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If you’re a cast member on The Walking Dead, don’t expect job security. The AMC zombie drama, which ran from 2010-2022, was known for killing off its main characters. However, when an employee retires from their job, they usually get a farewell party.

So, what do you do when your castmate’s character gets devoured by zombies? You throw a funeral. We’ve previously written about the secret tradition where the cast would throw a going away party for their departed co-stars and eulogize them as if it was a funeral. Recently, Carl Grimes actor Chandler Riggs gave us more details about the ritual, and recalled what it was like to attend them.

“Death dinners is what we called them,” Riggs says during an appearance at Indiana Comic Convention. “They started off as everyone would get together. The cast would take whoever was dying out to their favorite restaurant in Atlanta that they had been going to. That was like back in season one or season two when the show hadn’t even been announced yet or wasn’t that big. But then when we came around to season three people started figuring it out.”

“We’d all go out to dinner, and they would see us all toasting and celebrating a specific person. People would be like, ‘Wait a minute. Wait a second.’ So then we started taking it private. We’re just going to get catering at someone’s house.”

Because of his age, Riggs was unable to go to the early ones. However, he was excited to be included in the death dinners once he was old enough to attend.

“I only got to go to a handful of them, because most of the time they were at bars and I was 12, so I couldn’t do that. The first big one that I remember being able to go to was for Michael [Cudlitz] and Steven [Yeun], Glenn and Abraham. It’s so sad. It’s usually not after. It’s usually a couple of days before we wrap, not actually the final moments. It’s always so sad.”

He then described what it was like to attend his own funeral, which was a surreal experience.

“For me, it felt so weird. It felt like I was actually dying. Everyone was like, ‘You did so good. It was so great to spend this time with you.’ Giving me sentimental speeches.’ And I’m like, ‘[mock crying] Thanks guys. This is so good. I’m not actually dying.’ We did have them and they were always very sad.”

The Walking Dead may not have job security, but the retirement parties are killer.

Here's how to watch all The Walking Dead TV shows in order.