Snoop Dogg Pays for Meal with Olympics Tickets & Security Incident at Winter Games
MILAN – After a credit card issue at a Milan restaurant, Snoop Dogg compensated the owners with a gesture befitting his celebrity status: five tickets to the men’s snowboard halfpipe final at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The incident occurred at Cronoz, a gastropub in Livigno, according to Sofia Valmadre, daughter of the restaurant’s owners. Valmadre explained that Snoop Dogg placed a substantial takeout order consisting of a cheeseburger, chicken wings, chicken nuggets, and French fries. When his credit card was declined, Valmadre’s mother offered to let him have the food without payment.
“He sent his staff to grab [the card] and pay, but they couldn’t pay. I don’t know why, it wasn’t going,” Valmadre said. “So my mother told him that it was OK [to take the food] without paying.” Shortly thereafter, Snoop Dogg returned to the restaurant with the tickets as a form of repayment.
The gesture was publicized on social media by NBC Los Angeles on February 15, 2026, showcasing the rapper’s response to the minor financial hiccup.
Snoop Dogg is serving as a special correspondent for NBC during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and also holds the honorary position of Team USA’s coach and cheerleader. He has been a visible presence throughout the Games, attending events and interacting with athletes. According to NBC, Snoop is lending “his signature humor and heart to help motivate Team USA athletes.”
However, Snoop Dogg’s time in Milan has not been without incident. Last week, a reported encounter between his security team and Dutch speed skating champion Marianne Timmer occurred at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium following the men’s 1000-meter race.
Timmer, in an interview with Sportnieuws, stated that she was waiting in a hallway to speak with athletes when a member of Snoop Dogg’s security detail physically intervened. She described being pushed against a wall while attempting to navigate the hallway.
“I was standing against a wall, and one of the security guards pushed me even closer,” Timmer said. “I said, ‘Just act normal’, it’s a really wide hall, about four metres. But then the guy came back and I said, ‘What? Do I have to proceed through that wall or something?’” Timmer emphasized that the hallway was spacious and she did not understand the need for physical contact.
As of February 23, 2026, neither Snoop Dogg’s representatives nor the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee have publicly commented on the incident involving Timmer.