I went into a convenience store in Missoula on my way home from work one Friday afternoon and dropped a six-pack on the counter. The clerk said she needed to see ID. I pointed at my gray hair and white beard and asked her if she thought I was underage. She replied that it was company policy to card everyone. Needless to say, I left the beer there, walked out without it, and have not been back since.
I traveled to Pennsylvania last summer to spend a week with family, many of whom I had not seen in decades. While there, I stopped at a convenience store to buy a bottle of wine and was told to produce ID. I gave the store the same treatment described above. However, on the trip out of town back to the campsite, I saw an official State Liquor store and decided to try for a purchase there. The clerk, a State employee, never mentioned ID, took my cash, bagged my bottles, and wished me a good day.
Strange!
My theory is that individual stores are so terrified of losing their "license" to sell alcohol that they will not do anything at all which might bring that about, even if it means that they tell their well over the age of 21 clients to drop their trousers, bend over, and resort to rape. Trying to put it mildly so as not to offend anyone. BTW, the term "license" simply means paying someone for permission to operate at whatever is desired. Nothing more. Permission--bought and paid for.
Anymore, I make a joke of it. Often I will ask the clerk if he or she wants to see my ID and hold up my thumb for verification. It always draws a laugh. One thing is for certain, though. Any store which demands to see my ID to buy beer will lose all my business forevermore.
Good, Roger! I'm doing the same thing with this ridiculous imposition. I just found out yesterday that Super-1 is now carding EVERYONE, because some youngster managed to fool them and purchase some alcohol. I'm going to do a write up on that (or maybe you should and I'll restack it here). Anyway, until they come to their senses, I'm paying the extra 10 to 20 percent to shop at Burnt Fork Market.
It’s not about alcohol. It’s about discrimination. Someone got their nose out of joint because they were carded and the next guy wasn’t who “looked older” than him was allowed to go ahead without being asked. Or the person known to the shop skates while the person of some category (take your pick) cries x-ism. So they make it a blanket rule. You buying alcohol? we card everyone so no one cries discrimination. No one cares in the Midwest about alcohol or being the nanny state. They want No hassles. No fights.
I agree with you. Just another proof of the sad state of affairs in the identity-driven US. Same attitudes creeping into Europe as well.
I worked at a gas station-convenience store that sold alcohol, tobacco products and lottery tickets. I had to deal with the insane laws and irate customers. While the drinking age was 21, the legal age to buy tobacco products was 18. To add more flavor to the discussion on over the top crazy laws, it was then legal to possess and use tobacco at 17 but it was illegal for a 17 year old to but it and for anyone to provide it for one that young. Figure that out, if you can.
Back to the main topic; 21 to but alcohol and 18 to buy tobacco. So, what do you suppose the carding laws were? As a sales clerk, I was legally required to only card those who looked under 21 for alcohol. However, for tobacco we were required to card everyone below 25. This means that if you look 21 or older but in fact are below that age I would in theory be off the hook for selling beer to you without carding you. You look over 21 and that is what the law requires. For a pack of smokes, however, I must card everyone who is 25 years old and younger. However, who can tell for certain someone’s age? I was still getting carded at 30. I was in a bar talking to a lovely, stunningly beautiful woman when a friend came up and told me she was under age. WHAT! She’s in a bar and has a drink in her hand. I asked and shooting daggers at the friend who warned me of the danger, conformed she was in fact only 16. YIKES. I, at least, may not be the best judge of a person’s age. In my defense, 16 year olds should not be dressing as she did, nor are they supposed to be allowed in a bar at that age.
When the new law on carding for tobacco came into effect, the sheriff asked the manger to post a notice on the requirements and the penalty. I gave the first of these above; the penalties were high. Arrest, jail and a fine of $1,000. Oh, and a note from the manager added that we would be fired. I carded everybody buying any tobacco product. Had many conversations similar to yours but occasionally, like once a week, it would be heated. I had to tell more than one belligerent customer that I was not going to risk arrest, a night in jail, a $1,000 fine and getting fired for their habit and that they were wrong to assume anyone would.
Looking forward to your interview with Dr. Jones. Here in Honolulu, the Ala Moana Don Quixote has a policy of IDing for all alcohol purchases. You could know better than me if that's generally the case👍. Although l did make an alcohol purchase down in Waikiki recently ... honestly, l can't remember if l was IDed🤷♂️. Here, if you're at a loss for something to listen to an extended version of the Don Quixote jingle: https://youtu.be/lUsJsealYxM?si=FSHjaiDyP_KaYJJl
I went into a convenience store in Missoula on my way home from work one Friday afternoon and dropped a six-pack on the counter. The clerk said she needed to see ID. I pointed at my gray hair and white beard and asked her if she thought I was underage. She replied that it was company policy to card everyone. Needless to say, I left the beer there, walked out without it, and have not been back since.
