Being filmed by another diner in a fancy restaurant

[Changedmymindtoday22]

Here is the scenario.
I went to a very fancy restaurant this week.
A couple at the next table were very keen on filming every move they made on their phones, fine.
Next thing… they whip it out a tripod in the restaurant and place their phone to film themselves enjoying their meal.
The camera is also pointing at me.

They take the camera and I can see that I am also (unnecessarily captured) by the angle they were shooting.
They proceeded to do this 3 times, for a couple of minutes at a time.

WWYD in this situation?

A. Say nothing?
B. Ask couple to stop?
C. complain to fancy restaurant staff?

I did one of the 3, but am genuinely torn about what the best thing to do in this rather bizarre situation that made me quite uncomfortable.

I will share what happened next once I gauge opinions.

Were they YouTubers?

I'd light heartedly just let them know I was uncomfortable being in the shot and could they cut me out!

🤣

They must have been ‘influencers’. How annoying!

I really hope you complained OP! Absolutely not on for them to do this.

C

if I complained to the couple directly I’d be on camera doing so I’d it would end up on SM or something.

I'd have done option C

I bet they consider themselves Instagram influencers. Fair enough taking a few photos and possibly one video, but I'd have been pissed off too if they did it repeatedly.

C

i wouldn’t want to be on camera complaining. I would be asking the restaurant to either intervene or move me to a different table.

C

C

C

C

Prob A as I wouldn't be fussed

C

D - throw food at the camera and blame Margaret at the back of the restaurant.

Absolutely C. I’m surprised the restaurant staff didn’t stop them before they’d finished setting it up!

Ok, so….
should I have done option C, tell the restaurant I am uncomfortable. How might they handle such a situation?

to the PP that questioned if this actually happened, believe me, it did.

C

A but moan about it later

I would have done B, then if they refused to stop, C.

I'd expect the restaurant to ask them to stop (unless they'd been invited by them to publicise it) or to offer to move you to somewhere you're not on film.

I'm guessing the restaurant did nothing because they didn't want the negative publicity.

I'd have accidentally on purpose spilt some wine on them while walking past.

I would be annoyed but tbh its so easy to cut people off and out of photos etc which I do if the odd person appears

Ok, so here it goes.
I took option C and spoke to my very nice waiter to express that I was uncomfortable.
He was kind of giggling at them as he found it strange himself. He told he he would speak to his manager. I thanked him.

Manager walks up to the couple and asks them if they could
stop filming as I am uncomfortable at the next table and asked them if I was on any of the footage. They assured her I wasn’t.

Then the manager walks over to our table and says loudly, don’t worry you were not included on the footage.

(I saw myself as they checked the footage before the complaint so that wasn’t true)

I was actually mortified.

This was a very fancy reputable restaurant. The manager was a total idiot.

She was as discreet as a kick in the face.

I would have expected the restaurant to ensure they angled the camera so no other customers were in shot as a minimum.

Ideally they should have been asked to stop filming.

I don't want to be filmed in any restaurant, never mind an expensive one.

As a last resort I would have spoken to the couple and refused to leave them to enjoy their meal until the camera was moved.

I'd be very annoyed with the restaurant if I had been forced to do this and would have ask for a substantial discount on the bill.

B or C... I would be annoyed OP. Shame on the restaurant... I would email them and explain.