Jeff rode shotgun earlier in the day as Lauren piloted a helicopter that came in for a smooth landing at the Camarillo Airport ... between L.A. and Santa Barbara.

They apparently flew there to meet some friends for lunch at the Waypoint Cafe at the airport. It's unclear if people knew it was them when they entered the cafe with masks and all, but it seems everyone noticed once they were seated and maskless.

On their way out, Jeff gave Lauren the ol' slap-on-the-ass treatment ... which both clearly enjoyed.

Eyewitnesses say security was tight … in fact, one of the diners tells TMZ, when Bezos went into the bathroom, security blocked the entrance to the bathroom. A lot of commotion for a leak!

Bezos and Sanchez are clearly into PDA…. they were spotted getting handsy back in December on a hike in St. Barts.