What The Cameras Never Show You On Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives

On any given episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” there's a lot to see. It starts with zippy shots up and down the streets of different towns and cities all over America, then to the crowded dining rooms of the local hidden gems that Guy Fieri is out to discover. Of course, each episode is filled with mouthwatering close-ups of some of the most outrageous, unique, and crave-inducing comfort food (even better if smothered with cheese). And above all else, there's Fieri being Fieri, hamming it up for the cameras and dropping flavortown slang in and out of the kitchen. 

But what about what viewers don't get to see? After many years and more than 550 episodes (via IMDb), Fieri has been all over the United States of America filming "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," eating his way through more than 1,200 restaurants in the process. That's a whole lot of content crafted into half-hour long episodes made to maximize our appetites, meaning there's probably a lot that goes on that doesn't ever make it to TV. So Mashed did a deep dive to reveal what really goes on behind the scenes of Triple D. This is what the cameras never show you on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."

The whole point of watching "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" — besides planning all the food stops for your next road trip — is getting to see restaurant cooks from all over the country present their best, most palate provoking dishes to Guy Fieri. But what's even cooler is that viewers all get to see how those local favorites are made from scratch. In each episode, Fieri and the cameras go behind the front counter to bring the audience into the kitchen and demonstrate how the dishes come together, right before Fieri tears into them. 

What the cameras never show you, though, is the intense prep work that happens beforehand (via Food Network). Next time you're watching a Triple D episode, notice how seamlessly the cook moves through a recipe. Ingredients are all measured out into bowls ahead of time, eggs are cracked, produce is pre-chopped and ready to go, water is boiling on the stove, ovens are preheated ... you get the idea. This is by design by the show's producers, according to Heavy Table, which went behind the scenes of an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." All the major prep work is completed well before Fieri gets in the kitchen. That way, the on-camera cooking process is smooth and organized, giving Fieri and the chefs more time to discuss the food, rather than find a missing spice or tear up while dicing onions.

There's no doubt Guy Fieri has eaten A LOT of food while filming "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" since the program's inception, and it's simply statistically impossible that all of that food was delicious. Yet, one thing the cameras will never show you on Triple D is bad food, or anything that leaves Fieri wanting to spit out that first bite — and there's good reason for that.

According to the show's creator, David Page, the food bar is set high for Triple D. He told Heavy Table "every place we go has to make real food and it has to be good enough ... we're incredibly discerning about what it takes to get on the air." Fieri himself confirmed this when speaking with People, explaining that "not every dish is A+. But if I don't like it, you won't see it."

Of course, every dish can't be Fieri's favorite, and folks have learned to pick up on that over all the years of watching Triple D. The host confessed that sometimes after the cameras are off a cook will say to him, "well you didn't go, like, 'This is off the hook.' And I'm like, 'Well, it was good ... don't be offended, I don't like every song that's on the Rolling Stones album'" (via The Moment). At the end of the day, Fieri says "I don't sell people a line of crap on the show" (via Sporkful).

When it comes to "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," it's all about Guy Fieri. He's the star, the showcaser, the test-taster. He gets the final say in pretty much every decision about the show, the restaurants, and the food that gets featured (via Thrillist). And he can pretty much change his mind whenever he wants.

That means if Fieri gets to a location and wants to scrap the plan and have the kitchen whip up something else on the menu, then they have to scramble to make it happen. That happened to Minnesota restaurant Casper and Run. They told Twin Cities Business they "cooked every item on the menu three times with Guy ... He wanted to try everything on the menu, just about. Then they decided what to feature."

Of course, you'll only see smiling faces, excited chefs, and a pumped up Fieri in each episode of Triple D — the cameras will never share what kind of last minute stress might have come up along the way. And the one last minute change you'll never see? "To be candid, we have gotten to town and canceled places because the key to the show is that they have to meet that bar," says the show's creator (via Heavy Table).

It's true that you're in for a good time when watching "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." You'll get your fair share of Guy Fieri's wisecracks and you might even see him try and goof around a bit in the kitchen with the chef. Fieri will do whatever it takes to make good TV, but it's arguable that the real good time is happening behind-the-scenes.

According to various sources, there's no shortage of goofing around between Fieri and the Triple D crew when the cameras aren't rolling. Jokes abound, as do the pranks. There's even been instances of flying food (via Food Network), some sort of game involving hiding meat in random places ... the antics go on and on (per Heavy Table). 

At the end of the day, the cameras can't capture just how tight knit the "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" crew is. Fieri shared with Heavy Table, "the crew is vital ... if I don't have the crew there, then it doesn't work." But it's more than that. "These are my friends," he continued. Fieri also mentioned to Videomaker that while he's hosted several different shows over the years, each with their own crew, he's closest to the Triple D gang. "Crew members have paid their dues on this show and are very heavily invested in its success," he revealed.

One of the most epic moments in any episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" is when Guy Fieri takes that all-important first bite. The camera locks in on him, as his initial reaction says it all. And when Fieri does taste something amazing, his enthusiasm — and vocabulary — is unmatched. 

That first bite doesn't tell the whole story, though. Sure, sometimes Fieri can't help himself and goes in for a second or a third bite without hesitation, much to the delight of a local chef. But one thing the Triple D cameras never really show is just how much Fieri actually eats in a full day of filming. 

When Fieri and his crew hit the road, they've got a lot of locations to cover in a short amount of time. So Fieri will often shoot at more than one restaurant in a single day. At each of those restaurants, Fieri has to chow down on multiple dishes for the camera, sometimes more than once so the film crew can capture every angle they need. That's a whole lot of greasy, cheesy, heavy diner food. With that in mind, Fieri keeps his on set diet as light as possible. He told People he drinks a daily green juice packed with fruits and veggies when he's on the road.

Besides his spiky blonde hair and penchant for slang words involving "funk", Guy Fieri is known for being highly involved in charity events and organizations. From raising money for disabled children, to serving meals to wildfire victims, to his most recent effort creating the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund to help food workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (raising $24 million in the process), Fieri has had his hands in a range of philanthropic efforts (via CBS News). But perhaps the organization closest to his heart is the Make-A-Wish foundation. 

Fieri's connection to Make-A-Wish is personal. He watched his sister beat cancer as a child, and then ultimately die when it returned during adulthood. Fieri told Thrillist he is so heavily involved with the organization that works to put smiles on the faces of children suffering with cancer because "I remember what it's like to be in a hospital with her. I remember that feeling of just being bored and tired." So, as part of his effort to help sick children and their families, Fieri told Delish that he invites a kid from the Make-A-Wish network — and their entire family — to each taping of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." You'll never see them on camera, but there will always be a special guest behind-the-scenes — and that's sweeter than any funkalicious dessert Fieri is going to get to try.