# How do you deal with a celebrity?



## Glenn

I stopped in at a motorway services to grab a milkshake from a coffee vendor and got unusual service, as the cashier seemed more interested in what was going on behind me. She must have noticed that I found it a bit weird and apologised profusely, asking if I watched Coronation St (do I look like a Coro fan?) and proceeded to give me the onscreen life history of the person she was swooning over (some b-lister who had ordered a muffin from her several minutes earlier and whose name I had never heard of)

I have had a number of celebrities in my bars and cafes over the years, from Keanu Reeves performing an impromptu song with his band back in 1995, to TV and Movie actors and always treat them the same as any other customer.

Does being in front of a camera make you a better person?


----------



## awlred

If a celebrity that I rate walked in, depending who it is, I may ask for a cheeky autograph or photo if theres nobody else about as I'm sure they want a coffee not a scene. But after the transaction was finished I would leave it at that. They wouldn't earn my undivided attention until they left the bar.

I workin a Motorway service, and minor celebrities are not uncommon. In 3 years I've seen/served Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters Guitarist), Ronnie O'Sullivan, Jade Goody, James May, Mark Hoppus, Various Cast from HollyOaks, Big Brother contestants, and Julian Barratt to name a handful, however people I've been working with have dissappeared to sicofantalise some of them and take millions of photos get autographs etc causing huge crowds which for me isn't right.

If you're at work you should maintain a professional demeaner and treat them as any other customer, its not fair on them and its not fair on your other customers imho.

Course thats just my two beans


----------



## matisse

treat them like any other customer, you should always knock out the best coffee you can and provide the best service you can, simple.


----------



## FurryCup

I would treat them all the same unless it was Kylie







in which case I would kiss her tiny little feet.


----------



## coffeeman

Totally agree, we had the disney channel filming in our shop the other day which was cool but they're just there because they want a good coffee so are no different from any-one else in the shop in that respect.

What I do think is cool is there is a shop in London (I think) that collect celeb autographs on take away cups. This does beg the question though should we give them a free coffee if we're going to hassle them an autograph?


----------



## clearfish

Regardless of who they are you should always produce the best drink possible. That said if I had the opportunity to make a drink for Kylie I too would kiss her tiny little feet.


----------



## Glenn

> yes it's only fair


----------



## Swifty

Glenn you have hit the nail on the head there mate. I am moving into the industry but have in my previous life dealt closely with Government, Royalty and other interesting folks. Some are nice people and other a little more intense but it's not for us to judge. At the end of the day they are just after the coffee and preferably without the hassle and adoration of the Barista.

Don't make them uncomfortable deal with their order as well as you would anyone, surely all customers are important!

Trust me they will appreciate It a whole lot more.


----------



## coffeeman

Just wanted to resurrect an old thread. You may have seen the papers recently or watched the Come Dine With Me that was based in Margate.

We had the hairdresser from Ramsgate in our shop recently. He was portrayed on the show and in the papers as rude and obnoxious. I remembered this thread and wondered how we would deal with him, did we tell him how great he was? would we ask for an autograph? No we served him the same as any other customer.

one of the ladies in the que after him did ask "is that the rude idiot from CDWM?" though.

I think that summed up his visit!


----------



## vintagecigarman

Obviously I'm not in the coffee business, but I have a lovely memory of the time a few years ago that some people came and sat at our table in a restaurant for a glass of wine and amongst them were Peter Mandelson (our next-door neighbour at the time) and Alistair Campbell. My wife (three sheets in the wind by then) turned to Alistair Campbell and asked " And just what is your function in life Mr Campbell?"


----------



## MikeHag

I had 15 mins of fame once - being recognised, pointed at or asked questions all the time was awful. The best thing was if someone clearly recognised me but just smiled and got on with their sh1t.


----------



## SeamusMcFlurry

We served Chico (X Factor) recently...I didn't realise who it was, so just served him like anyone else. When I found out, me and the other guy behind the bar took the piss out of him (to his face) for putting sugar in his beautifully crafted latte. He took it good nature, laughed it off and asked why, so we explained...not really had anyone else...


----------



## speedstead

I was managing a bar in West London a couple of years ago and Steven K Amos came in after filming something near-by to buy the crew a drink. So far, so good. One of the junior members of the team served him, lets call him Nick. Well Nick impressed me (up until then he had been a weak member of the team). Anyway Nick was very professional and just mentioned in passing that he was a big fan of SKA's comedy. This is where it went down hill. Amos started to try and be spontaniously funny - it wasn't pretty, in fact it was a car crash. Nick just told him how much he owed and thankfully he stopped being 'funny'...


----------



## jonnie d

We had gino the tv chef in last month. Not a big fan myself but he was noticed by plenty of passing females.


----------



## ryan_n21

I was in a cafe the other day and after a while I noticed Louis Walsh sat a couple of tables over from me. It was just before the X-Factor finals so I would have thought people would be swarming around him, but no-one paid him the slightest bit of attention. Isn't it nice when people just get on with their lives?


----------

