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Lynn Farah

They may have millions in the bank – and have almost certainly had their fair share of freebies thanks to their fame – but some stars aren’t as generous as you might expect.
Still, in the era of social media, it’s more likely than ever that bad tippers will be exposed by disgruntled servers, and celebs who are rude to waitstaff are being called out too.
These stars are all alleged to be the worst offenders …
1. Tiger Woods

One of the wealthiest and most successful sporting legends of all time, Tiger Woods has built quite the reputation for stinginess following multiple reports over the years.
In 2011, the Miami New Times put together its list of the Top Ten Cheapest Celebrity Tippers – with Tiger Woods sitting pretty in the top spot. The newspaper reported an incident in which Woods – while playing a US$10,000 hand of blackjack, no less – “pulled a mulligan on a US$5 tip, re-pocketing the money meant for a waitress after realising he had tipped her earlier in the evening”.
Per the same outlet, another woman reported that she’d had to pay all the tips whenever they would go out together. Mindy Lawton, a restaurant hostess who had a 14-month affair with Woods, also told Vanity Fair in 2010 that her co-workers had complained the golfing legend was a bad tipper too.
What happened to Tiger Woods’ Swedish model ex-wife, Elin Nordegren?
2. James Corden

Following the drama that unfolded on social media in October 2022, it’s no surprise that James Corden has a bad rep in the restaurant industry. To recap: the late night host was “86ed” (banned) from the New York institution Balthazar, with the owner taking to social media to inform the public of the same.
Restaurateur Keith McNally called Corden “a tiny Cretin of a man” and “the most abusive customer to my Balthazar servers since the restaurant opened 25 years ago” on his Instagram account. Corden allegedly “began yelling like crazy to the server: ‘You can’t do your job!’” – after his wife’s omelette order came out incorrectly. Corden apologised publicly for his “unnecessary” behaviour, as reported in US Weekly, and McNally wrote in a follow-up post on Instagram, “All is forgiven.”
3. Jeremy Piven

When it comes to embarrassing dining exposés, actor and comedian Jeremy Piven’s night at celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s restaurant Matsuhisa ranks right up there.
In 2007, Piven was attending the US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado, when he decided to swing by the restaurant with a group of at least a dozen friends and no reservation, according to the New York Daily News. “It was a very busy night, but a table, although cramped, was provided,” a source from the restaurant told the newspaper. “On his way out, [Piven] made a nasty comment to the manager, saying, ‘Thanks for nothing,’” the source added. He was banned from ever returning to Matsuhisa, and later also banned from visiting Nobu’s LA and New York eateries.
4. Meghan Markle

Love her or hate her, apparently waiters lean towards the latter when serving the Duchess of Sussex. Two years ago, former New York maitre d’ Michael Cecchi-Azzolina dished the dirt on Markle’s visit to Michelin-starred restaurant Le Coucou in 2017 to US media. He said that the Suits actress’ handler showed up demanding a private table, saying, “It’s for someone who is dating a prince.”
The restaurant’s staff weren’t able to provide adjacent tables in a private room, so suggested a corner table instead. “They came in with an attitude,” Cecchi-Azzolina said, adding that an “aloof” Markle didn’t speak a word to the staff either.
Meet Beyoncé’s mum Tina Knowles, who hangs with Meghan Markle’s mother
5. Anna Wintour

We all know the devil wears Prada, but did you know she likes her steak really rare? Troublemaking maitre d’ Michael Cecchi-Azzolina wrote in his 2022 memoir Your Table is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maître D’, that Anna Wintour was “absolutely horrid” to the staff at Le Coucou, per Business Insider.
Cecchi-Azzolina claimed she would “march in” without a reservation and demand a table, then order a steak very rare and ask to be served immediately. “God forbid it was the least bit overcooked,” he wrote. “She’d look at the server as though he’d just served her rat and have it sent back and redone.” He also recalled: “One time, she came in and we were closing the back room, and she insisted on sitting in the back room.” The result of this was having to station a waiter in the back room especially for the Vogue editor-in-chief.


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Fame and celebrity

5 celebrities with a reputation for being rude to waitstaff: from Meghan Markle’s need for privacy when first dating Prince Harry, to James Corden, Anna Wintour and poor tipper Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods, Meghan Markle and James Corden have all been called out for treating restaurant staff badly. Photos: T-Squared Social; @meghan_markle_page/Instagram; AP

Tiger Woods has an estimated net worth of US$1.3 billion, according to Forbes. Photo: T-Squared Social

James Corden’s beef with restaurateur Keith McNally at Balthazar seemed to go on for months. Photo: @j_corden/Instagram

Jeremy Piven’s sotto voce comment didn’t go down too well with the staff at Matsuhisa. Photo: @jeremypiven/Instagram

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, wanted privacy when she first started dating Prince Harry. Photo: AP Photo

Anna Wintour likes her steak rare, and served as quickly as possible, apparently. Photo: AFP

Who is Jennifer Pan from Netflix’s What Jennifer Did – and where is she now? The ex-child pianist was convicted of hiring hitmen to brutally murder her parents in 2010 – and is getting a retrial

Jennifer Pan, who was convicted of hiring hitmen to shoot her parents in 2010, is the subject of a new Netflix documentary. Photo: Court exhibit

A new Netflix documentary about Jennifer Pan was released on April 10. Photo: @allegedlyashow/Instagram 

