Responsible Vendor Act, Tennessee

[DGoddessChardonnay]

About the only thing I miss being on the front end is carding for alcohol. Especially when you have a pack of young-looking folks coming to the counter w/a couple of singles or a 6 pack (and why does it take 4 people to buy a 6 pack I'll never understand.)

Had a pack of 3 who didn't look quite old enough try this about 3 months ago. Now in NC, if even ONE person does not have ID and/or they are under 21, then it's no sale. Two guys and a girl - each guy has a single tallboy beer. One guy has Cellphonitis (this is that contagious affliction where one arm is crookedly bent upward and there's a cellphone growing from an ear.)

Both guys have ID, girl doesn't to sum it up. Cellphonitis dude says he's not with them.

"I saw ya'll come up here to the register together," was the pointedly simple reply as I took the beer off the counter. "State laws says even if one person in the group is either underage or does not have ID, I can't make the sale."

"This is bullshit," I hear Cellphonitis dude whine as the threesome stomp out the door, he loudly complaining to the growth on his ear - profanity laden, naturally.

Yep, real mature there. Act like a 3 year old with limited vocabulary. That'll really make the cashier believe you're old enough for alcohol

I laughed at them as they made their exit. Even the CSM, who was bagging at the next register, was laughing. Kids like that make my day.

[greensinestro]

I also used to love people like this, but they weren't always in groups. Sometimes the underage women would come in with a baby in tow, and that was supposed to be the way to fool the cashier into believing they were over 21 years of age. One cashier I remember was never lenient about carding anyone she felt needed to be carded. Women with the babies would often say, "Oh, I left my ID in my car", then after they said "I'll be right back with it", they would get in the car and just leave without strapping the baby in! And I'm sure the discussion with the driver of the vehicle was "Well, we need to go somewhere else." Must have been a family outing, going to store after store until one gave in to people like this. I wonder if they ever had time to change that baby's diaper? And what about that baby's nap time?

[allniter]

The AM said that this customer could be banned from the store if she continues to behave like that, and would be charged with trespassing if she set foot on the premises afterward. Loudmouth has not graced our store with her presence during my shift for several days now.

I do like working for my manager and assistant manager. They always back the cashiers as long as the cashier are acting in accordance with company policy. If it comes down to choosing between the cashier and the customer, the manager said the customer will just have to take their business elsewhere. If she gets a good cashier, she will do what she can to keep that cashier. She once made a comment about how the good customers will stay loyal if you keep good cashiers for them, but the bad customers are not worth the bother because they just come and go.

I love your boss, she rules!!! Let us know what happens if she comes back, I'd love to see how this might end.

[Gurndigarn]

I've often thought that a "card everyone" law would make things easier on retail workers, and I'd like to see one here in Canada. You'd get complaints at first, but eventually everyone would just get used to it.

Can you imagine - no more "Are you blind? I'm 40 years old!" or, "You're just carding me because I'm (some race other than yours)!"

It's a nice theory, but you'll still get race, age, gender, and preferred-sock-color cards pulled.

What I recommend is a card-swiping/bar-code-reading (depending on what your government uses) machine that is required for all age-restricted sales. Which connects to the DMV and downloads the picture associated with that ID. That way, you can check for fake IDs, and you have a serious excuse to have the physical ID.

[MrSunshineState]

Typical gutter trash talk where I come from).

I hope nothing changes in 2009. I will proudly walk through the tunnels of Lambeau Field wearing my 49er red and gold! 2009 Season 49ers at Packers. Two years away and I am already looking forward to it. This coming season will actually be my first 49er home game (Flying to SF, also to Atlanta and Carolina for other 9ers games). I *LOVE* going to other stadiums in my 49ers gear. I am really big on pissing the crowd off. So far no fights yet

[justZu]

What I recommend is a card-swiping/bar-code-reading (depending on what your government uses) machine that is required for all age-restricted sales. Which connects to the DMV and downloads the picture associated with that ID. That way, you can check for fake IDs, and you have a serious excuse to have the physical ID.

