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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not served alcohol with a meal.

336 replies

GingerFreaker · 25/05/2021 17:57

I'm slightly miffed today.

We went out to lunch. We being grandparents, myself and 19 year old grandson. We booked a table. We ordered a bottle of wine with our meal. They refused to give the strapping 19 year old a glass, because of challenge 25, and the twit did not take his driving licence.

It stupidly "spoilt" a lovely long planned meet up.

Since we can legally buy a 16 year old alcohol with a meal, am I right to be annoyed it was refused today?

A pub chain, if it makes any difference.

OP posts:
ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere · 25/05/2021 18:10

Challenge 25 doesn’t mean you have to be 25 DeeleysMum. It means that unless you visibly look over 25 the pub has to check your ID to see whether you’re 18 (or 16 in this case).

Seeline · 25/05/2021 18:10

ID only has to prove that the holder is of the legal age to be served alcohol, not that they are over 25.
Challenge 25 means that pubs etc can ask for if for anyone who looks under 25.

FictionalCharacter · 25/05/2021 18:11

@DeeleysMum You only need to be 18. Challenge 25 policy is that if someone looks under 25 they are asked to prove that they are over 18.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 25/05/2021 18:11

He didn't have it. Plus it would have shown he's only 19, not 25

Which is absolutely fine as it proves he is over 18 and so can be served with alcohol. I hope you don't work in a licenced premises Grin

wildeverose · 25/05/2021 18:11

Spoilt an overdue catch up over a glass of wine?? Really??

And yes you can buy a 16 yr old
Alcohol with a meal, but it has to be cider,
Perry or mead (thanks will) - so they were right to refuse you wine.

It's the law. Not the pubs fault.

YABU and precious about the whole thing.
In the middle of a pandemic,
Missing family and friends for months and you're stroppy over a glass of wine.

Original poster
GingerFreaker · 25/05/2021 18:12

We've often been there before and it's never been an issue. It was family owned and has now been taken over by a chain.

We just used to say he was 16 / 17 / 18...Obviously different rules now.

OP posts:
MirroredWindows · 25/05/2021 18:12

I think you have bigger issues if the lack of booze spoilt your meal with your grandson.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 25/05/2021 18:13

@ViperAtTheGatesOfDawn

Top parenting tip #7369 Teach your kids that they can only enjoy a meal out if they consume alcohol.

Fucksake, OP, this is a really shit attitude.

It's not quite clear but I think it also spoilt the meal for the adults, strange is true imo
wildeverose · 25/05/2021 18:14

@GingerFreaker

We've often been there before and it's never been an issue. It was family owned and has now been taken over by a chain.

We just used to say he was 16 / 17 / 18...Obviously different rules now.

Nope - rules have always been the same. They've just cracked down on it.
Clymene · 25/05/2021 18:14

Why did it spoil your meal? Was he having a massive childish sulk about it?

sweeneytoddsrazor · 25/05/2021 18:15

One of the reasons it is challenge 25 is because between the ages of 15 - 18/19 it is incredibly difficult to tell how old someone is particularly girls with tons of make up or lads with beards. Without any I.D you couldn't actually prove he was 16 not 15 either. So no he would not have been served.

StrawberrySquash · 25/05/2021 18:15

Yeah, it's annoying. I'd direct my ire at the OTT laws and punishments threatened if the pub serves someone underage. They are lumbered with it.

PurpleSunrise · 25/05/2021 18:16

Why would that spoil the whole lunch?!

LobotomisedIceSkatingFan · 25/05/2021 18:16

You are being incredibly unreasonable and in fact it's people like you who make the life of people who work in the industry, very difficult. No doubt you'll hop on TripAdvisor to write a review in which you will present yourselves as extremely reasonable ("I gently asked the waiter . . . ") and the staff as a bunch of surly jobsworths. Ironically, some of the trickiest bastards I've come across as as waitress (in terms of wanting to be served outside the boundaries of the law) are coppers and people who work for the council.

RickiTarr · 25/05/2021 18:17

If you want a free meal, I think you’d be better off taking your story of a “spoilt meal” to your local paper and doing “Daily Mail sad faces” at the photographer.

LynetteScavo · 25/05/2021 18:17

I've never, ever met a 19yo that bothered about having wine with lunch.

Anrom19 · 25/05/2021 18:17

So the waiter/ess on minimum wage who has a job to do and will loose it if they don't follow procedure is ok with you ? Yeah I be a bit fed up but really ?

SchrodingersImmigrant · 25/05/2021 18:20

I assume the spoiling of the meal happened because instead of "Oh, that's a shame. Yeah. Should have brought the DL. He will have a lemonade then" people started to argue with bags of "buts". But before, but look at him. But blabla.

You should have just laugh it off

ChaToilLeam · 25/05/2021 18:22

The laws are ridiculous, but that’s not the fault of the staff. Shame you couldn’t have your vino though. Annoying when you’ve been looking forward to it.

Crockof · 25/05/2021 18:22

Enjoyment with family is certainly only so if alcohol is involved. But op I assume you were allowed?

therearenogoodusernamesleft · 25/05/2021 18:23

@GingerFreaker

We've often been there before and it's never been an issue. It was family owned and has now been taken over by a chain.

We just used to say he was 16 / 17 / 18...Obviously different rules now.

They're just doing their job properly now Wink
CoffeeCakey · 25/05/2021 18:23

Why did that spoil the meal? Can he only enjoy everyone's company with alcohol? He might have a problem.

RichTeaCheddars · 25/05/2021 18:24

Why did this spoil the meal?

Ostara212 · 25/05/2021 18:24

I've been the twit who made this error

It doesn't spoil anything, it's just a moment of d'oh, then everyone moves on.

PomBearWithoutHerOFRS · 25/05/2021 18:24

Do you mean they refused wine to the whole table @GingerFreaker ? So nobody could have any?

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