In my most favorite episode of Bar Rescue ever, Jon rescues Swanky Bubbles, a champagne bar past its prime in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jon’s primary conflict is with co-owner Ryan, who does daily duty at the bar and who has driven away female patrons with his aggressively flirtatious advances. Noting this behavior, Jon reveals, “Unfortunately, I see this a lot in the bar business. Too many people open bars to get laid, drink, party, and all sorts of other reasons. To me, the customers are for the customers, the liquor is for selling, and we’re here to make money.”

In addition to being a player, Ryan is also a smooth talker. Jon questions Ryan about the bar’s condition. However, Ryan evades direct answers, deflecting responsibility and attributing issues to co-owner John, who is seldom present. Frustrated with Ryan’s avoidance, Jon confronts him, accusing him of skirting questions. “You’re just going to bullshit me and skate around every question I ask you. Are you scared to answer my questions?” Ryan smirks and says he is answering Jon’s questions. A look of evil anticipation visible on Jon’s face, he informs us, “The BS that happened tonight is going to end tomorrow morning” when a meeting with both John and Ryan is scheduled.

In the staff meeting, the team hesitates to be fully transparent given both owners’ presence and Ryan’s obvious role in the bar’s issues. Recognizing the need for candid feedback, Jon directs the employees to share their unfiltered thoughts in writing. The revelations about Ryan are grave especially since Jon has made a strategic decision to transform the bar into a female-oriented establishment. He lays down the law for Ryan, “You never ask a woman out in this place ever again. Ever.”

It’s worth noting that this episode is the first one that would make me question whether it would be a wise decision to appear on the show if I were a bartender or cook at a bar with owners who decided to participate in Bar Rescue. Until this episode, Jon’s focus seems to be primarily on owners and GMs, but it turns toward the bartenders and cooks in Swanky Bubbles. I would fear for my professional and personal image after seeing Jon berate seemingly ordinary employees like bartender Tim and cook Mark and make them appear less than favorable on national television. In all fairness, Jon also praises employees that step up or show significant change, like GM Efrain, bartender Dave, and (eventually) even bartender Tim, but this episode would still make me worry about which kind of employee I would be and what I stand to gain suffering through Jon’s wrath if I’m suckier than I think I am.

Jon tells us he knows the soft opening (stress test) is extremely difficult. He wants the staff to experience the “confidence to endure and try harder” when things get tough. Jon’s unconventional perspective frames the loss of employees that cannot handle the stress as a gain, emphasizing the importance of a team committed to improvement. This highlights Jon’s ability to discern when a tough approach is needed to foster positive change for ultimate financial success of the establishment and also scares the shit out of me and my fragile ego.

During the reveal, Jon asks “Are we going to have lots of women here?” Everyone shouts, “Yes!” Then Jon looks very seriously at Ryan and says, “Ryan, they are not for you.” While everyone chuckles at this, Jon’s facial expression indicates he does not find the situation amusing one iota.

In this episode, it becomes clear that personal shortcomings are not amusing quirks to Jon but serious problems that negatively impact the finances of both owners and staff members. Jon’s commitment to addressing underlying issues at the bars he rescues has the singular purpose of creating viable and respectful businesses, even if his means are unconventional and confrontational. He isn’t kidding when he tells staff to get on the Jon Taffer bus or get run over by it. There is no doubt he is a serious businessman and consultant, and success of the establishment for the benefit of everyone involved is undeniably his end goal.

I invite you to consider and share your answers in the Comments: Would you be on a Bar Rescue episode if you worked at an establishment Jon was called in to rescue? Why or why not?