It’s official: working in food service is the hottest celebrity PR stunt right now. Just this year alone, we’ve seen Ben Affleck running the Dunkin’ drive-thru, Vanderpump Rules’ Ariana Madix working a shift at Raising Cane’s, and even Lana Del Rey serving breakfast at Waffle House. The trend is increasingly gaining traction with some of the world’s biggest stars.
And in just the past few days, it has exploded, with celebrities popping up in restaurants and grocery stores like a game of PR whack-a-mole. Just last weekend, Ed Sheeran got behind the counter at The Wieners Circle in Chicago. The British singer-songwriter served hot dogs to screaming fans at the iconic shop, which is known for its employees hurling insults at customers.
David Letterman joined in the trend recently as well, this time at supermarket chain Hy-Vee. The Emmy-winning television host was spotted bagging groceries and stocking shelves at the Des Moines, Iowa, store.
The trend has even been co-opted by Prince William. The heir to the British throne partnered with YouTube’s Sorted Food to pass out veggie burgers at a food truck in a video posted Sunday. Unsuspecting customers shared that they were “lost for words” and wondered if it was all a dream.
With plenty of celebrities and now royalty hopping on the bandwagon, it’s abundantly clear that this trend is far from fading. But it begs the question: do we actually enjoy watching the rich and famous cosplay as minimum wage-earning food service workers?
I consider myself to be on the fence. There’s something about the trend that just feels a little out of touch. Watching celebrities work at restaurants and grocery stores to fawning fans while everyday people are underpaid to do the exact same thing without the recognition feels just slightly unsettling.
The novelty is fading with every new iteration, but that's not to say that some of them are actually pretty wholesome. Letterman's stint at Hy-Vee, for example, was inspired by his old job at his hometown grocery store. Prince William's oddly stiff presence at the food truck was technically supporting sustainable causes, and the Sorted Food team's playful banter thankfully offset his uptight and awkward energy.
Are these all attempting to make multimillionaires appear down to earth? Is it just a fun way to promote a brand? Or is it a little of both? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
