These are not spoilers, but my personal opinion: (1) The guests have been invited to eat in the restaurant, possibly without having to pay, and knowing full well that they may not get their meal and that they are being filmed for a TV show. (2) Gordon's history and reputation has been briefed to the cooks, so know what they signed up for and how he will treat them. They then agree to appear on the show anyway.
So, don't feel sorry for either when watching -- they all know what they're in for. Some people here have commented that the show is fake and so on, but it's really just due to the two items above that make it feel that way.
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