Asking for ID

[Locut0s]

One of the eternal hardships, well ok more like a minor annoyance, of working in my store (7-11) is asking people for ID for the purchase of age restricted products. Sales of all lotto tickets, cigarettes, smoking accessories, and adult magazines are restricted to sale to those aged 19 or older. We don't sell alcohol in convenience stores here in Canada. Now technically it's perfectly legal to sell these products to someone on their 19th birthday without asking for ID but of course doing so would be stupid unless you knew them. And since it's very difficult to judge peoples age very accurately our company has a policy of asking for ID for anyone aged 25 or younger. That is if you suspect the person might be 25 or younger then you must ID them. That way you are guaranteed to catch all those 19 and younger. Once you start IDing everyone who looks young you start to realize that it is indeed VERY difficult to tell people's age. I've seen many people who look like they could be 35 and when you ID them they turn out to be only 21 or so. Some people in the company make it a personal policy to ID just about EVERY one, even people who look in their 40s. Now most people take being IDed in their stride and either take it as a compliment or make some joke about it. But every single day we get people who just blow up upon being asked. "I don't have it with me, for fu*ks sake I'm 29!". But the VERY worst part is when a group of friends come in and you ID one of them when they ask for cigarettes and they don't have any. Then their friends chime in and try to help out.

Customer: "Don't worry I'll buy them, I've got ID".

Me: "Sorry but I can't sell them to you, I IDed your friend and I need to see his ID it doesn't matter if you have valid ID"

Customer: "Ok fine but he's not buying it, these are for me. I'm smoking not him"

Me: "Sorry but he asked for them first and didn't have ID, then you stepped in and tried to buy them. I can't sell you any cigarettes now either"

Customer: "What the f*ck are you talking about see this this is valid ID and I'm buying this for myself. This is illegal"

blah blah blah

This happens almost EVERY day. Selling the cigarettes to the guys friend would be considered a second party sale and would not be legal. Then of course there is the issue of VALID ID, only government issued photo ID with birth date, signature and expiry date are allowed. No student IDs, no temporary drivers licenses printed non paper, no birth certificates, not 2 separate pieces, nothing expired. People just DON'T get it!

Now you might be thinking that we are taking things way to seriously here but the government here sends tobacco control officers around to stores at random to "shop" stores. When you are shopped they will send someone in who is under aged or even worse who is of age but just barely, meaning you should ID them, to test you. If you fail to ID them they can fine you anywhere from $500-$5000! Someone in my store was caught a few months back and got fined $570 bucks. Now this is a personal fine for someone who is making close to minimum wage! If it happens again the store can loose it's tobacco license and be fined as well.

It just boggles the mind how many people are willing to fight you over the issue.

clifs:

-Customer looks youngish, not necessarily under aged, and we ask for ID
-Customer is insulted and blows up.
-Customer could have really been sent in to test us and failing to ID ends in 500 buck fine

 

[BlancoNino]

Personally, I don't see why the store should care WHO they sell it to, as long as the person purchasing it is of legal age. Whatever they do with it is their business, not yours.

I got really pissed off when I said hey to a couple of guys in a convenient store that I ran into and then when I went to buy beer the clerk said he needed their ID's too because they looked underage and to avoid liability. Needless to say, I was quite shocked and pissed off.

 

[I Saw OJ]

I got that all the time too working at a grocery store.

I would just tell em that I was sorry but I didnt make the laws and I wasnt going to lose my job over it.

I would also always ask the ladies that obviously were old enough to buy beer or whatever, but werent like old grannies. I would tell em "Store policy we have to card anyone who looks under 25" They would eat it up like candy

 

[imported_Mike]

When I ask for ID, people either thank me or get all pissy. If I really want to be a jackass, I'll ask them to take out their ID.

 

[Locut0s]

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Personally, I don't see why the store should care WHO they sell it to, as long as the person purchasing it is of legal age. Whatever they do with it is their business, not yours.

I got really pissed off when I said hey to a couple of guys in a convenient store that I ran into and then when I went to buy beer the clerk said he needed their ID's too because they looked underage and to avoid liability. Needless to say, I was quite shocked and pissed off.

Did you read my whole post? The store cares because it could loose its licence to sell tobacco. The clerk cares because he can be fined 500 bucks. If the person is of age and is the one smoking, not buying for someone else, and has ID then we don't care. They could take it home and give it to their 3 month old toddler for all we care.

