Hollywood veteran John Travolta was denied a table at a Sussex branch of KFC last weekend, proving star power isn't everything when it comes to ordering a humble burger or two.

An aide for the Pulp Fiction star called KFC in East Grinstead, West Sussex, to book a table in advance.

But staff on duty failed to pick up on the famous name check, telling the rep that "customers are customers, no matter who they are" and that Travolta, 57, would "just have to join the queue."

The unnamed woman who took the call later explained she thought it might have been a joke.

"The lady who called didn’t give me her name, she just said it will be for a Mr Travolta," she said. "I thought it might be a load of nonsense."

Travolta was in Britain to attend an annual Scientology conference.

"In hindsight, of course, we would have reserved a table for him," a spokesman for KFC said. "It’s not every day you get a Hollywood star eating in your restaurant."

KFC snubs John Travolta