brian] Get it.
Oh, that's phenomenal.
That dressing.
That's so good.
[Robert] Corned beef hash costs us $3.77 to make,
we're going to sell it for $14.00.
Giving us a 27% food cost,
putting $10.23 in your pocket every time you sell it.
-[Brian] Wow. -You're a breakfast place.
What is the biggest breakfast seller in the world?
Pancakes.
So I'm going to make you a lemon poppy seed pancake
with a blueberry topping.
I don't know if you guys can smell it, but they smell good.
[Robert] Now here's the fun part.
Starts with little cream, blueberry topping,
bit more cream,
granola for texture, little poppy seed.
Just a touch of syrup.
Go for it.
-Wow. -That's a pancake right there.
Oh, yeah.
[Robert] Lemon poppy seed pancakes, $2.19 to make,
we sell it for $9.00, 24% food cost,
giving us $6.81 in our pockets.
-That's really good. -That's really good.
That's delicious.
Now, so you give me a chicken sandwich yesterday.
-It was a frozen chicken tender. -[Jeanette] Yes.
I thought we do something a little bit different
where we'd make a hot chicken pita.
I'm going to warm the pita bread up.
And we want to warm it 'cause all the flavor comes out.
And it's really simple. It's a very fresh, quick dish.
I've got chicken thighs that we've marinated in buttermilk.
Fry them.
Going to fry fresh French fries.
Now here's the fun piece.
We got our nicely warm pita bread,
chicken thighs, French fries, tomatoes, pickles, onions.
Okay, all right.
[Robert] A little bit of Nashville hot sauce.
It's got some nice heat on it.
So to counteract the heat, I'm going to go with Ranch dressing.
-Little feta cheese. -[David] Ooh, yeah, there you go.
[Robert] And finish with little chives.
There you go, dig in.
-[David] Mmm. -[Jeanette] Mmm-hmm.
That chicken.
And the heat's just there.
[Robert] It cost us $2.96 to make this,
we're going to sell it for 12, 25% food cost,
gives us $9.04 in our pocket.
Anything difficult here?
-No, no. -No, sir.
No.
You have to constantly be creative.
Yes, what he is... Yes.
All right, enjoy.
I'm going to check in on my design team.
See you later.
[indistinct chatter]
There it is, it's 4:30
and everything's starting to come together now.
We got the boots coming in.
Our lens facing the back wall. You can see here.
Yeah, he's finishing the paint.
There's still ways to go, but it's starting to come together.
[Tom] Just when I thought we were on the home stretch,
these banquettes are supposed to slide right in and fit perfectly.
Well, they don't.
So, now, we have to adjust both sides.
There's an awful lot going on in the restaurant, but what I love the most,
Abby, is on the phone getting servers to work for the restaurant.
Yep, just looking for an extra set of hands at around 7:00 o'clock.
That's when a manager does.
Quick, quick, quick. Let's go.
Where's the other table?
Hurry up, hurry up. We don't have all day.
Well, today, we have a brand new Jeanette,
now it's time for her to see a brand new restaurant.
Before Robert arrived, I was just in a state of despair.
I didn't realize I was running this restaurant as loyalty towards my mom.
I wasn't running it as my restaurant.
But, now, I'm very hopeful, I'm excited,
and with David, it makes it feel like a family venture again.
And I'm not all by myself.
You nervous?
-Excited. -You should be.
Good, I'm going to leave you two out for a second,
I'm going to take Mum in first.
So, Mum, come this way.
When I tell you, close your eyes, close your eyes,
I'm going to walk you in.
Walk this way.
Just stop.
Now, I know the last two days has been pretty tough,
but I hope that you've learned something about yourself,
about your family, and about change.
I'm about to give you your legacy.
Are you ready to see the brand new Sunnyside Cafe?
-Yes. -Open your eyes.
What is this place?
Are you ready to see the brand new Sunnyside Cafe?
-Yes. -Open your eyes.
