Guy Fieri has rolled up to over a thousand restaurants in his vintage Camaro over the long-running history of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and, by now, it’s clear that this energetic chef’s vote of approval is worth its weight in gold.
Chefs and restaurant owners can expect a massive surge in business after their segment airs on Triple D, so scoring a spot on the popular Food Network show is a big deal for those who make their living at America’s greasy spoons.
But with thousands of hole-in-the-walls scattered across the country, how are the spots featured on the show chosen?
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How can you get your own restaurant or your favorite diner on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?
As it turns out, the process is more straightforward than you think.
How To Apply for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
When it comes to putting forward a restaurant for consideration for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, the process is actually pretty simple.
Just send an email to [email protected] or fill out this contact form on Guy’s website.
Applications are open to anyone who can fire off a message, but that’s not enough to score a spot on the show! You’ll need to stand out above the sea of restaurants that apply for a spot.
In order to improve the chances of being chosen, restaurant owners should make every effort to showcase why their restaurant deserves recognition.
What are the producers of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives looking for? Let’s take a look.
What Factors Help Get a Restaurant on Triple D?
It’s not just about having amazing food!
In an interview with Food Network Magazine, Fieri explained that Diners, Drives-Ins and Dives is “all about three things… food, story, and character.”
Be sure to highlight these elements when applying to be featured on Triple D!
After all, everyone loves great food, but it’s the story and the chefs that keep the TV audience engaged – we have to rely on Guy to tell us how it tastes!
If your restaurant has an amazing story, tell it!
The show loves to feature restaurants that are integral to their community, like The Root Cafe in Little Rock, which sources 100% of its meat, eggs, and bread from small local farms.
An amazing backstory also helps.
Take, for example, Se7enBites in Orlando. Chef and owner Trina Gregory-Probst opened the restaurant after having a sleeve gastrectomy, which left her only able to eat about seven bites before becoming full.
She decided that if she could only eat seven bites, they had better be darn good!
Stories like Trina’s are interesting and inspiring, and when they go hand-in-hand with amazing food, they make a prime candidate for Triple D.
The Mayor of Flavortown also loves to feature eateries that are focused on family recipes, feature homestyle, scratch cooking, or are just plain unique and fun.
Keep in mind that during filming, the restaurant staff, the restaurant itself, and even the food become the main characters on the show.
Submit plenty of videos and photos to show how your food is prepared, what the meals will look like, and how your chefs and staff work together.
Being good on camera is a must – Guy is pretty charismatic, and you’ll want to be able to interact with him comfortably while you cook.
Are Restaurants Paid for Being on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?
Restaurants and their owners aren’t paid for being on the show, and they’re expected to provide all of the ingredients for the dishes that are prepared during filming.
Add in the days that they have to close for the restaurant to be prepared for filming and to film the b-roll and the show itself, and being on Triple D can actually cost restaurants quite a bit of cash.
While the segment may not air for months, the investment does eventually pay off.
In fact, Guy explains that one owner later told him that being featured on the show “changed the economic profile of
[his] family.”And the surge in business doesn’t end after the segment airs – diners featured on Triple D remain popular long after they’re featured, and experience further bursts of popularity when their segment airs in a rerun.
All in all, being featured on Triple D is the equivalent of striking gold for small restaurants!
Take the Plunge! Guy Could Be Headed to Your Spot Next
If you’ve ever watched Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and thought that your own restaurant or your favorite hangout is worthy of one of Guy’s signature catchphrases, your dream is within reach!
Fire off an email to [email protected] and highlight the food, story, and character that your hometown eatery has to offer.
Who knows – you could be Guy’s next road trip stop.