Billy Crystal Reveals the Surprising “When Harry Met Sally” Line That Fans Quote Back to Him (Exclusive)

Billy Crystal says there’s a moment from When Harry Met Sally that fans have been quoting back to him lately — and no, it’s not the obvious one.

The movie's memorable Katz’s Deli scene arguably features its most famous line: “I’ll have what she’s having.” In fact, Crystal and costar Meg Ryan even recreated the iconic rom-com moment for their new Hellmann’s Super Bowl ad.

But the actor says he also gets “baby fish mouth,” the nonsensical phrase delivered by Bruno Kirby, as Harry’s friend Jess, during a game of Pictionary in the 1989 film.

“There's a T-shirt,” Crystal, 76, tells PEOPLE. “It's sweeping the nation. Yeah, I hear them talking.”

He says he’s “never surprised” to hear “I’ll have what she’s having,” other than by who may say it.

“I went through this when I was on Saturday Night Live and people were saying, ‘You look marvelous’ a lot, which was a big thing then,” he recalls, referring to his impressions of Fernando Lamas on the late-night sketch show.

Related: Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal Recreate the Iconic Fake Orgasm Scene from When Harry Met Sally for Hellmann's 2025 Super Bowl Ad (Exclusive)

He adds that his reaction to hearing these catchphrases usually depends on “whether it's the right time or not.”

“If I'm having a tough time or some moment and I don't want to be disturbed,” he says. “If it's in a restaurant, I'm in a discussion or someone will tap you on the shoulder and go, ‘I'll have what you're having.’ It's like, not now, not now. I appreciate it, but please not now.”

Ryan says she enjoys hearing the much-quoted line, originally delivered by director Rob Reiner’s mother, Estelle.

“When people want to have what I'm having and the wink I get from strangers, it's just so sweet,” says the actress, 63. “It's just so sweet that there's this affection for that scene.”

Related: Meg Ryan ‘Finally’ Reunites with When Harry Met Sally Costar Billy Crystal — and Teases Something ‘Iconic’ Coming

In the original scene, Harry says he doesn’t believe any of the women he’s slept with have ever faked an orgasm, and Sally proceeds to offer a convincing demonstration right in the middle of the restaurant. “I’ll have what she’s having,” deadpans a fellow diner.

In their new Hellmann's ad, the pair reunites the movie’s title characters at the New York City deli, where Harry tells Sally, “I can’t believe they let us back in this place.”

“Why?” Sally asks, to which he responds, “Hello …” “Nobody remembers that,” Sally insists.

The duo bite into their sandwiches, but Sally admits hers “isn’t doing it.”

She squeezes Hellmann’s mayonnaise onto her rye bread, and voices her approval by re-enacting her famous performance. “This one’s real,” Billy remarks. Actress Sydney Sweeney makes a cameo to declare, “I’ll have what she’s having.”

Ryan says she felt the love for the scene while filming the commercial at Katz’s in December.

“There were so many people in there and they're all in on the joke,” she says. “And we all wanted to be in on the joke, the extras. And you could just feel the affection that this has grown with people and just really felt nice.”

Read the original article on People