When a celebrity rolls into your restaurant you have no idea what they're going to be like in real life. Well, here's your first hand viewing, from waiters and waitresses, of who these celebrities are when the camera isn't rolling.
Rachel Ray
“I didn’t serve her, but I was at a restaurant and I was sitting next to Rachael Ray. Megab*tch. She was really snippy with the bartender/waitress. She took forever to tell the waitress what she wanted. When she finally got her food and they asked how it was, she just kind of motioned as if to say ‘Whatever.’
I didn’t see how much she tipped, but on her way out, someone asked for an autograph and she replied, ‘Don’t talk to me’.
Also, I did cook for the director of Oz the Great and Powerful and one of the writers. I had a few drinks with them as well. Really fun guys. I brought them back into the kitchen and they signed my Wizard of Oz apron.”
Drew Carey
“My cousin had Drew Carey come into his bar one night after a gig. Said he came in and bought a round for everyone in the bar. My cousin said he was a real classy guy and extremely friendly.
At the end of the night, he called my cousin over and asked how many staff members were working that night. He then pulled out a check and wrote it for an amount that ended up giving each staffer a $100 tip that night.”
Typical Leo
“I have served tons! Leonardo Dicaprio, was very shy. He hid himself very well. I didn’t even realize who he was until after five minutes of talking to him. He was working on his Boston accent I guess.
Natalie Portman came in with Harvard friends and used a fake ID. The waiter was like, ‘Whatever. Here’s your drink’ (I made said drink).
Tommy Lee Jones was crazy awkward. His wife was really nice and basically apologized for him the entire time. I really don’t think he was trying to be rude, ge just doesn’t know how to be social.”
Weezer
“I served Rivers Cuomo lunch in Vancouver in 97. He was with Pat and some girls, and were in town to open for No Doubt on a stadium tour. I waited until they were done eating to tell them how much I loved their records and they asked if I was going to the show. I told them no because it was pretty expensive and I hated No Doubt – it just wouldn’t be worth it for a 40 minute Weezer opening set in a hockey arena. He understood and we started talking about what they should do for the day.
I drew them a map of some cool local stuff to dom and he thanked me and they left. I see him talking to Pat outside and then run back into the restaurant. He comes up to me and says ‘Give me two names.’
So I give him my name and my girlfriend’s name, and he says ‘See you tonight’.
So I get home that night, tell my girlfriend the story and she’s skeptical they will even remember (it’s been hours). I remind her we have nothing better to do and nothing to lose, so we head out to the venue. I get to the window, give our names and the lady pulls out two laminated passes and instructs us to enter through the backstage entrance. We literally walked straight into Gwen when we hit the Greenroom. Didn’t see the Weezer guys backstage, but when they announced ‘5 minutes to showtime,’ we asked if we could go down front. Somebody ushered us to the front row and Weezer opened with Jonas.
It was awesome. The End.”
Snooooop Dogg
“I served Snoop Dogg about 10 years ago at Islands. He tried to order Dom Pérignon which we didn’t have, but he settled for a Sprite. (for those of you that don’t know, Islands is a sit-down burger joint that didn’t have fancy drinks). He was there with three girls.
I couldn’t understand a word he said but he ordered two meals for himself. His girls had to ‘translate’ for him. Overall he was polite and nice. He even sign autographs for a couple of kids (and my star-struck manager). I felt bad because he just wanted to have dinner and people were bombarding him.”
Will’s Bucket
“Will Ferrell- I was a bartender at the time, he was in town for a stand-up gig with Demitri Martin, Zach Galifinakis, and Nick Swardson. We shut down half the bar for them and their crew for a football watch party. I remember Nick didn’t even watch the game, he played buck hunter the entire time. They all kept to themselves and were all generally quiet. Will was the only one really known at the time.
The funny thing was the other half of the bar was opened to the public, but our only bathrooms were over there. We had a bucket in the basement that Will would use to pee in, to avoid everyone else. Will was not what I expected; he was kinda shy, and when they were leaving he came up to me, shook my hand and said I did a great job.”
Jason Segel’s Package
“My best friend once waited on Jason Segel and Paul Rudd during SXSW. She was caught off guard when she saw them sitting at her table, so the first words out of her mouth were ‘You’re Jason Segel. You have a really nice member.’ (They had recently seen Forgetting Sarah Marshall).
His words? ‘Hey, thanks! Can I get a drink on the rocks?’
She said Paul Rudd was equally friendly, and they left a huge tip.”
The Dalai Lama
“I served the Dalai Lama at a Greek Restaraunt up here in Binghamton New York, back in August of 1999. I’m serious. It was during a dinner service, and van’s pulled into the parking lot. Several Buddhist Monks and about twenty people came in as a group. Religious groups are notoriously bad tables — usually, you have a ton of people, nearly all of them only having coffee or a cookie — a lot of work with little reward. So, when this group came in, waitresses started hounding me to take the group. I grudgingly agreed.