 

[Exterous]

That sucks :thumbsup: for support though

 

[krunchykrome]

Hahaha, once my buddy and I went to the liquor store to buy a case and he didnt have his ID. We were both over 21. I went up to purchase the beer and the cashier asked for both of our ID's. Needless to say, I have never been back to that store.

 

[Darwin333]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Hahaha, once my buddy and I went to the liquor store to buy a case and he didnt have his ID. We were both over 21. I went up to purchase the beer and the cashier asked for both of our ID's. Needless to say, I have never been back to that store.

That happened to me once at a large chain grocery store in Orange Beach, AL once. My fiancé and I (now my wife) where staying at our condo for a week so we went GROCERY shopping. Not just going in to buy one or two things but a basket full of groceries. When she gets to the case of beer that I had put on the belt she asks for both of our ID?s. Usually that wouldn?t be a problem but since I was with her to pay for the groceries she had no reason to bring her purse in with her. They actually held up the line while they waited for my fiancé to go get her purse out of the truck.

While we are on the subject, WTF is with the retarded alcohol laws in Orange Beach? You can buy beer at a grocery store but no liquor. You have to go to a ?package? store to buy liquor but they can?t sell beer and NO ONE can sell alcohol on Sunday???

Where I live I can actually buy a daiquiri, a crown and water, shot of liquor, a beer, and a burger and fries all through the same drive through window at 8 am if I wanted. They just have to put a top on the plastic cups and a piece of tape over the straw hole so its not considered an open container. Yet for some retarded reason if I run out of beer watching the game on Sunday in Alabama I have to send the wife to Florida (luckily only a few miles) to buy more. We finally started bringing our own beer and booze. Much easier and cheaper.

 

[moshquerade]

everyone has some kind of bs to deal with in their job. you just gotta do your job correctly and deal with the bs or find another job.

 

[kranky]

As a customer it can be annoying, but I won't complain because the poor clerk could be on the hook for a massive fine as the OP pointed out. Same program is in effect in PA - clerks can be fined for second party sales and not requiring ID.

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Personally, I don't see why the store should care WHO they sell it to, as long as the person purchasing it is of legal age. Whatever they do with it is their business, not yours.

The fact that the clerk would have to pay a fine out of his own pocket should be reason enough. Even though you might not agree, it's the law. Why should he have to be punished for some idiot 16yo that wants his friend to buy him cigs. Same penalties apply to waiters too.

Keep it up OP :thumbsup:

 

[forrestroche]

The store should institute a policy of carding EVERYONE. That way the clerk is off the hook - "I have to card everyone."

My dad always hated this when he bought smokes at Brooke's pharmacy (a chain for those who don't know), but I thought it was a great idea. That way there is no danger to the store of making a bad judgement call and the clerk can point to the big sign. As an older guy (who has id) he should have been happy.

 

[Tobolo]

Originally posted by: Darwin333

Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Hahaha, once my buddy and I went to the liquor store to buy a case and he didnt have his ID. We were both over 21. I went up to purchase the beer and the cashier asked for both of our ID's. Needless to say, I have never been back to that store.

That happened to me once at a large chain grocery store in Orange Beach, AL once. My fiancé and I (now my wife) where staying at our condo for a week so we went GROCERY shopping. Not just going in to buy one or two things but a basket full of groceries. When she gets to the case of beer that I had put on the belt she asks for both of our ID?s. Usually that wouldn?t be a problem but since I was with her to pay for the groceries she had no reason to bring her purse in with her. They actually held up the line while they waited for my fiancé to go get her purse out of the truck.

While we are on the subject, WTF is with the retarded alcohol laws in Orange Beach? You can buy beer at a grocery store but no liquor. You have to go to a ?package? store to buy liquor but they can?t sell beer and NO ONE can sell alcohol on Sunday???

Where I live I can actually buy a daiquiri, a crown and water, shot of liquor, a beer, and a burger and fries all through the same drive through window at 8 am if I wanted. They just have to put a top on the plastic cups and a piece of tape over the straw hole so its not considered an open container. Yet for some retarded reason if I run out of beer watching the game on Sunday in Alabama I have to send the wife to Florida (luckily only a few miles) to buy more. We finally started bringing our own beer and booze. Much easier and cheaper.

