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10 Worst Celebrities to Serve in Restaurants, According to Servers

Most celebrities perfectly lovely people, but these few have made a bad name for themselves.
FACT CHECKED BY Meaghan Cameron

Many celebrities frequent restaurants all the time and are perfectly lovely people to serve and generous tippers, but in the world of camera phones, Instagram stories, and hot Reddit threads, if they aren't, you're likely to find out about it. On the one hand, it can be tough to be famous. Everywhere you go, you can expect people to recognize you and to have pre-conceived opinions about you. But, on the other hand, most celebrities have it easy. They are usually of comfortable means—if not of outright wealth—and they're not that concerned about a roof over their heads, the clothing on their backs, or about that next meal they'll eat.

Given that it's thanks to their fans and followers that celebrities have the means for such creature comforts, it's nice to hear that when they go out for a meal they treat the staff serving with respect. For these folks featured today, apparently this is not the case. A few celebs have had run-ins with restaurant workers enough that they've been named the worst celebrities to serve in restaurants.

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Anna Wintour

Anna Wintour
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When dining at a restaurant, Anna Wintour has been described, in-depth as "absolutely horrid" and rudely brief to the entire staff, according to Michael Cecchi-Azzolina, the former maitre d' at NYC's Michelin-starred restaurant Le Coucou, in his book "Your Table Is Ready." The infamous Vogue fashion icon tends to "march in with no reservation and demand a table," Cecchi-Azzolina writes, and she requests a steak "very rare" to be served "immediately."

"She'd just walk in or call and say, 'I'm coming.' One time she came in and we were closing the back room and she insisted on sitting in the back room and we had to keep a waiter there and give her her own waiter. Boy, was that waitress pissed," Cecchi-Azzolina told The New York Post in an interview.

James Corden

James Corden
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In October of 2022, comedian and TV host James Corden was banned from a New York City restaurant called Balthazar. According to reports, he shouted at and berated the staff over minor mistakes made with dishes served to his wife. The owner of the restaurant, Keith McNally, took to Twitter to call Corden a "tiny Cretin of a man" and reported that it was not the first time Corden had been unpleasant at his establishment.

To Corden's credit, he reportedly called the restaurant later and offered what seemed a sincere apology and was invited back, but let's be honest: calling to apologize after being publicly outed is more about saving face than it is about making amends. If his conduct had never been shared it's quite unlikely he would have made that call.

Khloe Kardashian

Khloe Kardashian
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According to multiple servers who had waited on Khloe Kardashian, she is a boorish nightmare of a customer. On a Reddit thread in the "subreddit" called "Tales From Your Server," one person said of her: "She was extremely rude and demanding and I hated it so much." Another added: "I cocktailed for Khloe's table at a banquet, so there wasn't a tab and she didn't tip. She was just a pain in the ass, in almost every way … She never said thank you or even really acknowledged me, and she wouldn't stop gesticulating long enough for me to place her drinks down. She also brushed her arm with a napkin when I accidentally grazed it. It was an awful night."

Drake

Drake
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Drake is, at the time of this writing, apparently worth about $260 million, per Ledger Note. So he can afford to pay his dinner bills. But according to one server who shared in the subreddit "Server Life," he'd rather not. The person said in part: "Drake didn't want to pay the full amount we charged because we charged him a room fee for keeping the restaurant open four hours after we closed. Argued with our GM and finally paid the full amount with no tip."

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Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow
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It seems Gwyneth Paltrow has spent a bit too much time in the proverbial Ivory Tower and has forgotten that other people are… people. One person who had served her said via Reddit: "Gwyneth refused to 'speak with the help' and ordered via her assistant." Based on that post, a heap of additional ire aimed at Paltrow follows in comments.

Usher

Usher
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A notorious bad tipper—if he tips at all—per The Richest, Usher is also apparently the type who thinks he is better than the rest of us. Per servers sharing on Reddit, Usher refuses to speak directly to servers, having his staff speak for him and acting as liaisons when someone needs to convey a question or message to the spoiled singer.

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway
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Anne Hathaway may be an accomplished actress, but she has not accomplished the basic human practice of getting over the small stuff. According to a server who shared with The Richest, the actress once sent back a simple breakfast order a whopping four times, then finally changed her order altogether at that.

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey
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Mariah Carey entirely deserves her "diva" reputation, it turns out. One server on Reddit said of the star: "She came to my place of work once and was a NIGHTMARE the entire time. The way she talked to both her own team and my team was horrendous." Another shared that a family friend had worked with her before and had been told to not even to look at the singer.

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods
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Often aloof, occasionally outright rude, and a notoriously bad tipper, Tiger Woods is a very unpopular guest with servers, not to mention with the staff at golf courses and other venues, per commenters on Reddit. For reference, per Forbes, Tiger Woods is officially a billionaire as of 2022.

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Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez
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A terrible tipper (J-Lo once reportedly took back a $100 tip Ben Affleck was offering to a Las Vegas casino dealer) and a reported model of self-important pomposity, Jennifer Lopez is described as "nasty and rude" by one Redditor, "awful [and] a total diva" by another, and "just awful" by a third.

A version of this story was originally published on November 4, 2022. It has been updated to include new information.

Jordan Summers-Marcouillier
Jordan Summers-Marcouillier was born and raised in San Jose, California and now works as a writer in New York, NY. Read more about Jordan