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Original poster

Question about 16yo drinking alcohol in restaurants

23 replies

Claymorekick · 06/08/2022 20:49

My understanding was that once you turn 16, you can legally have a drink with your meal if adults are present- is that correct? DH thinks that it is up to the discretion of the restaurant whether they will allow it or not rather than an automatic legal right.

I would rather know before we try and order DC a beer when we go out 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:

WeAllHaveWings · 06/08/2022 20:50

Restaurants can at their own discretion refuse to serve anyone alcohol regardless of age.

shinynewapple22 · 06/08/2022 20:54

I think it's at the restaurant's discretion as I remember us going somewhere and they wouldn't let us buy a beer for DS as it was against their company policy . What I can't remember is whether you have to have the ID of the young person to prove they are 16 - I presume that you do as even now we are unable to purchase alcohol for DS or his GF without their ID (they are 21)

BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 06/08/2022 20:54

It's always at the discretion of the restaurant no matter the age. It's legally allowed rather than legal right

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sugarspiceplumfairy · 06/08/2022 20:56

Id call ahead and ask tbh it’s probably more something to do at home rather than out

undecided112 · 06/08/2022 20:58

I've worked in management at a few bars and restaurants. I've never known anybody who allows this. Yes it's legal but generally far too risky for the company to allow under 18s alcohol.

cariadlet · 06/08/2022 20:58

It's not illegal for a 16 year old to be served alcohol with a meal.
That doesn't mean that they have a right to be served alcohol with a meal.

I was out with dd shortly after her 16th birthday and she wanted to go to Wetherspoon's for lunch. She used the app to order for us both, including a cider for herself.

When the waitress brought our drinks over, she asked who the cider was for, checked dd's age and explained it was against company policy to serve alcohol to under 18s, even with a meal and accompanied by an adult.

It was all perfectly polite and amicable, not embarrassing and we weren't charged for the drink.

Other places will have similar rules.

escapingthecity · 06/08/2022 21:07

"Someone aged 16 or 17 and accompanied by an adult, can drink (but not buy) beer, wine or cider with a meal at a licensed premises (except in Northern Ireland). But it’s illegal for people this age to drink spirits in a pub anywhere in the UK, even with a meal."

www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/alcohol-and-the-law/the-law-on-alcohol-and-under-18s

yonce · 06/08/2022 21:11

I've worked many moons ago as a waitress, our policy was no underage drinking (regardless of who bought the alcohol). I think it's discretionary - it might be legally allowed, but it's not the law they have to be served

Readytoplay · 06/08/2022 21:18

Legally a 16 year old can drink with a meal if accompanied by someone over 18.

In reality most restaurants (with the exception of a few local indie’s) will still refuse to serve this age group within this scenario. Usually it’s because licenses don’t want to take the risk or serving someone when they didn’t qualify, however some places also claim that they don’t want to ‘normalise’ teen drinking.

Legally 16-year-olds don’t have to be out after 9 o’clock either, however most pubs are still going to get kick minors out after that that time.

Readytoplay · 06/08/2022 21:28

cariadlet · 06/08/2022 20:58

It's not illegal for a 16 year old to be served alcohol with a meal.
That doesn't mean that they have a right to be served alcohol with a meal.

I was out with dd shortly after her 16th birthday and she wanted to go to Wetherspoon's for lunch. She used the app to order for us both, including a cider for herself.

It was all perfectly polite and amicable, not embarrassing and we weren't charged for the drink.

Other places will have similar rules.

and this makes Tim Martin, one of the biggest hypocrites of the highest order!
metro.co.uk/2016/11/06/pubs-should-be-allowed-to-serve-alcohol-to-16-year-olds-says-wetherspoons-boss-6239166/amp/#

Original poster

Claymorekick · 06/08/2022 21:47

Thank you - so seems unlikely to be allowed 🤷‍♀️ I thought it was quite commonplace and 'normal, but clearly not.

Btw, was thinking of one beer with his meal after his GCSE results, not a massive binge drinking sesh 😉

OP posts:

Seeline · 06/08/2022 21:51

I've never had a problem buying a beer or cider for either of my DCs in pubs/restaurants once they were 16 as long as they had id (both used provisional driving license for this purpose). The only time it was politely refused was when DS forgot his id.

Candleabra · 06/08/2022 21:53

My niece has a cocktail with a meal sometimes. But her mum orders

Candleabra · 06/08/2022 21:54

Oops posted too soon. Her mum orders it and then they swap later

Cyclingforcake · 06/08/2022 21:57

I think this is an area which is really changed in the last decade. Even 10 years ago it was normal for an 16y old to have a drink with a meal with family, now it seems unusual. I don’t blame the restaurants for being cautious.

liveforsummer · 06/08/2022 22:10

Definitely at the discretion. In fact I've never worked anywhere where we'd actually do it if aware but if an obvious adult ordered for a group and the 16 year old didn't look very young id possibly not question it

DelurkingAJ · 06/08/2022 22:13

I’m very out of touch here as DC are younger. Would restaurants let a 16 year old be poured a glass of wine (alongside a full meal) by parents from a shared bottle? I know nobody blinked 25 years ago…

Plasmodesmata · 06/08/2022 22:13

We asked tonight and restaurant said no (son is 17). I think they could, but many choose not to.

BeanieTeen · 06/08/2022 22:18

I don’t think they would now. They would if you poured one for your 13/14 year old, but 16 year olds can easily pass for 18, they don’t do ‘think 25’ for each person sat at a table in a restaurant. I don’t think it will be a problem to order a beer either.

Hoardasurass · 06/08/2022 22:30

@Claymorekick it is illegal to buy or serve alcohol to under 18s in a restaurant however if a bottle of wine/jug of beer etc is bought for the table it is legal for a 16 or 17 year old to drink it with parental consent. It is a gray area in licencing laws and can cause issues with your licence and the individual server could be liable for a large fine if they serve a drink to the table that is being brought specifically for a 16/17 year old so most won't risk it

Original poster

Claymorekick · 06/08/2022 22:37

I think I must still be stuck in a timewarp as nobody batted an eyelid when I was younger. But I do have friends who don't seem to have any problems buying alcohol for their 16 year olds in this situation. Also, it seems quite common for 16 year olds to be out in pubs and bars at weekends round where we live without any issues (I appreciate I was doing exactly the same at that age but thought bar owners were much stricter these days) so I assumed one drink in a restaurant would be ok 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:

Florenz · 06/08/2022 22:58

The teens I know are a lot less interested in drinking alcohol than I was at their age.

Too many people took advantage of the rules in the past and there were drunken teens brawling in pubs etc. I don't blames pubs for cracking down.

Candleabra · 06/08/2022 23:17

The teens I know are a lot less interested in drinking alcohol than I was at their age.

This is definitely true

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