Stevie Wonder surprised the staff of Cafe Continental in Stalybridge with a 1,000-pound tip after an exclusive late-night dinner.
The 76-year-old soul legend arrived at the Melbourne Street venue following his sold-out performance at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, nordisch.info reported. Berichten zufolge rollte der Musiker mit seinem Gefolge in vier Kleinbusse mit getönten Scheiben vor.
Cafe owner Ryan Robinson told the Manchester Evening News that his staff served an exclusive fish menu featuring grilled dorade, traditional bouillabaisse, and octopus instead of the usual Sunday roast. Among the diners was the artist’s daughter Aisha, who inspired the 1976 hit single “Isn’t She Lovely?”
“Sometimes geschehen unglaubliche Dinge. Dies ist eines davon! Es war uns eine Ehre, Herrn Stevie Wonder zu beherbergen und damit das Ende unserer Tournee zu feiern!” the restaurant posted on Facebook, as reported by de.vijesti.me.
Robinson explained that band members first established contact with the venue roughly a year and a half ago after discovering the establishment during a tour with Toni Braxton. Every time band members visited beforehand, they hinted that the iconic singer might eventually join them, though the owners kept expectations modest.
“Jedes Mal, wenn sie kamen, sagten sie: ‚Vielleicht kommt Stevie ja auch.‘ Wir dachten immer, es wäre unglaublich, aber wir haben nichts erwartet,” Robinson told the Manchester Evening News.
Receiving a last-minute phone call on Sunday evening about the impending visit triggered a scramble to organize the late-night kitchen service. Staff members worked overtime to accommodate the legendary performer and his touring party.
The surprise gratuity left employees stunned, with workers across the venue noting that such a substantial financial bonus is a complete novelty in their working lives. Robinson noted the visit increases the independent business's profile; the company opened two years ago.
Well, you don't see this every day in Stalybridge! Music legend Stevie Wonder popped into Café Continental on Melbourne Street with his band ahead of his Manchester concert, leaving staff understandably starstruck! The 25-time Grammy Award winner was in Greater Manchester for… pic.twitter.com/S1vM56HMOs
Wonder’s European tour celebrates the 50th anniversary of his landmark album “Songs in the Key of Life.” The British leg concludes this week with a final performance at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow before the artist returns to the United States.