I traveled to Pennsylvania last summer to spend a week with family, many of whom I had not seen in decades. While there, I stopped at a convenience store to buy a bottle of wine and was told to produce ID. I gave the store the same treatment described above. However, on the trip out of town back to the campsite, I saw an official State Liquor store and decided to try for a purchase there. The clerk, a State employee, never mentioned ID, took my cash, bagged my bottles, and wished me a good day.
Strange!
My theory is that individual stores are so terrified of losing their "license" to sell alcohol that they will not do anything at all which might bring that about, even if it means that they tell their well over the age of 21 clients to drop their trousers, bend over, and resort to rape. Trying to put it mildly so as not to offend anyone. BTW, the term "license" simply means paying someone for permission to operate at whatever is desired. Nothing more. Permission--bought and paid for.
Anymore, I make a joke of it. Often I will ask the clerk if he or she wants to see my ID and hold up my thumb for verification. It always draws a laugh. One thing is for certain, though. Any store which demands to see my ID to buy beer will lose all my business forevermore.
Good, Roger! I'm doing the same thing with this ridiculous imposition. I just found out yesterday that Super-1 is now carding EVERYONE, because some youngster managed to fool them and purchase some alcohol. I'm going to do a write up on that (or maybe you should and I'll restack it here). Anyway, until they come to their senses, I'm paying the extra 10 to 20 percent to shop at Burnt Fork Market.
I will freely admit that my interest in the midwest travel series was starting to wane just a wee bit Then we get this corker! amazing writing....
It’s not about alcohol. It’s about discrimination. Someone got their nose out of joint because they were carded and the next guy wasn’t who “looked older” than him was allowed to go ahead without being asked. Or the person known to the shop skates while the person of some category (take your pick) cries x-ism. So they make it a blanket rule. You buying alcohol? we card everyone so no one cries discrimination. No one cares in the Midwest about alcohol or being the nanny state. They want No hassles. No fights.
I agree with you. Just another proof of the sad state of affairs in the identity-driven US. Same attitudes creeping into Europe as well.
I worked at a gas station-convenience store that sold alcohol, tobacco products and lottery tickets. I had to deal with the insane laws and irate customers. While the drinking age was 21, the legal age to buy tobacco products was 18. To add more flavor to the discussion on over the top crazy laws, it was then legal to possess and use tobacco at 17 but it was illegal for a 17 year old to but it and for anyone to provide it for one that young. Figure that out, if you can.
Back to the main topic; 21 to but alcohol and 18 to buy tobacco. So, what do you suppose the carding laws were? As a sales clerk, I was legally required to only card those who looked under 21 for alcohol. However, for tobacco we were required to card everyone below 25. This means that if you look 21 or older but in fact are below that age I would in theory be off the hook for selling beer to you without carding you. You look over 21 and that is what the law requires. For a pack of smokes, however, I must card everyone who is 25 years old and younger. However, who can tell for certain someone’s age? I was still getting carded at 30. I was in a bar talking to a lovely, stunningly beautiful woman when a friend came up and told me she was under age. WHAT! She’s in a bar and has a drink in her hand. I asked and shooting daggers at the friend who warned me of the danger, conformed she was in fact only 16. YIKES. I, at least, may not be the best judge of a person’s age. In my defense, 16 year olds should not be dressing as she did, nor are they supposed to be allowed in a bar at that age.
When the new law on carding for tobacco came into effect, the sheriff asked the manger to post a notice on the requirements and the penalty. I gave the first of these above; the penalties were high. Arrest, jail and a fine of $1,000. Oh, and a note from the manager added that we would be fired. I carded everybody buying any tobacco product. Had many conversations similar to yours but occasionally, like once a week, it would be heated. I had to tell more than one belligerent customer that I was not going to risk arrest, a night in jail, a $1,000 fine and getting fired for their habit and that they were wrong to assume anyone would.
Looking forward to your interview with Dr. Jones. Here in Honolulu, the Ala Moana Don Quixote has a policy of IDing for all alcohol purchases. You could know better than me if that's generally the case👍. Although l did make an alcohol purchase down in Waikiki recently ... honestly, l can't remember if l was IDed🤷♂️. Here, if you're at a loss for something to listen to an extended version of the Don Quixote jingle: https://youtu.be/lUsJsealYxM?si=FSHjaiDyP_KaYJJl