Food Network Host Guy Fieri Reveals the 1 Reason ‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives’ is So Popular
There are so many people who take issue with Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives host Guy Fieri. They say his manner is too crude, his voice is too loud, and his hair is too frosted blonde. But whether you love Fieri or you find him mostly annoying, the fact remains that his Food Network shows are some of the most-watched on the network. You just can’t argue with numbers like that.
Why do people love Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives so much if they’re so divided on Fieri personally? The host weighed in on a few reasons he thinks the show is so successful all these years later.
‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives’ was nominated for five Emmys
It might seem like a lighthearted, simple show to a casual viewer. But true fans realize that Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives rose to success because it has real heart and tells the story of some real unrecognized heroes in America. And even though Fieri doesn’t take credit for the success, he’s a big part of it.
The show premiered in 2007 and is still going strong now. Fieri explained to Deadline that he never thought it would last that long. “I remember the first couple of years we did it, I said, ‘You know what? This will go on for a couple more years, and then we’ll probably run out of locations,’” he said, laughing. “Yeah, right. I’ll be doing this thing in a walker, dude. I don’t know when it’s going to stop.”
The show was nominated for five Emmys and still draws in huge audiences on Food Network with each new episode.
Fieri says this 1 thing makes the show so popular
He may know that his star power is part of the appeal, but Fieri doesn’t steal all the glory for the show’s success. Instead, he credits the mom and pop restaurant owners for working hard and putting their heart and soul into their product. That’s what makes people keep tuning in.
“[The mom-and-pop restaurant business] is, I think, one of the toughest businesses in the world, especially in today’s climate, and we give [restaurateurs] a chance to be highlighted, recognized, spotlighted, put on a pedestal,” he told Deadline. Fieri called the experience “life-changing” for the restaurants he visits.
“It’s life-changing financially, it’s life-changing image-wise; it’s a life-changing experience,” he said. “…What’s so beautiful about it is, we have a blast doing it, and the outcome is awesome—and then on top of it, you get nominated for an Emmy.”
‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives viewers care about food
The subject matter of the show is another huge draw. With so many people becoming more concerned about diet and nutrition, Fieri recognized the opportunity to capitalize on something we all have in common: eating.
“We’re in the middle of the food revolution,” he said during the interview. “People have such a better-educated palate now, and I think Food Network plays a major part [in] that.”
He continued, saying, “We’ve brought people to understand food, and now they’re making better choices. But we have to, because we really got off the path for a while there, with processed crap. And we’ve still got way too much sugar.”
Fieri eats some wildly unique dishes while he’s on the road. That’s one reason people can’t get enough of the show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. He may have a polarizing personality and tons of haters, but it’s obvious that Fieri is doing something right.