One other waitress and I took the party — 25 people in one dining room (the restaurant has three) for the rwo of us. When the group came in, I was pulled aside by one of the monks who told me: ‘When dinner is served, you must serve the monks first, and you must not make eye contact with his Holiness.’
Now, it never, NEVER occurred to me that this could possibly be THE Dalai Lama. So, naturally, the first thing I did was look him in the eye when I took his drink order. It was a non-eventful meal. They actually ate very well, and I did notice that the room would go silent when ‘His Holiness’ — the monk at the head of the table — spoke.
After they left, we realized they’d double-tipped! They were told their group would get hit with the gratuity on the check. They also left a cash equivalent on the table. Anyway, a day or rwo later, my boss excitedly pulled me into the bar. ‘LOOK!!’ he said, pointing to the TV.
There, speaking to a congregation of hundreds of thousands of people in New York’s Central Park, was the Dalai Lama.”
Yeezus
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“I was closing up a hotel bar a few years ago when a black guy, about thirty, lets himself into the closed (but not locked) restaurant section flanked by a couple of huge men. I ask what I can do for them, gesturing at the obviously empty floor. He says, ‘Yeah, could I get a couple of cases of bubbly and three bottles of Grey Goose?’
Now, this was a business-oriented hotel and we didn’t make a practice of selling bubbly by the case even when we were open which, in this case, we weren’t. So I explain, ‘I’m very sorry, sir, but we’re actually closed for the night. I was just in the process of locking up the stock. You could absolutely hit the bar district downtown, as they’re open for another hour, but this is the business district and pretty quiet at this time of night.’
He says it’s not a problem, turns around, and heads to the elevator bay. I turn to finish locking up and see that the only other person in the room, a waitress, seems to be in the early stages of a cardiac episode. Apparently, I had just shut down Kanye West.”
Bill Murray
“Not as a waitress but a receptionist for a recording studio. Bill Murray came in to do some dialogue replacement for Garfield 2. He had called earlier for directions (I recognized his voice immediately), and commended me on my direction giving skills, and deemed me ‘Boss Lady’ once he arrived.
He had such a presence about him. Shook everyone’s hand around the lobby and was genuinely kind. He and the engineers broke for lunch (Greek food) and after they were finished, I was walking down our hallway and could hear them coming around the same corner so I decided to wait and let them pass. Bill came around the corner and saw me waiting. We locked eyes and he ran straight up to me.
So what do you do when Bill Murray runs directly into you? You freaking brace yourself and chest-bump him. The impact was enough to get a hot breath of feta and gyros in my face. Best moment of my life.”
Brendan Fraser The Drinker
“Had the honor to serve a lot of great people over the last two years at a restaurant I worked at. With the exception of like….one person. Apollo Ono – First impression: Horrible guy. Second, third, fourth impression: Very nice gut, but still kind of horrible.
Brendan Fraser – Good God, does this tower of a man drink, and drink, and drink. At one point he asked that I just keep bringing adult beverages as often as possible. I think it was lunchtime that I served him too.
Tyra Banks – This is the exception. She came in and sat down. Now usually, I never acknowledge a celebrity because I always assume they want to be treated just like any other customer. Ms. Banks here threw a fit when I did not verbally recognize her and caused quite a scene. My coworker told me of another instance shortly after where she walked into the restaurant, looked around, and then stormed out.
Barbara Streisand – She also came into that frozen yogurt store. Took her literally 20-30 minutes to order two pints. One chocolate, one vanilla. I was really shocked that it took someone so long to order something so simple, but she was really nice, and just a pleasant person so I couldn’t help but enjoy the experience.
GENERALLY, celebrities are no different than anyone else and they especially like being treated as if they weren’t any more special than the next person with the exception of a few.”
Chef Ramsay
“I served Gordon Ramsay once, I was very nervous because of his TV persona. but he was actually very polite, probably the most polite customer I’ve ever had, he didn’t even tell anyone to f**k off.
At the end of the night, he requested to see the head chef and shook his hand in appreciation and tipped us £100.”
Kelly Ripa The Alien??
“I was a server at a very famous New Orleans restaurant where famous people came in regularly. Drew Brees is a great tipper and his children are very well-behaved. His wife is a sweetheart. He’s the only celebrity I ever really got star-struck around – I’m a huge Saints fan.
Bon Jovi drinks house Pinot Grigio and puts ice cubes in the glass. You can take the boy outta Jersey…
Kelly Ripa looks like an alien in person but is very polite.
Billy Joel is a total nightmare, demanding things off-menu on a very busy night and being rude to staff.
Hulk Hogan did blow in the bathroom. Brad and Angelina are wonderfully nice. Brad is WAY shorter than I expected.
Bill Nye the Science Guy is very down to earth and a good tipper. Every famous black athlete I’ve ever served (mostly Saints players) order steak well done. Which is disgusting, but okay.
The guy who plays Eric Northman is just as attractive in person. Mostly, musicians are better tippers than actors, and they’re better tippers than athletes. In general.”
