Hotel Staff Reveals New Info About Donald Trump's Strange Dining Quirks
Staff at the Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C. revealed what it was like to serve the right-wing elite during the Trump administration. The Washingtonian tell-all story shows how far employees had to go to please former President Trump, Melania Trump, Rudy Giuliani, and many others during the Trump administration years. Dubbed "America's Living Room," the outlet notes that this hotel was "where right-wing operatives were treated like celebrities and political power determined the seating chart."
The Washingtonian went on to outline the seemingly absurd instructions the hotel staff had to follow to serve then-POTUS Trump his favorite drink, Diet Coke: "Cue dialogue: 'Good (time of day) Mr. President. Would you like your Diet Coke with or without ice?' the server was instructed to recite. A polished tray with chilled bottles and highball glasses was already prepared for either response. Directions for pouring the soda were detailed in a process no fewer than seven steps long — and illustrated with four photo exhibits." Noting that the drink "had to be opened in front of the germophobe" Trump, the publication added, "The server was to hold a longneck-bottle opener by the lower third of the handle in one hand and the Diet Coke, also by the lower third, in the other. Once poured, the drink had to be placed at the President's right-hand side. 'Repeat until POTUS departs.'"
Keep reading to learn more about the quirky dining habits of former President Donald Trump and his Republican VIP friends.
A Trump hotel staff member said she dressed 'like a Fox News anchor'
Not only did the Trump International Hotel's staff in Washington D.C. reportedly have to follow a seven-step procedure for serving former President Donald Trump a Diet Coke (with illustrations and photos, to boot), the Washingtonian's story also outlined the hotel's appearance and grooming policies. The outlet reported: "Pants are technically permitted, but some female staff say there was an unspoken rule for attire: only dresses or skirts ... As a former female manager puts it: 'I always tried to dress like a Fox News anchor.'"
But back to Trump's odd dining habits: The Donald apparently always ate the same meal, which included a well-done steak. According to the hotel restaurant staff manual, "The server [had] to open mini glass bottles of Heinz ketchup in front of Trump, taking care to ensure he could hear the seal make the 'pop' sound." The hotel's executive chef, Bill Williamson, even told the Washingtonian about the "Steakgate" crisis, in which the former POTUS was supposedly upset because his dinner companion got a bigger steak than he did. "It was the same steak. Both well done," Williamson said. "Maybe it was a half ounce bigger or something, I don't know."
The building that holds the hotel happens to be one of the city's iconic landmarks, the Old Post Office. While the historic location near the White House was a meeting hub during the Trump years, it seems like many of these Trump International Hotel staffers are glad those times are behind them.