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Woman in her 20s 'denied entry to Gourmet Burger Kitchen' due to little-known rule
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Woman in her 20s 'denied entry to Gourmet Burger Kitchen' due to little-known rule A 22-year-old woman was denied entry to Gourmet Burger Kitchen at the Trafford Centre due to a little-known rule - and the restaurant has doubled down on its controversial policy A young woman was baffled after being denied entry to a Gourmet Burger Kitchen venue because she didn't have a physical copy of her ID with her - despite having no plans to order alcohol from the restaurant. Lia Clark, 22, had been at...
Woman in her 20s 'denied entry to Gourmet Burger Kitchen' due to little-known rule
A 22-year-old woman was denied entry to Gourmet Burger Kitchen at the Trafford Centre due to a little-known rule - and the restaurant has doubled down on its controversial policy
A young woman was baffled after being denied entry to a Gourmet Burger Kitchen venue because she didn't have a physical copy of her ID with her - despite having no plans to order alcohol from the restaurant.
Lia Clark, 22, had been at the hit, expansive indoor shopping and leisure complex the Trafford Centre when she ventured to the Food Court craving a burger. When she tried to enter the on-site GBK restaurant, she was asked to show her ID to confirm she was over 18 years old.
Stunned, Lia showed a photo of her passport on her phone but the GBK employee told her it had to be the real deal. After being unable to enter the premises, Lia took to TikTok to share her experience and her shock.
Speaking directly to the camera, she began: "I'm not being funny or nothing but is this actually real life?
"We've come [to] the Trafford [Centre], yeah? We're trying to come in here to eat a burger. No alcohol, nothing - a chicken burger."
Lia then explained a staff member had asked her to show her ID to prove her age because "you've got to be over 18 to eat here". Despite being 22 and wanting to order food and not alcohol, she was still barred from entering the popular burger restaurant.
Lia spotted a baby inside the restaurant and queried why the infant had been permitted entry, only to be told it was because the child was accompanied by an adult who was over 18.
Reflecting on her experience, she added: "I am shell-shocked, I have never heard nothing like that in my whole life. So if you want to come here for food, make sure you've got ID with you for a burger."
She eventually dined elsewhere.
How did people react to Lia's story?
In the comments beneath her TikTok post, which has racked up more than a million views, people were keen to share their thoughts.
One person said: "What a strange policy" while another agreed: "Even if he said no alcoholic drinks without ID but to point blank refuse entry to an eatery is bizarre."
A third commented: "ID for a f***in chicken burger", adding a string of crying laughing emojis. Someone else shared a screengrab of the restaurant's children's menu and said: "A restaurant with a kids menu IDing people I've heard it all now."
One TikTok user said: "I'm dead ID for a burger is crazyyy", while another quipped: "Acting like it's a club".
Someone else empathised with the staff: "That's a really mad policy, feel sorry for the minimum wage lad for having to enforce it".
And another person added: "Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) at the Trafford Centre is primarily a casual, child-friendly restaurant. While they serve alcohol and sometimes run over-18s promotional events or nights, it is an all-ages venue most of the time."
How did GBK respond?
The popular burger joint has been a fixture in the shopping centre for well over a decade. The chain originally launched in 2001, priding itself on serving the "original gourmet burger".
The restaurant, which can be found on the upper level of the Orient at the Trafford Centre, has since responded to the claims.
In a statement released to the Manchester Evening News, the restaurant stood behind its policy, explaining it stems from licensing conditions.
A spokesperson for GBK said: "Like pubs, clubs and other venues that serve alcohol, the conditions of our current licence state that guests must be aged 18 or over unless they are accompanied by a responsible adult.
"At times we need to check ID to verify a guest's age to ensure we are complying with the law. We operate a Check 25 policy to ensure we are compliant with our licence. As with pubs and other licensed premises, this means the original physical ID document rather than a photo on a mobile phone, which we are unable to accept.
"We appreciate this can sometimes be disappointing for guests, and we understand the frustration this has caused. However, our team were simply following the requirements of our licence and applying them consistently.
"While we never want to turn anyone away, we are pleased the guest was able to find an alternative place to eat within the centre."
[Image text:] GOURMET BURGER KITCHEN