Guy Fieri introduces the six highly competitive job candidates, and the arrival of a seventh candidate causes a big upset. The first challenge is to learn the Chicken Guy! food items and line, then feed a crowd of hungry customers.
Guy Fieri is disappointed when one candidate decides they can't commit to the job and leaves the competition. But the challenges must go on, and first up are a pop quiz and taste test to measure how well the remaining six candidates studied their Chicken Guy! handbook. It's clear that some know the menu and brand better than others, but Guy wants to see some action, so he sends them into the kitchen to develop their own spin on a CG! milkshake and sauce that reflect their backstory. The goal is to learn who the candidates are through their food as they present their menu items to a panel of judges in the GG! boardroom. Some underdogs cluck their way to the top with unexpected flavors and spectacles, but others question if their wings are strong enough to rise above the rest.
The six candidates continue their training, enrolling in Chicken Guy! University to master all aspects of the menu and how to create it in the kitchen. Day 1 of training is exhausting and emotional. Guy Fieri checks in, and candidate Phil reveals that he needs to leave for one day to save his job at home. Guy allows it, but Phil's sudden departure and the stakes of the competition take an emotional toll on everyone. The other candidates question Phil's choice to leave, and he returns to infighting and harsh confrontational words before the final Chicken Guy! University challenge. They each have five minutes to work the line solo and prepare three full meals to be judged for accuracy and taste. The culinary challenge threatens to push the candidates to their breaking point and stand in the way of their graduation from Chicken Guy! University.
The candidates travel to Branson, Mo., to market and host a Chicken Guy! pop-up at Guy Fieri's Branson Kitchen and Bar. Divided into three teams of two, each pair has to plan a menu, create a marketing strategy, train the in-house staff and execute it during a two-hour service. Guy Fieri is watching, tasting and taking notes on who can match his high standards for well-executed dishes as well as bring the sales and show they can rake in the money. Not all teams can handle the pressure, and there are serious breakdowns. Emotions run high, leaving Guy wondering if his star player needs to be benched.
The Branson takeover comes to an emotional end, but the job interview isn't over yet. Guy Fieri sends the candidates to Nashville, Tenn., for a daunting challenge, hosting hundreds of guests at Fry or Fly Fest! food and beer festival. They must use their entire Show Wallet to create a thematic spin on the Chicken Guy! menu and reinforce that theme with decorated tents and marketing literature. To help them build the best experience, each candidate is allowed to a bring a friend or family member as support. As the smell of fried chicken fills the air, Guy shows up to see the candidates' efforts, and the pressure is enough to make some fall to their knees.
At Fry or Fly Fest in Nashville, Tenn., it's time for the six candidates to impress Guy Fieri, the judges and the festival crowd with the creativity, flavors and execution in their tents. There are some big hits and a few misses, but overall, Guy is impressed with how much the candidates have learned and how far they're willing to go for the keys to a Chicken Guy! franchise -- but he's still not sure who deserves them. He decides to issue one more challenge: The candidates have to prep the new Nashville Chicken Guy! for its grand opening. Guy has a heart-to-heart with each candidate and struggles with the decision, but in the end, only one can fly and win.
