Is this a law????? (grocery store vent)

[vivilasvegas]

I don't blame employees who have to enforce it, but I still think it's idiotic. And I bet a million bucks that if I go to the same store tomorrow, my boyfriend won't be asked for ID by a different clerk if I'm buying it and showing my ID.

 

[Briarmom]

OK, I am confused here. Is your ds 21? What if he was 19? Are you not allowed to purchase alcohol at the grocery store?

 

[LoveWDW]

I was wondering, what was to keep the OP from leaving the store, returning a few minutes later without her friend, and buying the item?

 

[vivilasvegas]

OK, I am confused here. Is your ds 21? What if he was 19? Are you not allowed to purchase alcohol at the grocery store?

No, my boyfriend and I are 32, I was buying some wine, and he had to go get his ID or else they wouldn't sell it to me. But if he was my son who wasn't 21, they would still sell it to me.

 

[vivilasvegas]

I was wondering, what was to keep the OP from leaving the store, returning a few minutes later without her friend, and buying the item?

I said that, while he was outside getting it, can't I just buy it now? They said no, because they knew he was outside!!

 

[tiggersmom2]

I said that, while he was outside getting it, can't I just buy it now? They said no, because they knew he was outside!!

That would tick me off so badly that I would choose another establishment to do my shopping at.

 

[Briarmom]

No, my boyfriend and I are 32, I was buying some wine, and he had to go get his ID or else they wouldn't sell it to me. But if he was my son who wasn't 21, they would still sell it to me.

Oh. Sorry, I've had a glass of wine.
That's just ridiculous!
I know that once I was at the store with a friend and they carded her (even though I bought the beer) because she was going to carry the beer, but I always went to the liquor store with dh when he was my boyfriend and I wasn't 21...no one ever asked me. I wasn't paying.

 

[U2_rocks]

That would tick me off so badly that I would choose another establishment to do my shopping at.

No kidding!!

 

[RitaZ.]

I said that, while he was outside getting it, can't I just buy it now? They said no, because they knew he was outside!!

That's ridiculous!

 

[lemondog]

Well, they certainly don't do that in Georgia. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!

 

[poohandwendy]

Very stupid rule and definitely not a solution to ANY problem associated with people buying alcohol for minors. It's not like the only people you could possibly be giving alcohol to are the ones standing right next to you when you check out.

 

[KAMLEM]

if there are 2 adults together and one doesnt have ID we will use the other adults

That's the whole point of this thread. The OP was saying that BOTH adults had to have an ID or they could not buy the alcohol.

 

[lsyorke]

Very stupid rule and definitely not a solution to ANY problem associated with people buying alcohol for minors. It's not like the only people you could possibly be giving alcohol to are the ones standing right next to you when you check out.

Exactly!! Send in the 21 year old in alone, leave the 18 year olds in the car. This is a "We're doing everything we can to combat underage drinking" law that penalizes the legal.

 

[Nancy]

Exactly!! Send in the 21 year old in alone, leave the 18 year olds in the car. This is a "We're doing everything we can to combat underage drinking" law that penalizes the legal.

Unfortunately you are right, but if we don't see the kids then legally they can't hold us responsible for selling to minors. We won't be involved in a lawsuit if we didn't have the monors in our store. Do I wish the rules for our store were different? Sure, but as long as they are in place we have to follow them.

 

[justhat]

No... The restuarant may choose not to serve you if you are serving your DD. It's also very dependent on child's age. Younger kids don't really cause concern. It's when the kids are older, but not 21. More like the 17-20 year range. /further explanation after the next quotes.





It's really a judgement call in these situations. As a server, you can observe what is going on and tell the dynamics. A child over 16 will generally have ID if needed to prove relationship. The server can always defer to the manager to make the final decision. If the wrong judgement is made, it is a hefty price to pay--I've seen it.

And, hey, I didn't make the law or necessarily support it. I just know it as an ex-server, ex-restaurant manager, ex-restaurant consultant, & still occasional event planner. You guys asked, so I answered.

Thanks for the explanation. It seems so bizarre still. Don't get me wrong, I'm in no way blaming you or anything like that, and I believe you, but I just can't get over that law! I mean, if I had been out with my mom for dinner when I was 17-20 (didn't have a license/id till 17), she would have been denied alcohol cause we have different last names so no way to prove we were related. Good thing for her that NJ doesn't work like that cause she would have gone without a glass of wine at many dinners.

 

[RitaZ.]

The only thing that policy is teaching minors is to not come into the store while their older friends buy the liquor.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

It does seem bizarre, to say the least. There are occasions that my DH and I are going someplace and I don't bring my purse--(usually it's a matter of forgetting it, but we don't rush home for it, I just don't drive). If we were to go to a liquor store my DH couldn't buy anything. I'll have to ask if that's the rule here.

 

[poohandwendy]

Unfortunately you are right, but if we don't see the kids then legally they can't hold us responsible for selling to minors.

The law should be that the store is only responsible for selling to the individual buying the alcohol. They should not have any liability for anyone else consuming the alcohol as long as they only sell to legal adults.

I don't blame the people who work in the stores, I balme the ridiculous laws and the litigious 'who else can we add to the blame list for money' nature of our society.

 

[Beth76]

The only thing that policy is teaching minors is to not come into the store while their older friends buy the liquor.

Which is something they should do in the first place, if they were smart.

 

[lilostitch]

Seems ridiculous. Maybe you should just tell the cashier, "He isn't with me"

I think I'd walk out the door, tell person without id to stay outside, go back in and buy what I wanted. Just plain silly