What is this place?
Wow.
Oh, my gosh.
I don't even recognize this place at all.
I can't believe it.
[ecstatic] It's so nice.
This is amazing.
The sunflowers.
My mom's favorite flower.
The yellow chairs.
I feel like I'm home.
-[Robert] So brand new floors. -[Jeanette] Amazing.
[Robert] Brand new ceiling, brand new lighting,
brand new chairs, tables.
I don't think we've ever done a restaurant with this much detail
in such a short amount of time.
This is your new logo.
There's no mistaking where you are.
[Jeanette] No, and it's fun.
The counter, this is amazing.
This is beautiful.
I just never thought anything could ever be done with this place.
Thought it was just always going to be ugly.
Yeah, I love it. I love it.
Hello.
-[Robert] Hey. -[Jeanette] Hi.
Look at that shirt you have on.
-I know. -[Lynn] You match the restaurant.
The sunny is fun now, huh?
-It is. It's beautiful. -Congratulations.
Thank you.
-What do you think? -I love it.
-Good. -Thank you so much.
-You're welcome. -I know how hard work this is.
[Robert] This is your moment.
Where you're going to get up and you're going to go out,
and you're going to invite people into your new restaurant.
Off you go.
Okay.
Hello, everybody.
Welcome to the new Sunnyside Cafe.
Come on in.
[indistinct chatter]
Honestly, love the decor.
I think it looks great.
It's really bright, it's really inviting, I love it.
It's definitely a lot happier than it was before.
[Robert] So, really, you watch the flow.
Not like she did yesterday.
Yeah, I'm excited. I'm excited.
[Robert narrating] What I'm looking for in the front of house
is to see Abby take charge.
Stella, honey, don't forget to prebus your tables out there, okay?
Thank you.
[Robert narrating] And for Jeanette to stop micromanaging
and embrace her new role as the face of this restaurant.
-Hi, welcome. -Thank you.
Very confident in this menu.
-Hi, welcome to Sunnyside. -Hi.
Good to see you.
[Robert narrating] In the kitchen, I want to see if Brian can hold his own.
Chicken fried steak omelets working.
[Robert narrating] And get food out of the kitchen quickly.
Three poppies out, one home-fried chicken omelette out.
[indistinct chatter]
[customer 1] The pancakes are really nice and fluffy.
So delicious.
You can tell really good diner by their corned beef hash.
And, frankly, everything's just amazing.
Guys, how's it going?
-Good. -[Jeanette] Good.
Customers are loving it. They're loving it.
-[Brian] Awesome. -And I can't believe how fast this is coming up.
You're doing a great job.
-Thank you. -[cook] Thank you.
[Robert narrating] Both Abby and Jeanette have taken to their new roles.
Missy, Abby is in charge of the front of the house now.
[Robert narrating] Jeanette can finally relax with her family
and enjoy her restaurant.
[David] I'm incredibly proud of my mom.
What she's been able to accomplish last couple days,
it's just phenomenal.
[Jeanette] Thank you, Robert, for giving me my life back.
This is my Sunnyside.
This is totally my Sunnyside.
[woman] Oh, yeah.
[all laughing]
Yesterday, I walked into a restaurant
where Jeanette was a broken human being.
Today, I'm walking out of a restaurant.
There's a proud legacy
for Jeanette and her whole family.
[cheering and applause]
[Jeanette] Thank you so much.
You're so welcome.
[cheering and applause continues]
-[customer 2 whistles] -[Jeanette laughs]
The restaurant put a wedge in our marriage.
-Do you need help? -No.
Any little thing and she's going to tear up.
I'm like, totally broken.
You've got to work together.
My biggest concern is your low self-esteem.
You have to be a leader.
Get back in there and own it.
[Lynn] Let's go. Come on, guys.
I am not going to be a pushover anymore.
I want you to make money.
-Delicious -This is so good.
We're a team. This doesn't fail no matter what.
Open your eyes.