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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Eat Out to Help Out - Take 2

52 replies

LemonadeFromLemons · 15/02/2021 22:30

Deliveroo are calling for a second run of the scheme. I think businesses should be supported perhaps through rates cuts and other schemes but I do not think the EO2HO scheme was a good idea for tax payers or for people’s health in terms of coronavirus spread.

So...please vote and counteract my opinion. I’m happy to have the benefits pointed out.

YABU - I think we should do it again
YANBU - it’s a bad idea

OP posts:

FortniteBoysMum · 15/02/2021 22:57

I always thought the voucher offer was a far better idea. Spread out over 12 months. For retail and hospitality. Stops everyone rushing out in one big crowd. Eat out to help out helped spread the virus because places were rammed.

GreenClock · 15/02/2021 23:08

Would be interesting to see the views of cafe/restaurant/bar owners. I made use of the scheme about six times and it was good to see local businesses buoyant. All had enforced two metres distance, table ordering and hand sanitising.

mrsbyers · 15/02/2021 23:10

There are no plans to do it again

barnhen · 15/02/2021 23:14

I thought it was a shit idea the first time around. I still feel resentful my taxes effectively funded the spread of Covid.

Happycat1212 · 15/02/2021 23:15

I really hope they don’t do this again.

ChristOnAPeloton · 15/02/2021 23:18

I love a half-price dinner as much as the next cheap skate, but objectively speaking I don’t honestly think it was a good use of taxpayers money.

NoSleepInTheHeat · 15/02/2021 23:42

Honestly if they do that, that’s it, I’m seeing friends indoors again.
Subsidized takeway or shopping vouchers, why not, but discounts on the condition that people eat in a closed communal space is just stupid.

RedSoloCup · 15/02/2021 23:44

I was working I'm a restaurant at the time and it was just awful!! Also fully support opening hospitality last as so many knobs drinking and thinking they're exempt and I work in quite a posh place !!!

Frenchdressing · 15/02/2021 23:45

I could never get in anywhere as it was so busy!

diagold4u · 16/02/2021 00:03

I hope they don't do it. I feel like I will be forced to eat out for the sake of saving 50% not to mention that's how there was a spike in cases last time

LadyMayoGoodway · 16/02/2021 00:13

I think they know it was a bit of fuck up last time I expect they’ll be looking for more meaningful ways to support businesses.

ConeHat · 16/02/2021 00:23

I used it the first time around and would again now that I have had CV.

But I would hate another lock down. I made the most of the lul in between the last lockdowns. I cant put my finger on why, but I'm not so keen to rush out and make the most of life this time.

Maybe it's because dh still hasn't caught it, or I'm reprioritising money. Or I'm too jaded?

I was so looking forward to things opening up before, not this time. Im worried it will be another short window before the next lockdown?

Or maybe it's been so drummed in that going anywhere is dangerous? I'm just not feeling it

lurker101 · 16/02/2021 00:28

I used it a lot last time, would definitely use it as much if they did it again. It was great to see businesses busy again and encouraged people to get over their covid fear and EOTHO. I don’t think it contributed greatly to the spread of covid, based on the dates of the rises, beyond people meeting friends and spread amongst an individual group, as I wasn’t aware of many large incidents related to hospitality venues or venue closures aside from some in Aberdeen or Dundee.

IsThisNews · 16/02/2021 00:29

Vouchers for everyone that could be used in shops or restaurants would be fairer. Eat Out To Help Out basically subsidized dinner out for people who could afford to eat out anyway. With many losing jobs or struggling to feed kids, half the country was not in a position to be dining out in cafes and restaurants, so why should they be paying (through taxes) for half the bill for those who could probably afford it by themselves anyway?!

Mother87 · 16/02/2021 00:32

Agree with IsThisNews - helping to fund people who can already afford to eat out - give the money towards helping people with less or those using foodbanks

RagzReturnsRebooted · 16/02/2021 00:35

@ChristOnAPeloton

I love a half-price dinner as much as the next cheap skate, but objectively speaking I don’t honestly think it was a good use of taxpayers money.

This. We used it and loved it, went camping that week and ate out 4 times while we'd normally have a takeaway every month or two. If it happened again I'll use it, but objectively I don't think it was a good use of what are effectively my taxes.

Jackie2022 · 16/02/2021 00:42

Well this time around, many people will be vaccinated so the risk of society socially mixing isn’t as dire as August 2020.

Personally I didn’t participate much last year, DP & I (& everyone I’m close with!) was still at work and could only really meet on weekends where the scheme wasn’t valid.

Jackie2022 · 16/02/2021 00:43

So I’m not really fussed about this either way, I probably won’t use it much

CurlyReds · 16/02/2021 00:45

It was a bad idea last time and it still is. Completely apart from the risk of spreading Civid by packing people in... it subsidised those who were already rich enough to eat out, while the poor and clinically vulnerable couldn’t take advantage.

SqeakyHindge · 16/02/2021 00:50

We had two establishments end up announcing they no longer doing the eat out thing few wks after it started.

It was politely worded that they had enough of eat out customers most were rude uncouth and lost a lot of their regular customers.

dannydyerismydad · 16/02/2021 09:05

I'd like to see it limited to independent restaurants and pubs only.

McDonalds and KFC really don't need government support. They seem to be doing well enough with drive thru and delivery right now.

Backtoschool101 · 16/02/2021 09:11

Honesy it helped. But it was so awful to organise. The staff kept getting it wrong even though we set up the till in the easiest way possible. Or they didn't bill the alcohol separately. We actually lost money because we couldn't claim on the mistakes. In the end we had to stop them all using tills and have the only 2 who could do it on the tills. We were host about our claims and we have all receipts etc but HMRC won't leave us alone. Trying to claw money back I guess because they couldn't afford it. I sent proof of receipts and they want them again because they lost them. The stress it caused was a lot more than a half empty restaurant in our opinion

Backtoschool101 · 16/02/2021 09:13

Also all those saying vouchers etc... the scheme was to help businesses not help people buy food like free school meals. But it was still a silly idea

Fizbosshoes · 16/02/2021 09:15

We went to an air b n b for a few days and ate out, twice. The first time was full price (because of what day of the week it was), and the next time was EO2HO and we ate outside.
I think it would be better to give vouchers for a smaller discount but that could be used any time. As we were away and had pretty budget accomodation we planned to eat out a couple of times anyway,(and didn't take much notice what day it was) but running the offer for half the week surely encourages more crowding on those days.

Backtoschool101 · 16/02/2021 09:15

Ah I get the understanding of vouchers now.... for you

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