What do Rachel McAdams and Jeff Bezos have in common? The answer may not be what you expect – McDonald’s. In fact, a surprising number of Hollywood’s most glamorous celebrities saw their humble beginnings in the fast-food franchise.
Read on to find out which of your favorite superstars worked the fryers before they walked the red carpet.
Rachel McAdams
Tinseltown/Shutterstock: Rachel McAdams worked at the local McDonald’s for three years
In ‘Mean Girls,’she played the iconic mean student Regina George, who was a rich city girl, but McAdams herself had, in her own words, a relatively ‘small-town life.’ She worked at a local McDonald’s for three years and describes herself as being a ‘daydreamer and dawdler.’ McAdams was hence tasked with greeting customers at the entrance with a smile and polite voice – not something we can see Regina doing!
Jeff Bezos
lev radin/Shutterstock: Jeff Bezos worked at a Miami McDonald’s as a high schooler
Today, Jeff Bezos is on the cusp of becoming a trillionaire. At the age of 16, however, he was a cook at McDonald’s. Ever the innovator, Bezos taught himself to save time by cracking eggs with a single hand. Bezos recalls his short-lived career quite fondly and says he remembers cracking up to 300 eggs on his Saturday morning shifts.
Shania Twain
Before she was performing in sold-out stadiums, Shania Twain once worked at a Canadian branch of McDonald’s. She did not limit herself to her day job, though, and would head to bars after her closing shifts to practice singing.
Jay Leno
Jay Leno comes across as someone you would love to have as a friend,which is true even in his seventies! When Leno worked at McDonald’s back in the day, he would cut his friends a sweet deal, charging just one dollar for 15 hamburgers and 10 portions of fries.
So the next time you head to your local McDonald’s, pay extra attention to the workers who serve you. For all you know, he or she could become the next Hollywood sensation!
Pink
Jack Fordyce/Shutterstock: Not so fond memories of working at McDonald’s for Pink
“So what? I’m still a rockstar,” coos Pink in one of her most popular songs. Before her pop star life, Pink worked a variety of jobs at places like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Pizza Hut. Pink holds no fond memories of her time in the fast-food industry, stating that she had strived hard for her meteoric rise as a singer.
Pharell Williams
Many things make Pharell Williams ‘Happy,’ but recounting his time as a McDonald’s employee is not one of them! Williams recalls being ‘very lazy’ and says that his preferred task was wolfing down McNuggets. However, he did go back to working for his ex-employer – only this time, as the producer for the iconic ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ jingle.
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda found this fame penning and performing one of the most widely acclaimed musicals in the world—‘Hamilton.’ But prior to producing Broadway shows, Miranda worked as a cashier in McDonald’s. Perhaps this was the source of inspiration for his ‘ten dollar’ line in the song Alexander Hamilton!