Oh, I would literally, honestly adore something like that. I have typical middle-age eyes and it can be a right pain in the ass reading an ID when it's not in broad daylight. Plus, whenever I get an out-of-state license I feel like a complete moron searching for the birthdate when its usually in plain sight.

I vote for carding everyone and having a card reader to verify the IDs.

[zzapp the witch]

I have a photoless Driver's License, religious exception. In other words, no photo ID. People ask me if I worry about someone stealing my license and pretending to be me, I always answer, "Who in the hell would want to be me?"

Hasn't stopped me from getting liquor or smokes, (never for me, religious oath) if someone won't sell it to me, another place always will, plus it helps that I'm a regular, and known as a permanent DD at any bar I go to.

The whole "papers please" bugs me. Not that it applies in retail....much.

[powerboy]

I do not mind being carded. Hell the cashier is doing their job, and I am not going to bitch about that.

[aurelemsrealm]

I'd seen the question asked if it applies to the 80-year-olds. Yes, we have to turn them away, too. In a way, it seems kind of sad when common sense makes it obvious that this person is old enough to buy pretty much anything that's legal. However, leave it to some low life deviant to try and exploit any exception made on that basis.

Here are a couple more real gems from the last few days.....

I did have a woman try to play 20 questions on me because she was in line behind a regular who already knows to have his ID ready by the time he gets to the counter. By the way, it's nice when a customer knows the drill and cooperates without making an issue. The woman behind him wanted cigarettes, and so I asked to see her ID already guessing she probably was in her 50s or 60s. She proceeded to ask why I didn't ask the young man in front of her for his ID when he bought beer. Not that I felt any obligation to explain my actions to her, I told her that he did, in fact, show me his ID, because he buys beer here everyday after work and already knows the drill. She specifically pointed out that I didn't ask him to show his ID. I replied that it was not necessary to ask him if I could see his ID when he already had it ready to hand to me. She then asked if I card every old lady even if I know them. Yes, it is the law, so my job requires me to ask everyone every time regardless of age. Plus, I'm on camera, and management can go back and check my every move should they ever wish to do so. The conversation continued with such mindnumbing questions for a minute or two longer before I finally walked away from the counter giving her the hint that the conversation was finished as far as I was concerned. It was amusing that she was trying to grasp for straws, though. I'll give her credit for that one.

I had another one throw a small hissy fit the other day because I made her go get her ID. She protested that she was "older than dirt," which was her exact words, not mine. Far be it from me to dispute, "Yes, I realize that you're old, but your smoking pleasure is not worth my job. (Besides, for all I care, you can smoke your lungs out)." Obviously, I didn't say the part in parenthesis because that would be rude *smirk*, but it was close to the tip of my tongue at that moment. So, she stormed out the door. I put the cigarettes aside because I figured she wouldn't return after not getting her way. Lo and behold, she returned, much to my excitement. She held out her ID, and I "thanked" her as I reached out to grab it. She dropped it close to her side of the counter just before I could grasp it as if it was supposed to be some kind of affront to me that I'd have to reach for it if I was to pick it up. I simply slid it across the counter to my side, looked at it, typed in her birthdate making sure to repeat it out loud, and told her the total. She fumbled through her wallet for her cash, pulled out this mangled wad of bills and change, and dropped it just short of my extended hand as if I was supposed to feel the sting yet again of oneupmanship. So, I straightened out the mess and counted it. Then, I put it on top of the open drawer and dug her change out. She extended her hand expecting me to hand it to her, but I set it on the counter within arm's reach and proceeded to sort my money into the drawer. I did glance up just long enough to see her give me the evil eye as she hastily scooped up her stuff and scuttled for the door. I couldn't help myself, the smirk just burst forward as soon as she got a few steps from the counter.

You know, it's just sad when some of these SCs think they are going to make you "pay" in some small, petty, childish way for crushing their egos. Maybe I am bad because I love to kick the pedestal out from under large egos, but it feels so good At work or at play, cutting stupid, obnoxious jerks down to size is a service I'm always happy to provide free of charge. Yes, my manager and assistant manager are both pretty cool because they find it funny. They know that I only target those who provoke such a response, so they don't call me down. As a matter of fact, the ratio of compliments from regular customers far outweighs the complaints from dissatisfied customers. Sorry, I got off the subject. LOL! I get sidetracked easily sometimes.