Welcome to the blue laws. We cant liquor at the grocery store, just beer and wine. But we can buy it all at a package store. Nothing on sunday and until recently you could not buy it in a resturant on sunday.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Originally posted by: kranky
As a customer it can be annoying, but I won't complain because the poor clerk could be on the hook for a massive fine as the OP pointed out. Same program is in effect in PA - clerks can be fined for second party sales and not requiring ID.

:thumbsup:

Especially here in Oakland, buddy. Walk into 7/11 and you even make eye contact with someone that's buying cigarettes everyone in the store has to whip out their ID's.

Welcome to the blue laws. We cant liquor at the grocery store, just beer and wine. But we can buy it all at a package store. Nothing on sunday and until recently you could not buy it in a resturant on sunday.

Try living in a state that's so outdated they won't sell ANY alcohol in ANY store save beer distributors and liquor stores.

 

[FoBoT]

i blame your govt.

 

[crownjules]

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Try living in a state that's so outdated they won't sell ANY alcohol in ANY store save beer distributors and liquor stores.

You live in Massachusetts, too? Heck, only just last year was it made possible to buy booze on Sunday. The town I just moved out of had a referendum vote in Nov to allow grocery stores to sell liquor. Not sure if it passed or not.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Originally posted by: crownjules

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Try living in a state that's so outdated they won't sell ANY alcohol in ANY store save beer distributors and liquor stores.

You live in Massachusetts, too? Heck, only just last year was it made possible to buy booze on Sunday. The town I just moved out of had a referendum vote in Nov to allow grocery stores to sell liquor. Not sure if it passed or not.

Nope, PA. We're all Quakers and Amish here.. well, at least our laws are.

 

[Zolty]

In Wisconsin it isn't technically against the law, but the business has the right to refuse anyone for any reason.

 

[BlancoNino]

Originally posted by: slsmnaz

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Personally, I don't see why the store should care WHO they sell it to, as long as the person purchasing it is of legal age. Whatever they do with it is their business, not yours.

The fact that the clerk would have to pay a fine out of his own pocket should be reason enough. Even though you might not agree, it's the law. Why should he have to be punished for some idiot 16yo that wants his friend to buy him cigs. Same penalties apply to waiters too.

Keep it up OP :thumbsup:

Why would he have to pay a fine? 18 year old kid purchases cigarettes and then gives them to his friend out in the parking. Why is it the store's responsibility?

I've been to the store plenty of times with some friends that are 19 and 20 years old, and the clerk never cards them when I purchase alcohol with them, and that's the way it should be.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21

Originally posted by: crownjules

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Try living in a state that's so outdated they won't sell ANY alcohol in ANY store save beer distributors and liquor stores.

You live in Massachusetts, too? Heck, only just last year was it made possible to buy booze on Sunday. The town I just moved out of had a referendum vote in Nov to allow grocery stores to sell liquor. Not sure if it passed or not.

Nope, PA. We're all Quakers and Amish here.. well, at least our laws are.

But you can buy beer to go at the bar all night long I miss that, especially since I lived down the street from the bar.

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ

I would just tell em that I was sorry but I didnt make the laws and I wasnt going to lose my job over it.

Taking yourself out of the role of authority and making yourself appear the victim is the key to avoiding confrontation.

"I'm really sorry but I can't get fired over it, I have to support my poor ailing mother".

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: djheater

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ

I would just tell em that I was sorry but I didnt make the laws and I wasnt going to lose my job over it.

Taking yourself out of the role of authority and making yourself appear the victim is the key to avoiding confrontation.

"I'm really sorry but I can't get fired over it, I have to support my poor ailing mother".

:roll:

 

[HannibalX]

Meh. Don't let some punk kids bother you. You didn't make the law you just enforce it - and not enforcing it is not worth getting fired.

Just let is slide off your back.

 

[Brainonska511]

NYS: You can buy beer and wine in grocery stores. Liquor stores for hard stuff and wine (and maybe beer). You can buy beer on Sundays after 8AM (changed from 12PM to 8AM last year) and within the last 5 years, liquor stores could be open on Sundays.

I used to work in a ShopRite (chain grocery store), but whenever someone needed to be IDed, I'd have to call a manager or security to check the ID. Only the person buying the beer would have to be IDed in most cases.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Try living in a state that's so outdated they won't sell ANY alcohol in ANY store save beer distributors and liquor stores.

Not out dated, just in it for the money. It's nice being a state-owned monopoly that can get away with charging more than every adjacent state because they're the only game in town. You can get take-out 6-packs at restaurants though - but of course that's more expensive than the beer distributor.