Bottomless Brunch

[OP83]

I will qualify my 'AIBU' by saying that I believe strongly in personal freedom (and responsibility) but...

My partner showed my a video yesterday of a 'Bottomless brunch in the buff' (or something like that) that someone had shared.

In summary, it was a bar/restaurant, absolutely PACKED full of women of all ages, all drinking, some (many) seemingly drunk, being served by (and pawing over) young men in, effectively, underwear. It genuinely looked like a scene from the last days of Rome, except this was in the UK, in 2022, before lunchtime and actively promoted.

I don't like to be one of those 'what if it was the other way around' types but I'll make an exception. Can you imagine a bar packed full of men, drunk before lunchtime, touching up half-naked young waitresses...and this being sold as a concept?! Not saying this doesn't happen anywhere but certainly not publicly advertised in high-street bars!

This aside, with all the 'responsible drinking' messages about, how is the promotion of limitless booze to be consumed before lunchtime even allowed?

On a more practical note, if you goto a bottomless brunch and get your money's worth (which most of the time you have to drink like a sailor to achieve), what the hell do you do afterwards? I like a drink but can't imagine wandering out of a bar half-cut at midday...what do you do with the rest of your day?

I guess I don't really know what my AIBU is except: Am I being unreasonable to think that bottomless brunches are a shameless marketing ploy to fill venues with non-typical clientele and shift loads of booze at a time when nobody would usually consider drinking?

YABU re bottomless brunches, each to their own and can’t get worked up about it.

YANBU about women touching up men - something I’ve seen many a time. Women think it’s ok to sexually assault a man if he’s a stripper / promo boy etc.

Agree with th4 first poster, nothing wrong with bottomless brunches, the fact you can’t fathom drinking a few occasionally at lunch time is all about you.

the half naked blokes though is not ok

Yabu about bottomless brunch; if you don’t like it then don’t go op

I’ve never had a nice one. Food has been total crap at every single one I’ve had, drinks for the most part okay. But as you say, getting pissed in the local town centre on a Saturday afternoon where everyone else is walking round normally with pushchairs/wilko shopping bags etc, it’s not the atmosphere you want.

My friends moved onto bottomless brunches from afternoon tea - I think it’s a similar type of marketing. Not a fan of either really.

I love a good bottomless brunch. I haven't been to one with naked or half naked men though thankfully. That sounds really gross and tacky.

Totally agree, if people want to do it then fair enough, I'm not the fun police. I'm not anti-drinking either as I probably drink more than I should. I just find the concept of promoted heavy drinking pre-lunchtime a little odd (and let's face it, if you call it 'bottomless' and charge a tidy sum for it, you are encouraging people to get their money's worth).

Like I say, it's not for me to say what people should/shouldn't do or enjoy, just amazed that, as a concept, it has been allowed, promoted and so well received...but maybe I'm the one missing out

We don’t live in an nannny state, what do you mean amazed it’s been allowed. Allowed?? Just like any other bar, staff can decide when to stop serving someone if they feel they have drunk too much.

Are you aware strip clubs already exist?? Which is the exact same thing but with the sexes reversed?

I don't like to be one of those 'what if it was the other way around' types but I'll make an exception. Can you imagine a bar packed full of men, drunk before lunchtime, touching up half-naked young waitresses...and this being sold as a concept?! Not saying this doesn't happen anywhere but certainly not publicly advertised in high-street bars!

You never heard of Hooters?

Whilst Brunch is a pre lunch meal, Bottomless Brunches are usually after lunchtime.

The perving over half dressed men would be enough to make me not go. But otherwise I love a BB.

I think any man drinking 'bottomless' booze and touching up strippers before lunchtime would be (rightfully) condemned (and removed from the premises no doubt).

Yes but the strippers don’t perform in high street bars/restaurants at lunchtime AFAIK.

Love a good bottomless brunch which despite their name are usually about 2 in the afternoon so ime to be followed by a couple of bars & home to bed at a reasonable hour rather than 2am!
Can't see the appeal of that particular one 🤮 & there are plenty of shit ones with mediocre food & cheap battery acid prosecco or warm weak cocktails which so need to choose carefully!!

I think everyone is agreeing on the men op. No one is agreeing on the lunch time drinking, you seem to be really struggling with it. Like drinking during the day is equivalent to sending kids down the mines or something

I've learned something today. I assumed (not unreasonably I hope) that bottomless brunches happened at 'brunch' time when, in reality, it seems I was wrong and it's more a 'boozy lunch' thing so I guess that changes it a bit (can be tempted by a boozy lunch every now and then, although it often starts off as just a regular 'lunch' and takes a turn!)

As for the 'Nanny State' comment. Thankfully we don't live in a nanny state and nor do I want to. That said, there is a lot of regulation around the promotion of alcohol which is why I was surprised that the promotion of any 'bottomless' drinking not be picked up by the same people who make these regulations.

Considering aghast OP is at the thought of day time drinking I’m going to take her description of this scene with a pinch of salt.

But men do have many places to go and do the same?

I love a bottomless brunch but we usually do 4-6pm rather than morning!! You know exactly what the cost is going to be, not home too late and therefore usually no hangover.

Sorry I’m laughing at the fact that you thought they were actually at brunch time, I have done them many times and they’ve nearly always been at around 4pm.🤣I personally wouldn’t go to what you’ve described though!

But yeah there are plenty of places where men do the exact same thing. Bottomless brunch isn’t that popular with men so they likely wouldn’t make something like what you’ve described, but there are plenty of other places men go for this (such as strip clubs, which are open every night and the performers get fully naked).

Have you never heard of Hooters?

....strippers do perform at lunch time. And at high street venues.

I've been to only one bottomless brunch. I was very disappointed to learn that it was only the drink that was 'bottomless' and not the food. 🤣

I’ve had plenty a great bottomless brunch….shock horror……at brunch time! So 11am ish. Can’t see the problem. I have small kids, awake at 6am, and I’m in bed most nights at 9pm. Chances of me having a decent night out and a few wines is extremely limited.

YANBU to the objectification of young men in the process. Wouldn’t be my cup of tea at all but this is absolutely not the norm!

It may not be unlimited booze. Lots of places that advertise "bottomless" brunch still have a limit on the number of drinks you can have.

Sorry I’m laughing at the fact that you thought they were actually at brunch time, I have done them many times and they’ve nearly always been at around 4pm

In that case, why call them brunch?

Is it because the kind of person who thinks they are a good idea doesn't get out of bed before 2pm? (Possibly because they didn't go to bed before 6am?)

My main problem with bottomless brunches is the miss-selling: that the Ts and Cs generally stays it’s only as much as you can drink in 90 minutes and they won’t top up your glass more than once every twenty minutes. Frankly I very much doubt anyone in the video was actually drunk.

I can’t get worked up over half naked waiters. I wouldn’t particularly want to go personally but they know the score when they sign up for the job and I’m not in the business of interfering in an adult’s decisions, even if they aren’t great ones.