Adam Sandler Returns to IHOP to Reunite With Host Who Turned Him Away

Adam Sandler holds no hard feelings over his ill-fated IHOP visit last month. After the actor appeared in a viral video showing teenage employee Dayanna Rodas turning him away when there was a lengthy wait, Sandler returned to the beloved restaurant chain to help celebrate Milkshake Monday, even taking some time to pose for a few pictures with Rodas.

Sandler returned to the restaurant in Manhasset, Long Island on Monday, with Rodas returning to the platform that started the frenzy to show off the reunion. On TikTok, the teen shared a photo montage highlighting the actor’s visit, captioning the clip, “Couldn’t have been more excited!! Thank you, Adam Sandler!” Sandler also shared a photo of a dog at the event to his social media accounts, writing, “Thank u IHOP for Milkshake Monday.”

Announcing the promotion on May 8, IHOP said it was “sparked by one very famous fan’s penchant for milkshakes, following his viral visit to a busy IHOP restaurant last week.” Sandler’s ill-fated IHOP visit went viral in late April after Rodas took to TikTok with security footage of her hilarious interaction with the A-lister, who showed up at the Long Island location where she worked with his daughter. Unfortunately for the father-daughter duo, there was a 30-minute wait and they left to pick up food somewhere else, with Rodas joking in her video, “not realizing its Adam Sandler and telling him its a 30min wait and him [of course] leaving [because] he’s not going to wait 30mins for IHOP.”

The clip quickly went viral and has since received more than 11 million views and millions of likes. While many commenting on the post said Sandler’s outfit was a dead giveaway of his identity, Rodas said she didn’t recognize him “because he had a big beard. I’ve never seen Adam Sandler with a beard, and the mask didn’t help.” The clip became so popular that it even reached Sandler, who humorously responded to it on Twitter by writing, “For the record, I only left the IHOP because the nice woman told me the all-you-can-eat deal didn’t apply to the milkshakes.”

As part of Milkshake Monday, which saw those at the chain’s Long Island locations able to score all-you-can-drink milkshakes, IHOP also donated a portion of proceeds to the nonprofit organization Comedy Gives Back, which helps struggling comedians who have lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic. At this time, it is unclear how much the promotion raised.