Excited patrons whipped out their phones to take pictures and videos
Patrons and the staff at a popular cafe in Dubai were taken by surprise as His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, arrived at one of the outlets in Jumeirah.
In videos that have gone viral on social media, Sheikh Mohammed is seen arriving with a small entourage at the Cipriani Dolci, and patrons waiting in queue to get a table, are pleasantly surprised to see His Highness up so close.
In the video, Sheikh Mohammed can be seen walking into the cafe and being seated and then checking on his phone as excited patrons take pictures and videos.
Watch the videos here:
“It was a pleasant surprise,” Tarek Bekdache, head of marketing at the Gainsborough Group, which is in partnership with Cipriani Dolci, told the media.
“We are incredibly honoured and privileged that he visited Cipriani Dolci Jumeirah. Of course, we all know that Sheikh Mohammed and the entire royal family always have the best taste in dining in the country. And residents wait to see where they are going and which places they visit. And we are honoured that Sheikh Mohammed chose Cipriani Dolci Jumeirah,” he added.
Sheikh Mohammed’s table ordered a selection of different things, Tarek said, but was not at liberty to reveal what they were.
Watch the video here:
And he said that patrons were left surprised by the royal visit.
“Everyone was incredibly excited to see Sheikh Mohammed. Of course, Sheikh Mohammed is loved by both local Emiratis and expats in Dubai. They are always super excited to see him and this was the case as well at our cafe. People started taking pictures and videos and they were happy with his presence. Patrons were messaging us on social media and tagging us and sending their best to His Highness,” he said.
And while patrons were still wondering if it was real, it was mix of emotions for the staff and servers at the cafe.