Why Madonna Was Fired From Dunkin' After Only One Week In 1978

Tasting Table is second to none in our respect for those employed by coffee and donut mega-chain Dunkin', where staff can often face huge orders, exhaustingly long shifts, and even belligerent customers. It is a job that demands professionalism and an extreme work ethic — and no one knows this better than Madonna. Prior to her global stardom, the pop icon managed to get herself fired from Dunkin' in 1978 after only one week.

Madonna began working at Dunkin' Donuts (as it was known before its 2019 name change) shortly after her arrival in New York City, at a time when the franchise had become one of the biggest fast food chains of the 1970s. During this period, Madonna recalled in a 2015 interview with Howard Stern that she took "a lot of s**t jobs," including her spell at the donut chain. When Stern asked if she was fired for spraying jelly over everyone, she admitted: "I was playing with the jelly squirter machine."

This led to her dismissal after roughly a week of employment at the brand. When Stern reflected that she could have been a manager if she'd done things differently, Madonna went one step further. "I could be the CEO of Dunkin' Donuts," she joked. "Dang it!" While it is intriguing to imagine an alternate world where Dunkin' has Madonna at the helm (imagine the staff uniforms), sadly, it was not to be.

Madonna would have similarly poor luck working at New York's famous Russian Tea Room — today, still one of the 21 best spots for afternoon tea across the U.S. — where the aspiring artist served as a hat check girl. Despite asserting that she was "very good" at this job, the singer revealed that she was fired for wearing fishnet stockings, ignoring previous (and explicit) instructions not to. As one would imagine, a celebrity of Madonna's stature is more comfortable being served food than working in the food service industry.

In fact, Madonna's brief time at Dunkin' may be the closest she ever came to regularly preparing food. In an 2012 interview with ABC's Nightline, the singer admitted: "I don't think I've ever cooked a meal entirely by myself." She added that she has a cook, and that her children, housekeeper, nannies, and drivers all cook as well. Pressed on whether she makes anything herself, Madonna replied, "No, but I do everything else! Do I have to do everything?" No wonder she takes her private chef on the road.

In case Madonna ever has a change of heart, here are 18 easy recipes for one-pot meals. These are each suitable for even a novice — after all, it's never too late to learn.