A 22-year-old woman was left "shell-shocked" after being turned away from a Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) restaurant at Manchester's Trafford Centre because she could not produce a physical ID to prove she was over 18, even though she only intended to order food.
Incident at the Food Court
Lia Clark visited the popular shopping and leisure complex craving a chicken burger for her evening meal. She approached the GBK outlet on the upper level of the Orient but was stopped by a staff member who asked to see her ID. Confused, Lia questioned why she needed to prove her age, and was told: "You've got to be over 18 to eat here." She showed a photo of her passport on her phone, but the employee insisted on a physical copy. Despite being 22 and not planning to order alcohol, she was refused entry.
Lia noticed a baby inside the restaurant and questioned why the child was allowed in. The staff explained it was because the baby was accompanied by an adult over 18.
Social Media Reaction
After being turned away, Lia shared her experience on TikTok, where the video garnered over a million views. Speaking to the camera, she said: "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." 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."
Lia confirmed she had her ID in her car nearby but refused to retrieve it on principle. She eventually dined elsewhere at the Trafford Centre.
Public and GBK Response
Comments on her post ranged from disbelief to criticism. One user said: "What a strange policy," while another wrote: "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," and another shared a screenshot of GBK's children's menu, saying: "A restaurant with a kids menu IDing people I've heard it all now."
GBK, which has been at the Trafford Centre for over a decade, responded to the Manchester Evening News. A spokesperson 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."
The spokesperson added: "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."
