Even if you've never watched Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — Guy Fieri's road trippin' love letter to mom and pop restaurants across the United States — there are certain things you know to expect from the show: greasy spoons, bleached hair, and meals worth killing your diet for and planning a vacation around. But even if you've watched every episode twice, there are certain things even the most diehard superfan can't know. Here's what you've been missing.
His Camaro Makes A Cameo In (Almost) Every Episode.
The Food Network Star winner rolls up to every restaurant in his red Chevy Camaro SS. Well, almost every restaurant. There are a few times when he's swapped out his set of wheels, like when he went to Hawaii and decided against shipping his car.
He Brings A Make-A-Wish Kid to Every Taping.
Fieri's filmed 363 episodes to date, and for each one, he's invited a family from an organization close to his heart: Make-A-Wish. "I know what the family is going through, to some degree," he told us last summer, when discussing his sister's battle with cancer. "I know that heartache and I see that, and if there's anything I can do to help enlighten or empower those kids, I want to do it."
It's something he does for every show he stars in, including Guy's Big Bite and Guy's Grocery Games, and he makes it a point to ensure the whole family's invited, not just the child battling an illness. "We don't want to single a kid out," he explained.
One Episode Made Him Really Anxious.
Though Fieri's known for being the cool, laid-back guy, one aspect of the show made him really nervous: the episode he shot in Cuba. "I sold Food Network on this idea, and I didn't want to let people down, or waste people's money," he told us. So how does he stay calm when the cameras start rolling? "I take a lot of deep breaths."
His Show's Like 'Shark Tank' For Your Business.
Just like how appearing on Shark Tank can send people flocking to your store, a spot on Triple-D, as the show's affectionately known, has boosted restaurant's sales by as much as 500 percent.
The Money Train Doesn't Stop Right After The Show Airs.
You'd think the restaurants featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives would get that bump in foot traffic for a day or two, maybe a couple weeks, after the episode airs, but at Southern Soul Barbeque in St. Simons Island, GA, that's been far from the case: He saw his sales go up 200 percent after the show aired, and it hasn't stopped ever since, the owner told Thrillist.
Filming Isn't A Quick "In & Out."
Though each segment lasts just a few minutes, there's a ton of production leading up to that moment. One restauranteur described having "12 hours" of calls with producers leading up to the taping, and the shoot itself typically takes about two days to complete. On the first day, the crew lights the restaurant for the shoot and gets b-roll, and on the second day, Fieri stops by and films for half the day.
"I think we cooked every item on the menu three times with Guy," Ted Casper, co-owner of Casper and Runyon's Nook in St. Paul, told Twin Cities Business magazine.
He's Come Up With 63 Ways to Say "Delicious."
One of the hallmarks of the show is the fact that nobody's more excited about the food than Fieri himself. And, episode after episode, he finds new ways to express just how he feels about whatever he's digging into, be it "the flavor jets are turned on" or "that's a hot frisbee of fun!" Just check out this supercut.
Melissa McCarthy's A Superfan.
She based her Bridesmaids character on Fieri, largely because she and her husband are so obsessed with the show.
There Are Entire Sites Devoted To Tracking DDD.
The one challenge of watching Triple-D is it makes you immediately want to visit every spot it features. And, naturally, you start to wonder: What place is close enough that I can hit it up, say, tonight? Multiple fan sites have your back, breaking down every restaurant featured by state, often including reviews, photos, and contact info, so you can plan an entire trek across America, Fiiiedddi-style.
For a state-by-state (or city-by-city) breakdown, check out FlavortownUSA.com.
If you'd prefer to map your next vacay by cuisine (BBQ your way along the Mason-Dixon, anyone?!), try DinersDriveInsDivesLocations.com.
His Signature Hair Is Part of The Show.
As Fieri revealed in an earlier interview, his bleached locks were all his hairstylist's suggestion. After winning Food Network Star, though, someone clapped him on the back and told him, "guess you'll be keeping that look for a while." It had become such a part of his look that it's stuck ever since.
"When I retire, what color will it go?" he laughed.
Now that's one mystery only time can answer.
Follow Delish on Instagram.
