

How restaurants deal with celebrity guests
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.What do you do when a Bollywood power couple settles in at a table next to yours to eat tisrya (clams) and surmai fry? If you are someone who respects their privacy, you’d carry on with your meal, offer a polite smile if your eyes meet, and avoid turning the moment into a spectacle.What should have been a leisurely Sunday lunch with the family turned into an ordeal when a popular filmy couple walked into a seafood restaurant in Mumbai. Despite arriving before them and placing our orders promptly, our food, except for a couple of appetisers, never made it to the table.
The staff apologised, citing an “LPG crisis”, yet plates of fish fry, stuffed crabs and neatly-arranged thalis continued to make their way, without any delay, to the “most coveted” table of the day.After 15 years of living in Mumbai, I’ve had little luck with celebrity spotting (not that I’m complaining), save for the occasional actor from a popular OTT series or a theatre regular at a coffee shop in Versova’s Aram Nagar, a creative hub known for its production houses and media offices. I didn’t realise, though, that having a star couple dine within arm’s reach would mean missing out on my own meal.When high-profile guests arrive, especially at smaller establishments, the team can feel overwhelmed.
After all, it’s a big moment for them. But what does it say about a restaurant when it prioritises one table at the cost of a room full of guests who want to enjoy a Sunday meal? And no, hovering around the celebrity table does not help.
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