One of the things I like about Lana Del Rey is that she’s unpredictable and random. About twelve people sent me this story over the weekend and I thought, it makes perfect sense. Why wouldn’t Lana decide to work a shift at a Waffle House in Alabama? As an artist, Americana is one of her main themes, along with men who are Mad, Bad, and Dangerous To Know. And it doesn’t get more “Americana” than “Waffle House in Alabama.” I try to explain the Waffle House Disaster Index to my European friends, and they find it completely bizarre, but that chain is an institution as far as I’m concerned. In a way I think Lana probably views these little forays into small-town America as research for her songwriting.
Lana Del Rey is serving up waffles.
The “Summertime Sadness” singer has apparently been moonlighting as a waitress at a Waffle House in Florence, Alabama, according to social media posts from a few of her customers shared on a fan account. Pictures posted Thursday show Del Rey in uniform, warmly serving patrons and working behind the counter.
In one video, she can be heard saying, “Oh look at this guy. Oh God, Charlie don’t film him without his permission.”
“Just Lana Del Rey working as a waitress at a restaurant,” the caption reads.
She even has her own Waffle House name badge.
Another person posed with the singer inside the Waffle House, writing, “To say I am ecstatic is an understatement!!!.”
It’s not known why Del Rey is currently in Alabama, but she has reportedly been spotted in recent days at an area nail salon and a Starbucks.
The “Charlie” Lana is talking to is possibly her brother Charlie, just a guess. Lana references the town of Florence, Alabama in the song “Paris, Texas” off her latest album: “Then I went to see some friends of mine/Down in Florence, Alabama.” It seems like she probably does have connections there. There are references to the Deep South in her unreleased music that date back to 2009, so I think she’s spent more time there than people might expect. Why is she there in between tour stops on the international festival circuit? Who knows! I don’t think it was a stunt or anything, because Lana didn’t post about it on her newly re-instated Instagram.
I like that Lana tries to keep her finger on the pulse of what’s going on in regular, small-town America. Lana pops up in un-glamorous places you wouldn’t expect to find A-list celebrities all the time, like Reno, Nevada or the Long Beach Chili Cook Off. A lot of other celebs would think working a shift at Waffle House was totally beneath them, but Lana probably thinks it’s fun. It likely reminds her of the summers she spent as a teen on Long Island being a waitress. Her mom apparently told execs at Interscope that she was an awful waitress, but reading between the lines of Lana’s last two albums, I think she and her mom never really got along and her mom was just being overly critical. She references her summers working as a waitress in the song “White Dress” and recalls it as one of her happiest times. Honest to God I think my Halloween costume this year is going to be “Lana Del Rey at Waffle House” because it’s so off-beat and random.
Photos via social media including Pigeons and Planes on Facebook
Florence is a sister city of Muscle Shoals. Maybe she was in the area to record at one of the famous studios. It’s actually quite beautiful there. Lots of hipsters have migrated to that area. Just a theory.
Interesting. Guess I’ll listen to Lana today.
That was my guess, too, after googling. Florence is on the other side of the river from Muscle Shoals. And they have a Frank Lloyd Wright house!
That picture in the booth is the Waffle House-iest photo I have ever seen in all of my days, lmao. My office window at my last job overlooked the Waffle House parking lot next door, and there were always shenanigans going on out there. That’s my only context. Despite living in a Waffle House populated part of the country, I’ve never eaten there.
I love FLW’s architecture and vision, but I’m about halfway through a fictionalized history of his affair with Martha Borthwick (Mameh) and I REALLY don’t like him as a person. And that is my tangent for this thread. 😂
The famous recording studio in Muscle Shoals was contacted and said that she was not recording there. Or at least one of them was contacted I don’t know how many there are. And maybe they would say that even if she were to give her privacy. But considering that she’s been seen all over town I think it would be hard for a local studio to keep it a secret. I love that she’s an enigma and also down to earth.
Thanks for the info ladies! I’ve spent a lot of time in that area and eaten at many a Waffle House. The music scene is magical!
So I grew up not far from Florence, and people may not realize it’s actually a pretty artsy town! There’s a small university, and a lot of local artists. There are also a couple of pretty famous recording studios (FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio) nearby, so I wonder if she’s working on music.
But between Matthew McConaughey filming in the state and Lana working at a Waffle House, this is the most excitement Alabama has had in a while!
I was just about to say that. I’m very crafty and Natalie Chanin’s Alabama Chanin line of hand stitched clothes made from organic cotton jersey has its factory there. I’ve made little pieces with her techniques, but never a garment, and I would love to go to Florence and do one of her workshops.
My guess in the waitressing is that Lana went there to eat, saw the Help Wanted sign, and asked for a job as a kick.
I suspected she’d gotten a regular job during the pandemic when she won the award “Artist of the Decade” (Variety).
During her speech, talking about following her muse, she said “Sometimes that has taken me super far away from music into other mediums and other job opportunities that have nothing to do with the arts at all. I’m very flexible and what I’ve come to understand is that if you follow what you’re interested in, you’ll end up being the most creative in that field. Even if you get a 9-5 after you got the decade award, you need to do what feels right.”
This is my town, and it’s been all the buzz. I live right down the road from Starbucks, and she hung there a time or two (we get the same drink there, aren’t I cool).
She seems nice.
Florence is home to WC Handy, has a large theatre community, and a lot of history. FAME recording studios was founded the next town over, UNA is a surprisingly good college, especially for arts and teaching.
It’s a funky little place in the right circles.