Am I allowed to be upset about this?

[Pagan]

In New Mexico, if you're 19-20, as long as you have your server permit, you can sell package and be a server.

I remember many times before I was 21 when my parents would be buying wine at the store, there was never any mention of the fact that I wasn't 21 and never asked for ID. Even when I went out with friends (from oldest to youngest, there was a total span of 9 months, so some were legal, some not) there was never a problem.

As a matter of fact (and I think they've changed this), I remember when I was like 18-20, we'd go out to the Double Eagle Restaurant for Sunday brunch. We'd make sure to make reservations close noon as they would start serving "sparkling" wine at noon (still no liquor sales before noon on Sundays in NM, don't ask me why). Several times the waitress would fill up three glasses, knowing full well I wasn't legal, saying, "I don't know why you want three glasses" wink, wink. The way the law was at the time, my parents could order and pay for the alcohol and then give it to me.

The cashier saw that we'd arrived seperately and no one else would have thought we were together. He said "Ok, I need to see both your IDs, NOW!"

I started to walk away, the next customer put their stuff down, and the cashier LEFT HIS REGISTER and followed me. My roomate was already on the way to his car. He then yelled at the top of his lungs "YOU....get back here NOW!"...

Wow! Somebody needs a little retraining!

Here in WI it goes a step further

If Cashier A sells alcohol to person B, and person B off the premises at a party or whatever serves a minor, and said minor gets injured in an alcohol related crash-Cashier A can be sued by parents of said minor. Even though the cashier had nothing to do with it-that's how the law here is written. Also here if we see a suspected minor in the purchaser's car, it is illegal to make the sale.

No offense, and I'm saying this as someone who is death on drunk drivers, but that's just stupid. And I live in a state that's had some god-awful drunk driving wrecks. One that made the national news, resulted in three trials, and the guy got only 20 years for wiping out a mother, her three daughters and permanently disabling the father.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

No offense, and I'm saying this as someone who is death on drunk drivers, but that's just stupid. And I live in a state that's had some god-awful drunk driving wrecks. One that made the national news, resulted in three trials, and the guy got only 20 years for wiping out a mother, her three daughters and permanently disabling the father.

Maybe so, but keep in mind Wisconsin is probably far and away the national leader in DUIs. Drinking is just in the culture here.

I had the exact same thing happen to me that happened to the OP. Was purchasing some potent potables for a party and happened to have with me one of my friends who was 3 months away from 21. Both of us got carded and the sale was refused because my friend was underage.

[alphaboi]

...The cashier then tried to GRAB my roomate and said "Get back in here or I'm calling the cops!"...!

If I were your roomate I would've starting screaming every obscenity I know at the top of my lungs at that point. There's no justification for touching someone without there consent (except self-defence) and the cashier should've been fired on the spot for that alone.

[BlaqueKatt]

Maybe so, but keep in mind Wisconsin is probably far and away the national leader in DUIs. Drinking is just in the culture here.

yeah Lewis Black actually refers to Wisconsinites in his act as "professionals" in reference to drinking-my parents let me drink a beer or two around age 13 at family gatherings.

[Boozy]

I'm with Rerant. From what I know independently, and the stories I've heard on here, most states do have that law. It's here in Canada too

Not in Ontario. I'm allowed to use my discretion.

In the situation that sixums described, I might have asked for her ID. Two young people, long weekend, more than just a little booze.

It's not the law, and so I've never told a customer it was. Even if I felt it could make my job a bit easier.

That said, I wouldn't come down too hard on the Walmart clerk for lying. sixums and her boyfriend sound like reasonable people who weren't going to freak out, but the clerk didn't know that. She was just trying to get through her shift without getting yelled at.

[alphaboi]

...That said, I wouldn't come down too hard on the Walmart clerk for lying. sixums and her boyfriend sound like reasonable people who weren't going to freak out, but the clerk didn't know that. She was just trying to get through her shift without getting yelled at.