Jennifer Pan as a child; she was later convicted of murder and attempted murder of her parents. Photo: Netflix

Unable to cope with her parents’ demands, Jennifer Pan hired hitmen to kill them. Photo: @torontolife/Instagram

Jennifer Pan told her parents a series of lies about her life before she was found out. Photo: Netflix

Jennifer Pan’s parents were immigrants from Vietnam. Photo: @realhistoryuncovered/Instagram

Jennifer Pan’s boyfriend Danny Wong, who is also involved in the killings, is at a correctional facility in Canada. Photo: @officialyrp/YouTube

Jennifer Pan, who lived in Markham, Canada, lied to her parents and hired hitmen to kill them. Photo: Shutterstock 

Who is Jason Lee, the podcaster running for city council in California? He founded Rihanna-approved site Hollywood Unlocked and interviewed Cardi B – but why did he distance himself from Kanye West?

Podcast host Jason Lee’s entertainment site, Hollywood Unlocked, got Rihanna’s seal of approval. Photo: @theonlyjasonlee/Instagram

Jason Lee in a post shared with his followers in February 2024. Photo: @theonlyjasonlee/Instagram

Jason Lee and Rihanna in December 2023. Photo: @theonlyjasonlee/Instagram

Jason Lee in a post shared in February 2024. Photo: @theonlyjasonlee/Instagram

Jason Lee in a March 2024 post thanking supporters of his political campaign. Photo: @theonlyjasonlee/Instagram

Who is Donald Trump’s glamorous lawyer, Alina Habba? She once worked at Marc Jacobs, hangs with Eric Trump and Kimberly Guilfoyle, and met the former Potus at his Bedminster golf club

Alina Habba is Donald Trump’s trial lawyer. Photos: @alina_habba/Instagram

Alina Habba at the upscale Eden Rock resort in St Barts. Photo: @siggy.flicker/Instagram 

“Our country is in shambles. Are you awake yet?” Alina Habba captioned this photo of herself with Donald Trump. Photo: @alina_habba/Instagram 

Alina Habba is managing partner of Habba Madaio & Associates LLP. Photo: @alina_habba/Instagram 

Alina Habba’s family are Christians from Iraq. Photo: @alina_habba/Instagram 

Alina Habba and Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr’s partner. Photo: @alina_habba/Instagram 

Alina Habba has acted as Donald Trump’s trial lawyer on several occasions recently. Photo: @alina_habba/Instagram 

Who is Byron Allen, who just made a US$14 billion bid for Paramount? The former comedian pitched jokes to David Letterman as a teen, and has interviewed stars like J.Lo and Gary Oldman

Who is Byron Allen, the comedian who later became a media boss and is now making a billion-dollar bid for Paramount? Photo: @allenmgroup/Instagram

Byron Allen was pitching jokes to David Letterman by the time he was a teen, and he was scouted by Jimmie “J.J.” Walker of Good Times. Photo: @realbyronallen/Instagram

Byron Allen Presents The Comedy & Music Superfest in 2023. Photo: @allenmgroup/Instagram

Byron Allen photographed with Jeffrey Katzenberg, Jay Leno and others. Photo: @allenmgroup/Instagram

Byron Allen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Photo: @allenmgroup/Instagram

Byron Allen co-hosted The Comedy & Music Superfest with John Legend. Photo: @allenmgroup/Instagram

Byron Allen appearing on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace. Photo: @allenmgroup/Instagram

Who is Justin Bieber’s supportive mum Pattie Mallette, and does she get on with Hailey Bieber? She helped launch her son’s music career on YouTube, wrote a memoir, and said she ‘loves’ Selena Gomez

Justin Bieber and his mum Pattie Mallette have had their ups and downs over the years, but seem to be back on track. Photo: @pattiemallette/Instagram 

Hailey Bieber and Pattie Mallette hanging out together at a hockey game in February. Photo: @pattiemallette/Instagram 

Justin Bieber singing a Chris Brown cover on YouTube, posted by his mother. Photo: Captured from YouTube

“You truly shine brighter than any star ever could,” Pattie Mallette wrote in this Instagram birthday tribute to her pop star son in 2022. Photo: @pattiemallette/Instagram 

Pattie Mallette seems to get on well with her son Justin Bieber’s partners. Photo: @pattiemallette/Instagram 

Pattie Mallette is 49-years-old. Photo: @pattiemallette/Instagram

Justin Bieber with his mum Pattie Mallette at the 40th Anniversary American Music Awards in 2012, in Los Angeles. Photo: Invision/AP

Pattie Mallette was just 18 years old when she gave birth to Justin Bieber. Photo: @pattiemallette/Instagram

Pattie Mallette inadvertently created a music career for her son when she posted videos of him singing onto YouTube. Photo: @pattiemallette/Instagram 

Justin Bieber and his mother Pattie Mallette were estranged for around two years but appear to have patched things up. Photo: Invision/AP

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Markle and Wintour were both named and shamed by maitre d’ Michael Cecchi-Azzolina for diva behaviour at Le Coucou, while Corden was called ‘a tiny Cretin of a man’ by Balthazar’s Keith McNally
Tiger Woods would reportedly make his date do all the tipping, and was seen re-pocketing US$5 left for a waitress after realising he’d already tipped her – while playing a US$10,000 hand of blackjack


Meghan Markle and Anna Wintour were allegedly rude to staff at the same Michelin-starred restaurant, while James Corden ‘yelled like crazy’ at Balthazar’s servers …
