Yes, this is our carding policy, don't be an ass about it!

[ShetenshiSenshi]

I have to love this. I've been cashiering at the grocery store I work at for about 3 weeks now. My particular store chain requires us to card everyone who appears to be under 25 every single time they come in. We then have to take their ID and write down the person's birthdate, ID issue date, name as it appears on the ID, and the driver's license/ ID number. I initial the entry, and the customer has to sign it, and their signature MUST match the signature on their ID. If people are in a group, I need to do this for EVERYONE in the group.

Yeah, it sounds over the top, but that's the policy. It is what it is.

2 days ago, I had two people who were together tell me that "I could see their IDs, but they were not signing that book" OK, no booze for you!

Yesterday, a customer told me that he wasn't going to sign his name, but was just going to put an "X". Nope, no booze for you.

Tonight, I had a guy get pissed off when he saw what I was writing down and starting going off about "invasion of privacy" . Seriously? I could Google your frigging name and get the same information and more. Leave your tin foil hat at home, the government isn't going to "get you" because I wrote down your driver's license number and birth date. They already have it. As for the company having your information, we already do, you signed up for that discount card. Nobody here cares enough about you or your information to steal it. Get lost, no booze for you.

Even the customers who don't refuse to go along with it complain that they've "never had to deal with this" , and they've been buying alcohol here for years and "the other cashiers don't do that, so why do you have to?" I don't care about what the other cashiers do or don't do. I'm not making that sale without the logging of the required information. I'm not risking a criminal record or fines just because some asshat doesn't want to follow the rules! How do I know that this wasn't a state or corporate sting? I'm not risking my future or finances for anyone!

[barainga]

Does seem over the top, I would just go elsewhere than go through that to buy something to drink myself though rather than giving the cashier a hard time.

[Tama]

Maybe the owner of this particular franchise got burned on a sting before and wants to be extra careful?

Seriously though--go to Walmart if you don't like this store. There's usually one near a Kroger anyway!

[ShetenshiSenshi]

Maybe the owner of this particular franchise got burned on a sting before and wants to be extra careful.

That's pretty much what I was thinking.

[PepperElf]

Although I too would question such a log (mainly cos what happens if the log is stolen?) it isn't something you yourself can change.

The customers need to stop trying to beat you up over it and take their questions to the management, the corporation, or the local courts if they feel it's illegal.

[Lace Neil Singer]

There was an article in the local paper once about a store that had a "card everyone"policy cuz they failed a sting. Customers were whining about it, but hey, you can either go elsewhere or just hand over your driver's licience cuz the alternative is that they'd lose their alcohol licience cuz of failing the sting.

I never understand why people whine at things that the cashier can't change rather than just going elsewhere.

[cashierbex]

That is quite the policy. Thankfully my store isn't doing it.

[XCashier]

I never understand why people whine at things that the cashier can't change rather than just going elsewhere.

Because that would actually be productive! They don't actually want anything to change, they just want an excuse to whine and complain and feel superior to the counter jockey.

Yeah, like the government is singling YOU out from hundreds of millions of citizens. Get over yourself and show your ID if you want your intoxicating goodness.

[Slayer]

Wow, that's crazy. Why people over 25 tho? Anyway, if I was told I had to give all that info just for "store policy" and not required law, I'd honestly just walk out and go somewhere else. All convienence and grocery stores sell booze here so it's not like I have to go far lol. Handing over ID is one thing, having it be written down is another (personally).

[Lurking Sockpuppet]

I have to agree. I would not shop there. I wouldn't take it out on the cashier but it is ridiculous to write down my personal information. I show my id to prove I'm legal. That is all I should have to do.

[Kagato]

I think the big issue is that not everywhere uses photographic ID, meaning that in the circumstances where they are not photo-ID's someone could easily use a friends ID and claim they were the person in question, which is where the matching signature would likely come in.

But granted it would definitely be a legal grey area requiring that sort of setup if it is not required by law.

[PepperElf]

I think the big issue is that not everywhere uses photographic ID

What kind of IDs are those?

[RealUnimportant]

I think the big issue is that not everywhere uses photographic ID, meaning that in the circumstances where they are not photo-ID's someone could easily use a friends ID and claim they were the person in question, which is where the matching signature would likely come in.

But granted it would definitely be a legal grey area requiring that sort of setup if it is not required by law.

Signatures can be forged, or the actual signatory could be incapacitated due to injury or illness (busted hand, for example); the simpler answer is to require photo ID, and that's why it's the only kind many retailers will accept.

I think we're becoming distracted from the main point though, and that is it doesn't matter what the policy is, if you're not willing to follow it then "no soup for you!"

[cashierbex]

My store will only accept photo governmant issued IDs for purchases of such items. Dunno bout the OP's.

[Merriweather]

I don't mind at all being asked to show an ID, no matter how old I look or how often I shop in a store. But never heard of a store writing down personal info in a book - since a lot of state's driver's license numbers are your ssn, that book could sure make it easy for identity thieves (DL # & signature, with other personal info, all in one spot, for thousands of people), and I bet it isn't treated very secure by some, either. Definitely over the top, and I'd definitely refuse and go elsewhere, while writing a scathing letter to corporate. But I wouldn't take it out on the cashier, cashiers don't institute or change policy, they just do what they're told to do in order to keep their jobs.