Is That Really Ariana Grande In This Throwback Chili's Video?
Ariana Grande is once again the topic of buzz, and this time, it's for an unexpected, years-old collaboration with Chili's. An old video has resurfaced on social media showing what appears to be a remarkably different-looking Grande waiting on tables and singing to guests at one of the chain's locations.
🚨 ARIANA GRANDE WORKS AS A CHILI'S WAITRESS — AND PEOPLE ARE LOSING IT OVER HOW DIFFERENT SHE LOOKS
An old video is resurfacing... and people can't believe what they're seeing.
Ariana Grande working tables at a Chili's in Encino for a fundraiser singing "Happy Birthday" to... pic.twitter.com/bdwtlADDW0
— HustleBitch (@HustleBitch_) April 28, 2026
If she looks unrecognizable in the video, that's because it's from way back in 2010, when she was just 17 years old. She's sporting the same red hair she had as Cat Valentine, her breakout role in Nickelodeon's "Victorious," and her face didn't yet have the definition people typically develop in their 20s. Her voice as she sings "Happy Birthday," however, is unmistakable, so watching with the sound on should be enough to dispel any doubts that this is, in fact, the actress and pop star.
While many replies under the post inappropriately comment on her appearance, other social media takes have been much more positive. One TikTok user, for example, shared the video and wrote in the caption, "oh she was serving in multiple ways!" A comment on another TikTok video said, "everything Ari does is a cultural reset." For Arianators who might be confused at the thought of her being around Chili's iconic baby back ribs, don't worry — this happened three years before Grande became a vegan.
What Ariana Grande was actually doing at Chili's
Contrary to what a number of posts are saying about the video, Ariana Grande didn't actually work at Chili's. Instead, she spent a day at one of the chain's Encino locations in 2010 to help drive up donations for Chili's Create-A-Pepper charity event (via Just Jared Jr.). In a video on the Popstar! YouTube channel, Grande can be seen inviting people to the restaurant and discussing her experience waiting on customers.
As of this writing, Chili's has been running the still-active Create-A-Pepper charity for more than 20 years. Customers are invited to color in sheets with illustrations of chili peppers and donate to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a partner of the restaurant since the charity program's beginnings. These donations led to the establishment of the Chili's Care Center in 2007, and over the years, the restaurant and its customers have raised over $120 million for the benefit of the hospital. The event is held every September during Children's Cancer Awareness Month.
Grande may not know what working at Chili's is really like, but it's nice to know she was serving up the restaurant's ribs, burgers, and wings for a good cause. If you'd prefer not to wait until September to help out families that rely on St. Jude, you can give directly to the hospital via its donation page.