[DrugstoreJulie]

Seriously, WTF is the big deal about taking 2 seconds to show your ID????? For the life of me, I cannot fathom WHY it's such an issue for people.

Entitlement whorism and maybe vanity.
Either they are just old enough to buy tobacco/booze and think we all should know that they are suuuuuch mature adults or they are ashamed of their age and don´t want us to know.

[TheRoo]

Last week I covered a couple of shifts at a gas station that I used to work at years ago, and I am still friends with the manager. She has her customers trained really well on the whole ID thing. I worked 26 hours, and I did not get any grief over asking for an ID. Most of the people handed it to me with their money without me even asking for it. I could tell a lot of them were regulars because they pointed out exactly where their odd brand was on a cigarette rack that they could not see (I have never seen a cigarette rack so disorganized).

[CancelMyService]

One of my friends used to work at a gas station, and I'd stop by to visit him on night he was closing (the station was near my house and the closing shift was boring as hell). One of his favorite pastimes was carding people he knew were old enough to buy cigs (ie people we went to school with) but didn't have ID.

Also they didn't use to require ID to purchase rolling papers, and when they started carding to them he'd get a lot of "but I'm not even using it for tobacco" complaints.

ummmm.....yeah.

[JustADude]

Of course, in a bar a waiter carding a group of ladies that are their age or older is a great way to get big tips, just ask Jester.

It's unsettling to consider how many of them will be ones who throw a fit about showing their ID at a gas station for cigarettes.

[Jack7957]

Especially when you have a pack of young-looking folks coming to the counter w/a couple of singles or a 6 pack (and why does it take 4 people to buy a 6 pack I'll never understand.)

I loved Friday nights at the grocery store. We had two colleges nearby, and every Friday night, we'd get the group of 3 or 4 people coming in, heading straight to the beer aisles, make their selections, then one person would bring it to the registers, while one of two things would happen...
1) The other people would head back out to their vehicle and wait for their buddy
2) The other people would go get the other supplies needed for the party, cups, chips, etc, and get in another register lane.

If they came through my lane, I'd refuse the sale until all their friends showed me ID. Now based on options 1 & 2 above, this would normally be what happened...

1) They would say they came in alone, they had no friends. I would point out I saw them come in, and I would not sell it to him. I would also advise if they still wanted to buy beer, go across the street to the other store and make sure none of your buddies go in with you.
2) Came in alone, etc. I'd point right at their buddies in the other lane and say your friends are right there.

Oh, I would literally, honestly adore something like that. I have typical middle-age eyes and it can be a right pain in the ass reading an ID when it's not in broad daylight. Plus, whenever I get an out-of-state license I feel like a complete moron searching for the birthdate when its usually in plain sight.

I did a quick Google search and came up with this ID scanner, might be good for some of the posters here to see about getting their stores to purchase one or two....
CardVisor® ID Scanner

[myswtghst]

To be perfectly honest, we did find the 21+ yo to buy for us in college, but we usually had the sense not to go into the store with them. Granted, the Meijer near campus never seemed to care much--I'd buy for my brother and his roomies, and just send them to "pull up the car" while I paid.

The one that always killed me was going with my friend Brian to pick up supplies. Brian is about 5 years older than me, so he was at least 24-25 at the time. Brian is also in a wheelchair. Funny how that kept anyone from asking for my ID, so long as he paid and I was just "helping" by carrying everything for him.

By the by, as I'm sure I've mentioned before, I'm turning 24 in a month, and still get carded constantly, and usually told after they check my ID that they would've sworn I was only 17 or 18. I've just started saying something along the lines of "well, as much as it sucks now, I'm sure I'll appreciate it when I'm 40!" I'm the type who's already got my ID out, and am shocked if they don't card me (unless I'm at one of the 3 regular places, where the clerks all know me)