Furious with what happened to DS17 on his last day of work

I would complain about this to the owner of company, but as an issue for transport providers. It's really not on.

"Did nobody consider the state my car was going to get in getting him home? How would he even have got home if he'd needed a bus or a taxi? I would also stress how he had taken it in good humour and it is you complaining, not him."

So I am 50 so sold enough to rent when this sort of thing was normal and encouraged- I would tread carefully as is he likely to work for them again or anyone who the owner knows - ie is in a trade / supplier etc as this could massively backfire longer term - given that the owner filmed it and obviously supported it then I'm not sure doing anything will do anything

im not saying that it's ok but a few of us have been subjected to similar situations let alone initiations to football / rugby clubs especially at Uni

id play it as an eye opening experience and one to try to avoid but also being aware of what the culture and people are like in that sort of organisation

he was old enough to work there so hardly considered a child.

Why is it unwise?

Would they have said a 17 yr old girl should stick up for themselves, no they bloody wouldn’t. How dare they think the onus is on him.

i wouldnt do anything
he doesnt want you to
and even if he did it would be his battle
unwise to complain

Remember when women were harassed in the workplace and told ' it just means you are well-liked?".
Thought we had moved past that.

i got dunked in water in a factory i worked in 40 years ago
i cannot believe this kind of thing still goes on
how very juvenile

If he has said he doesn’t want it reported then you should respect that.

I would contact police non emergency and head office. They can't just get away assaulting people. I wish I'd prosecuted a company / manager that did something to me as a youngster but after the initial police chat (who were lovely) I didn't take it further.

Maybe pop it up on trip advisor to publicly humiliate the company.

I'm torn on this one. On one hand, reporting to the company will do nothing, and the police may seem over the top.
On the other, they tied up and assaulted a child (in the eyes of the law, a 17 year old is a child for safeguarding purposes). I think the police should be notified. They probably have a long list of issues with the idiots who run the company and it might be a good reason for them to have a word and deal with them.
However, there could well be come back against your son, which you really really don't want. Hence it's a tricky one.

I know some posters are saying a 17 year old should stick up for themselves and it's not assault, but just think... a bunch of older stronger men (trades) physically ganged up on him, tied him up, and then assaulted him. They had all the power. There was nothing he could have done. If that was a teenage girl, would your view be different? If so, your view is wrong.

I would explain to my son it’s important to report it. Even if not for him but for others. Someone could have an egg allergy or just find the whole thing mortifying/unacceptable (like your son). It can’t surely be legal. How would your son have got home if you hadn’t picked him up? Imagine having to get a train home! I’m raging here for you both.

They tied him up? Bloody hell. No it should not go unreported. This is a crime.

This. I don't really agree with those telling the OP that she should not get involved because her DS has asked her not to; he is only 17 and it should really not be up to him to make decisions about this.

This is potentially criminal assault and battery, possibly also false imprisonment (the tying up). I think it also meets the definition of workplace bullying as defined by ACAS.

I would consider this a serious incident, and no responsible workplace should be tolerating this behaviour. It is a blatant breach of the employer's duty of care towards a young worker. I would also not want a young person in their first job to think that this is the kind of treatment they should expect in the world of work or that this is in any way acceptable. It is disheartening that so many posters seem to have experienced this kind of 'pranking' themselves or to justify it.

All those here saying it's "just a bit of fun" are clearly still living in the Seventies. It wasn't funny then and it's not funny now. Much like Benny Hill.

I'd write to the owners and tell them what happened. Whilst I'm normally never supportive of parents getting involved, this crosses a line and is not ok in the modern workplace.

Seen it many years ago when worked in hotel in my teens

id just eye roll and move on

I so disagree with this. Sexual harassment used to happen too.
We don't need to put up with this shit in 2026.

I have three kids, aged late teens to early 20s, all have had part time jobs, some in restaurants, food service, kitchen environment. Big chains and smaller independents. This has NEVER happened. Totally unacceptable.

this sort of thing used to happen years ago. I worked in a few factories and it was normal. It means you are well liked as well. Let it go and stop suffocating your son

He might not have enjoyed it, but it does have the advantage of being a whole new low and many things that happen subsequently will have a good marker to measure awful against
In a few years after a few more terrible jobs it will be a good anecdote.

Ffs

He’s 17, the last thing he needs is his mum going there and embarrassing him by telling everyone off like he’s 4!

I put YABU because your DS has asked you not to get involved. However, now seen the drip feed that they filmed it. That is awful. Something really off about this owner that, on the one hand, he continues with a "tradition" common in his youth and on the other, uses modern tech to film it. I'd pass him the no of https://www.nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk/employees.html and let him have a think what he wants to do.

Shocked with how many people voted op is unreasonable. These disgusting bullies need reporting