Paul Newman
“I cooked for Paul Newman a few times at a restaurant he’d visit in Connecticut. Not a fancy restaurant. Just a bar and grill. He was probably the most ‘normal’ person you could imagine. Very laid back and polite. It seemed like he refused to accept the fact that he was a celebrity.
I also saw him in Stop & Shop grocery shopping. He did not have a single care in the world.. Just pushing a cart around buying cereal and bananas.”
Tarantino
“My cousin was working one night in L.A.m and Quentin Tarantino walks in. He didn’t serve him but observed that he wrote furiously in a notebook and would occasionally laugh to himself and look up.
My cousin caught his eye once and QT laughed and kept writing. Which is exactly how you think Tarantino would act.”
Peter Dinklage
“Not a waitress, but a hostess. I sat Peter Dinklage in a quiet corner of the restaurant (he asked for it). But I guess he didn’t like what he saw on the menu and left a few moments later. He was very polite and soft-spoken but seemed a bit shy.
I was excited and nervous when he walked in and wasn’t very sure about how I should treat him. I’m pretty sure my burr hasn’t sweat like that since it did that day. Treating him like a regular customer seemed to have been a good call. No guys, no booster seats were used.”
Dave Chappelle
“I bartended at Dave Chappelle’s private birthday party. He kicked everyone out at the end of the night and came back in to have a drink away from his sycophants and assistants. He was really cool, except he spoiled the third to last Breaking Bad episode for me by acting it out word for word and dissecting every minute detail.
But then he bought a Stella and gave us a $100 dollar bill. Actually, he took the bill out of his pocket, lifted it above his head then slammed it down on the bar and shouted ‘BAM!!!’
I am happy to still be a fan of his.”
Alice Cooper
“Billy Corrigan got my friend fired. He came into the restaurant where we used to work and didn’t tip. My buddy saw him on the beach the next day and asked him why not. Billy, then proceeded to go back into the restaurant to tell on my friend, and he got fired.
I waited on Nancy Kerrigan and her son, she split a meal with her son.
I also waited on John Lovitz and family, he was a grumpy mean guy. I waited on Charles Barkley as well; super nice, good tipper, always respectful.
My favorite was Alice Cooper. He used to come into the Olive Garden I used to work about once a week with his family. He was about the nicest guy you could imagine really nice family and down to earth.
I also once had the opportunity to wait on Eddie Vedder. Pearl Jam is my favorite band so I was totally star-struck.
I waited until after he was done eating so as not be a bother, and just went up and said ‘Thanks man, I really appreciate you and your music.’
He made great eye contact and just said, ‘Rock on, man!’
It was perfect!”
James Woods
“James Woods. Nothing out of the ordinary, really. Pretty decent tipper, master of the fake phone call when someone would try to approach him.
A lot of people seem to dislike him. But he was home visiting his mother a few years ago and went out to lunch with her at the restaurant in which I was employed at the time. As he was leaving, another table with a young man who had downs syndrome was also leaving. This young man was wearing a Family Guy t-shirt, and must have recognized James Woods.
After a short conversation, James turned around, said ‘Ooh, a piece of candy,’ and then proceed with his exit. The look on the young man’s face was priceless.”
Cameron Diaz
“I used to manage a sort of fast casual/café style restaurant. It was always incredibly slow on Saturdays due to its location. We were working with only myself and one server, pretty much just trying to run out the clock until we could lock up which was unfortunately still a few hours away. My server was taking her break, so it was just me working behind the line when this woman walks in by herself, carrying a few bags from the nearby Neiman Marcus store. I couldn’t help thinking to myself how much this woman looked like Cameron Diaz, but it obviously couldn’t have been her because why the heck would Cameron Diaz be in Minneapolis randomly?
She asked what soups we had and I offered her a sample. When I mentioned that our house soup contained pasta, she quickly exclaimed how much she loves pasta and her eyes lit up with excitement. I keep analyzing her face trying to find some sort of distinguishing mark so I could be like Oh, she’d look like Cameron Diaz but she has a different nose, or something along those lines. I could not find anything, even her smile was spot-on, but come on why would she come into my restaurant?
In the meantime, a friend of mine who worked nearby walks up in the midst of me assisting the woman. I got this woman a bowl of the soup and rang her up. She was super friendly throughout the entire transaction, and threw a couple bucks in the tip jar for a $5 bowl of soup. Then I help my friend and go sit down to bother him.
I sat down and told my friend, ‘Dang, I can’t shake how much that woman looks EXACTLY like Cameron Diaz.’
He explained to me that when he walked up he said something along the lines of, ‘Good Afternoon, Ms. Diaz. How are you today?’ she smiled and responded that she was doing well and even asked my friend how he was doing. She sat and finished her soup by herself, and even cleaned up her table (which is more than half of the patrons at the restaurant usually did) and went along her merry way.
It turns out she was dating A-Rod at the time and the Yankees were in town, which explains why the heck she would be in Minneapolis.”