Guy Fieri is opening up about the secrets to his success as he faces a lawsuit from former Food Network show winner Kevin Cooper.
In a recent interview with Entrepreneur, the 57-year-old Food Network star offered rare insight into his restaurant philosophy while seated with a bottle of his Santo Tequila and tenders from his Las Vegas Chicken Guy! location.
Referencing Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, Fieri emphasized a key lesson he teaches all of his team members.
“You need to understand that everybody sees the world from their own perspective. The first thing I teach any of my team members is that when they are dealing with a guest who is having a negative experience, remember it’s not personal.”
When things go wrong, Fieri said there’s one magic phrase customers want to hear — “I am so sorry.”
He added that offering support is the key to success, suggesting phrases like “That’s very frustrating” and “I am here to try to remedy this the best I can” can make all the difference.
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“People tend to shut down and get defensive in those situations. We feel attacked. But you need to give your customers consideration and treat them as you would want to be treated. That is transformative,” he explained on the How Success Happens series.
Fieri’s latest comments come as legal trouble brews for the TV star. He’s reportedly being sued by Cooper, the 2022 winner of Guy’s Chance of a Lifetime, according to USA Today.
Cooper, a Philadelphia-based chef, filed a lawsuit against Chicken Guy LLC and Earl Enterprises, LLC — run by Fieri’s business partner Robert Earl.
The lawsuit claims that after winning the show, Cooper was promised a $100,000 salary, waived franchise fee, $10,000 toward legal expenses and ownership of a Chicken Guy! franchise.
Cooper went on to open his location in February 2024, but the restaurant shuttered within a year.
According to court documents, Cooper’s operating costs were nearly $69,000 over revenue, including $39,000 in unpaid Pennsylvania state taxes. He is now suing for breach of contract, seeking $100,000 in salary and additional expenses.