She might not have been "lying" at all. Mangement might have told all the cashiers that it's "the law" hoping it'd make them more vigilent. I'm still not sure whether or not it's actually illegal for use to sell lighters/give matches to a minor. The handbook simply says that in "some states" these are legally restricted items and it's "corporate policy" to card for them. Either we've every sting we've gotten (internal and law enforcement) had involved actual tobacco.

[Broomjockey]

It's not the law, and so I've never told a customer it was. Even if I felt it could make my job a bit easier.

Holy crap. This is actually something that's under provicial control rather than federal. I forgot. :facepalm:

In Alberta " It is illegal to sell or supply alcohol to anyone known to be, or appearing to be (unless the person has proof otherwise) under the age of 18." and "If someone buys alcohol for you - they could be fined up to $2,000." So I'd assume that means they have to card everyone in the group.

[Boozy]

She might not have been "lying" at all. Mangement might have told all the cashiers that it's "the law" hoping it'd make them more vigilent.

Good point. Or maybe there was just miscommunication during her training, and the clerk misunderstood.

[Evil Queen]

No ID, no sale. No matter what the age. (down here in Texas you get carded if you're under 40)

[Pagan]

No ID, no sale. No matter what the age. (down here in Texas you get carded if you're under 40)

See, I just wish that they'd all do that here. Just card everyone, regardless of how old they look. Take the subjective angle out of it.

It irks me greatly when a bunch of obviously college guys buying a bunch of beer in front of me don't get carded and me, with my not-usual-for-a-college-student bottle of wine does get carded. Especially when I'm a good 10-15 years older than them.

(Hmmm....maybe if I go buy booze after leaving Pres(byterian Hospital) with my scrubs on and my badge that, for some inexplicable reason, says "Pharmacy Intern", maybe then I'll look "old" enough. )

[Whyme]

I work for WM and I honestly can't remember if it's state law or store policy. We can only allow purchases of alcohol and tobacco if everyone in the group has a valid ID. If we saw you come in together or some other indication that you are together, we HAVE to ID everyone. NO ifs, ands, or buts about it.

The same thing happens to myself and my husband at Circle K (a convenience store). I don't drive, don't drink, don't smoke (I'm pretty boring). When hubby drives, I don't normally bring my wallet. He's tried purchasing cigarettes at the last minute only to be denied because the cashier will ask me for my ID and I don't have it. I'm 34 (but look fabulously younger) and unfortunately hubby will state this fact LOUDLY for the store to hear. I usually end up telling him the cashier is doing his/her job and get him out of there.

[Shangri-laschild]

Lady, I'm an adult. I'm not going to flip out and throw a tantrum because you're within your right to withhold a sale.

This site probably wouldn't exist if there weren't a large amount of adults that flip out and throw tantrums even when the employee is well within their rights and a lot of them can appear to be calm and polite right up until the point they blow up. She had no way of knowing that if she just said "it's company policy," you wouldn't freak out.

As to if she was lying, it could be that a supervisor told her that it was illegal as a method of scaring her away from breaking what was actually just policy.

[Eben56]

A lot of times the problem is the law is worded in legaleeze so that the store will just make a policy decision and then say "its the law" when in reality the law has caveats written into it that do not always make it mandatory to check everyone.

Usually there are phrases like "non-related" and "reasonable suspicion" etc, etc.

Otherwise an adult could not buy a pack of cigs if his kids were in the store with him, or an adult could not have a drink in a restaurant if with his family.

Usually a store will make the blanket policy because its easier than trying to explain to a clerk what "reasonable suspicion" means. If you take away the clerks ability to make a decision you never have to worry about the consequences of a wrong one.

In the original OP's case I would have a "reasonable suspicion" based on purchasing two different brands same as I would be suspicious if a person bought 2 brands of cigs and there was another person with them or in the car.

[Bella_Vixen]

What frustrates me to no end is, Wisconsin state law is "No liquor sales from 9 PM to 9 AM." But...some municipalities get a wavier. My oldest sis used to own a liquor store. They closed at 10. Town rules. Not half a mile down the road, stores could sell til midnight. Different town.

VERY frustrating.

The store I work at is 9 PM. A town just over the border in the next county sells til God knows when. Guess where all our sucktacular customers come from?