A former Mar-a-Lago waitress has revealed what it was really like to work at Donald Trump’s club – from the “unpleasant moments” and “entitled” customers to the “unspoken rule” that the former president’s family will never tip. servers.
Ashleigh Sasson, of Palm Beach, Florida, was an employee at Trump’s luxurious members-only club from January 2016 to May 2018.
Now, the former waitress has opened up about some of the wild things she endured during her tenure in an essay for news week – like serving famous guests and receiving $800 tips from wealthy clients.
She also talked about how the Trumps acted behind the scenes and discussed some of the negative aspects of her job, including when a client tried to “physically put her in a hot tub” with him.
A former Mar-a-Lago waitress has revealed what it was really like to work at Donald Trump’s club. In the photo: Mar-a-Lago
Ashleigh Sasson, of Palm Beach, Florida, was an employee at Trump’s luxurious members-only club from January 2016 to May 2018.
Now, the former Mar-a-Lago employee has opened up about some of the wild things she endured during her years there. Donald and Melania Trump are seen at Mar-a-Lago in 2022
Ashleigh explained that she got the job after a Mar-a-Lago chef came to eat at a “small steak and burger restaurant” she worked at and “noticed she was working really hard cleaning one of the tables.” .
Impressed, she said he gave her his card and encouraged her to apply for a job at Mar-a-Lago.
Ashleigh then went to an interview and was hired as a waitress. During her two years there, she also acted as a waitress during “very important events” and helped with valet and reservations.
While he admitted that his days were overwhelming at times (during peak season, he served “over 300 people”), he described the work as extremely “lucrative.”
“We made a lot of money,” he shared. ‘In peak season, each server could easily go home with around $150 in cash, and a select few would earn much more from certain members known to be particularly generous.
‘Those members gave out hundreds of dollars to take care of themselves and their families during the day.
“The largest tip I received was $800, and the largest tip I saw was $1,200 to another server on Easter Sunday.”
But there was one family that never tipped: the Trumps. Despite his immense fame and wealth, Ashleigh said there was an “unspoken rule” that when someone in the family ate there, he didn’t receive a check for his meal.
He spoke of the “unpleasant moments” he had with “entitled” customers and the “unspoken rule” that Trump family members do not tip waiters. You see Mar-a-Lago
Ashleigh explained that she got the job after a Mar-a-Lago chef came to eat at a “small steak and burger restaurant” she was working at (seen) and “noticed that she was working really hard.”
While he admitted that his days were overwhelming at times (during peak season, he served “over 300 people”), he described the work as extremely “lucrative.”
She shared: ‘Members gave out hundreds for taking care of themselves and their families during the day. “The biggest tip I ever received was $800.” You can see the Mar-a-Lago estate
He said that meant that none of the Trump family members tipped him, except Donald, but instead showed “their gratitude in the form of verbal appreciation and respect.”
“It was an unspoken rule that the family didn’t see their checks unless Don Jr. asked because he wanted to see exactly how many push-pops Chloe had that day,” Ashleigh explained.
But there was one family that never tipped: the Trumps. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are seen at Mar-a-Lago with their children
“Although the Trump family never saw a check, they were very gracious with their gratitude in the form of verbal appreciation and respect.”
Ashleigh said she served “many meals to the entire Trump family and their friends” and described the former president as “very professional” and “always smiling, kind and generous.”
‘I didn’t deal with him much because I started in January 2016, and after he was elected in November it was completely different. In reality, he was no longer allowed to come to the Beach Club as president,” he added.
‘I spent a lot of time with Eric, Lara, Donald Jr., Ivanka and their families. They were just lovely people.’
According to Ashleigh, the Trump family was like any other family that visited the club.
“Most of the time I saw Barron kicking his soccer ball around the property with his grandmother, Amalija Knavs, may she rest her soul, following close behind,” he recalled.
‘Don Jr.’s sons, Eric and Don, frequented The Beach Club for a casual dining experience, enjoying burgers, grilled fish sandwiches and fries.
He said that meant that none of the Trump family members tipped him, except Donald (seen at Mar-a-Lago), but that they showed “their gratitude in the form of verbal thanks.”
Donald resides in a huge mansion on the estate and it is often also the location of his extravagant parties. His New Year’s Eve party is seen at Mar-a-Lago
‘The kids especially loved the self-serve soft serve ice cream and the ice box filled with assorted ice creams – Chloe [Don Jr.’s daughter] being a fan of push-pop and Shirley-Temples with extra cherries.
He added that Ivanka, Jared and their children, however, ate “healthy and kosher.”
He also recalled a time when Don Jr. jumped into the water to help a paraglider that had crashed.
‘[The paraglider] He lost his board and washed up. We all watched as Don Jr. swam to grab the boy’s board and return it to him. He didn’t have to do that,” he shared.
Other celebrities he met during his stay at Mar-a-Lago included Sylvester Stallone, Pitbull, Rod Stewart, Wynonna Judd and “many local senators and politicians.”
Mar-a-Lago has a spa, numerous restaurants and bars, a golf course, and access to a private beach for its guests.
Donald resides in a huge mansion on the estate and it is often also the location of his extravagant parties.
Ashleigh said there was “never a dull moment” at the club, between the star-studded attendees and the lavish events they had to host.
Everything in the kitchen was “the best of the best,” but that meant there was an “expectation” to “keep everything nice and clean.”
Ashleigh revealed that everything in the kitchen was “the best of the best”, but that meant there was an “expectation” to “keep everything nice and clean”.
He added that there was “never a dull moment” at the club, between the star-studded attendees and the lavish events they had to host.
But she had to endure “unpleasant moments” from “entitled” clients, including one who tried to “physically put her in a hot tub” with him. You can see the Mar-a-Lago pool.
“The best pots and pans, the best cutlery, plates and wine glasses, the best espresso machine… everything was top notch,” he gushed.
‘[But] We were expected to keep everything very nice and clean. We polish every night to maintain the elegance portrayed in the images of Mar-a-Lago.’
“But overall, I feel like I learned customer service from start to finish at Mar-a-Lago,” he concluded.
While Ashleigh said there were many advantages to her job, she admitted there were also some disadvantages.
“Like any customer service job, you have some horrible experiences,” he revealed.
“There were many unpleasant moments there, which made me a stronger person. Law was the most frequent problem.’
She said a customer once tried to “physically put her in a cabin bathtub” with him, and she had to tell him, “Please don’t touch me.”
“But overall, I feel like I learned customer service from start to finish at Mar-a-Lago,” he concluded.
‘I was able to establish professional but close relationships with the social elite. It gave me a lot of confidence and professionalism.
‘But above all: Joy. I have very good memories of my stay at Mar-a-Lago. “Everyone was so excited and happy to be there, and we were all so amazed by the place.”