To think we shouldn't have been questioned about our method of transport

[Johnmenses]

I'd booked a meal tonight in a tier 2 restaurant. One bubble. This was clarified when I'd phoned earlier in week.

We arrived in 4 cars for various reasons.

The Front of house politely questioned how we could come 4 cars and still be in one bubble.

I have utmost of respect for the work hospitality staff do (I work similarly) but it's not their role to police our journeys.

AIBU?

*pretend

Whilst I dont think its unreasonable of the restaurant to ask as it would be unusual for a household or support bubble to come in 4 separate cars, I can see why 4 adults might do so. For example if they'd all been at work before meeting up for food.

Are you part of the same household? What reasons could you possibly have for driving to the restaurant in four separate cars?! I would have questioned you too.
In fact, I don't quite believe you...

But how do you all need to arrive in 4 cars? If you are all going back to the same place how do you end up arriving in 4 cars?

What bothers you so much about having been asked the question?

It is absolutely their job

YABU

you said they were polite, what’s the problem with then politely checking, considering they have a responsibility to ensure the rules are followed on their premises

Surely you can understand why one household or one household plus a single adult household they’ve bubbled with might look suspicious arriving in four cars??

@CokeEnStock

How can one household need 4 cars?

Easy Me, Dh and ds all.have a car. We live rurally and couldn't manage without. None of us work in the same place.

My elderly mum is in our bubble but lives 50 miles from us.

It's technically possible that each of us could drive from.work and meet my mum at a restaurant, hence 4 cars. Bloody unlikely though, plus I would not be offended if the restaurant queried this.

They're being perfectly reasonable, given that they scan be fined £10k (first offence) for getting it wrong.

It's really no different to be id'ed for age.

Hospitality is a sector in a lot of trouble, and fines could make the difference between solvency or not. I firmly support this sort of checking

But if they are confirming over the phone on booking that yiu are a household, then surely that is enough confirmation?

Not if you turn up in four separate cars, no. Of course it looks suspicious.

They only asked as it looks strange and it’s their business at stake. I think they should be allowed to ask for proof of address to cover themselves.

They asked you a reasquestion to cover themselves.
And you have a pretty that?
It doesn't affect your night out out so what is your problem?
'Policing your journey my arse!!

Yabu

But I can sort of see it happening. I still live at home and drive. That's 3. If I had a sibling or partner who also lived here as well. Say if my dsis who wfh decided to move back to somewhere more roomy than she currently does. That's 4 people

However the chance of us pitching up from 4 different places in 4 different cars is vvvvv Rare. So can see why they asked the question.

OP, if I was thirteen years old and booked a table in the pub. Turned up with my classmates expecting all expecting to be served vodka cocktails, why should staff question me if I already confirmed over the phone that I was over 18? How very dare they.

They stand to be fined/closed down if they're breaking the rules, even unwittingly.
It's well publicised how many, many people are just hell bent on doing what they like regardless and letting others take the concequences.
Or are they only there to serve you and not allowed to safeguard themselves against people who will take the piss and lie about it?
And just have to bear the concequences.
You're making a problem here. Stop treating hospitality like the bloody enemy. You won't have anywhere to go, even in 4 cars, if people don't grow up and accept that venues have been told to ensure compliance and have to take reasonable steps towards that and also didn't put these rules in place, create the pandemic or the punishment for breaking the rules, and that relies on customers doing their bit.
Don't like it, don't go, you're not going to die because you can't get your meal out on a Friday night or because you're too precious to be asked a fucking question.

If they get fined, they could be out of business tomorrow. It’s so hard for restaurants to cover the basics at the moment. They’re all just clinging on

Okay fair enough.

I'll reiterate, it was all handled with politeness on both sides abd all done and dusted and we had a lovely meal. And tipped more than 10%.

I think my irk comes from the table next to us NOT being from one bubble and getting away with it. We are legitimately one bubble abd got questioned because of circumstances. The other table wasn't questioned, probably because there were a smaller number so less likely to need questioning.

They were right to ask. Regardless of what the person who made the booking might have told them, you turned up in 4 separate cars FGS.

Also, wouldn't hurt to still consider the environment a bit would it, why did you honestly need to arrive in 4 separate cars?

I think it was fair enough if them to ask.

Why did you arrive in 4 cars @Johnmenses?

OP said they arrived in four cars. I assumed at least some of those cars were taxis/ubers. It is still unusual I don’t blame the person for asking but maybe not as odd as four adults with their own private cars. My assumption was OP, her partner, and two young adult children living at home, possibly bc of Covid. It’s not that crazy.

They are reasonable to ask. I know people who have decided they are in a ‘bubble’ with members outside of their household despite this being against the rules. They are using logic such as working together, kids being in school together or needing to provide childcare etc to justify referring to themselves as a single bubble, but under government guidelines they are absolutely not a bubble. One household turning up separately in 4 different cars definitely seems suspicious enough to want to clarify they are a bubble as outlined by the governments definition.

They sound like jobsworths to me - we had a staff member outside a restaurant we went to, asking every group if they were from the same household. As if anyone would genuinely say no if they weren't? Was it the point.

How do you know that the table next to you wasn’t one bubble? (Unless you know them, of course...)

We live in a house of 4 adults, me DP and two adult children. We bubble with an elderly relative who lives alone.

I don’t blame the restaurant for checking. I wouldn’t expect several people who live at the same address to turn up in 4 separate cars.