John Cleese

Back in the 80's I was working as a co-ordinator on a Wendy's production line in their new store on Oxford Street in London.

In those days the system was based on the cash register operator calling the orders over a loudspeaker. This was also used to alert the crew to the impending level of business, so a call of 15 in line would result in more patties on the grill and more fries dropped in the fryer.

Sunday and it is Chinese New Year, the store is mobbed, over the speaker comes the call, John Cleese in Line. Cue great excitement. We all got a good look at the great comedian as he with his wife and kids moved along the line toward the register. Eventually his order was called and we all fell to it, keen to make a good impression on the maestro of Fawlty Towers.

The supervisors job is to ensure that the order is correct and complete, either packaged to go or set out on a tray for eat in. Mr Cleese arrives in front of me and summoning my most winning smile I push the tray of delicious burgers and fries toward him with an enthusiastic 'bon appetit'. looking down at me fr0m his great height he declaims "I ordered it to go". It was at this point that I made my second mistake.

Instead of meekly apologising and quickly bagging up his order I grasped the counter with both hands and banged my forehead upon it repeatedly.

When I stood up all the crew were falling about laughing, not so the great comedian who merely stared at me with a cold eye.

Oddly this was not the episode which finally terminated my employment at the home of the square burger (We don't cut corners at Wendys), that can wait for another time.