The funny thing is people won’t let me pay for things. I’ll be in a restaurant and the manager will say, ’Oh no, it’s on the house.’

Branson is pointing to a paradox of celebrity and conspicuous success: once a person becomes widely recognized as wealthy or famous, ordinary market interactions can be replaced by gestures of deference—free meals, special treatment, and “on the house” perks. The humor in the remark underscores how status can distort everyday life, creating a kind of social obligation in others to offer gifts or access. Implicitly, it also comments on the performative nature of hospitality and the way businesses may treat famous patrons as marketing opportunities, trading a bill for the cachet of association and potential word-of-mouth.