Question about IDs for alcohol...

OK, maybe it's me being overly sensitive, but I get so pissed off when I go to Kroger with my own freaking wife and they ask for both of our IDs. One time, she had left her's at home and they said they couldn't sell to us because she didn't have her ID. We go there almost daily, so the cashiers have to recognize us.

That being said, does anyone know if that's a law or just a ridiculous Kroger policy?

It makes me so mad because they just lost out on business because I just went down the street to a gas station and bought booze there. I just don't see the merit in it because if someone was really trying to do something illegal, they would just have the underage person stay in the car. It almost is like they want to annoy adults as much as possible. Anyone have any information on this?

Well it is the law, that people in your party have to be checked if they aren't your kid, aka if your wife falls into that percentile that doesn't look 30 or over or like under 8 years old. Maybe they got violations for not checking peoples' ids' so they have to check everybody's every time they come around.

You know how cops check stores? They hire an underage teenager in good standing to go into stores and try to buy alcohol, and if they don't get carded well then the officers go in and bust them.

So that could be the reason why. Or maybe you and your wife are young and good looking enough that they really can't tell if you are over 21 haha. I'm only 22 and there are things I don't get carded for anymore, like I've bought beer at 7-11 and haven't been carded, I've bought cigs for friends and haven't gotten carded, I've bought video games for mature people only and haven't gotten carded. It doesn't bother me any because it all depends on the person. I have gotten carded while buying an M rated video game before and it's not a big deal, even though I feel like I clearly look older than 17. Sometimes I go to the movies to see an R rated one and still get carded.

Like I said though some businesses just get caught red handed not carding people they should be and then they have to card everybody, everytime, no matter what, to avoid further sanctions. Just gotta deal with it.

Never have had that problem before. I've gone with three friends, one that was 21, the others were 17 and 16 (no I wasn't giving them alcohol, honestly), but they were never asked for their ID, just myself.

Then again any grocery store I go to I never have that problem even with friends, they don't look anything like me so I really don't know.

Interesting that you have that problem.

I've had that problem before in Maryland. Was at the bowling alley and I went to get a pitcher of beer and the lady must've saw me coming cause she asked for my ID and my friend's ID. Granted, she just turned 21 and I don't look over 21, although I'm almost 24. So...

One of my friend's was a cashier at Meijer (a store similar to Walmart) and she said that they are required to ALWAYS card if the person looks like they could be under some random age like 30-35.. Something to that effect. So she carded one guy and the guy got so pissed at her, he cussed her out and reported her to corporate.

Really I think it just depends on the establishment.

I think it's usually a store policy to ID everyone. Yeah it's a pain but the store is just trying to protect itself.

At 37 I don't mind getting carded. :)

Haha. I agree there, but that's the only place we go to that asks for both IDs. The only reason it makes me mad is because there are SO many ways around that if you wanted to be sketchy.

Yeah, Wegmans up here will ID anyone who buys alcohol... 89 year olds will go through the line and get carded.... I mean its a pain in the ass, but I get where they're coming from too.. It also helps protect kids who are doing those jobs in some cases from having to make judgment calls....but I def get the hassle.

In college I was the first person to turn 21 in my house and so it usually fell on me to do the booze buying. One day I was driving to the keg store with my 20 year old stoner roommate whom I had admonished like five times to not give me money in the store, as this would force the beer dude to card him too I knew from experience. So we drive up and what does he say? "Dude, here's my share of the money," handing me a 20 right in front of the guy. No soup for us that day. Come back one year.

So anyway, I took this to mean that in PA a party has to be a visible participant in the transaction to necessitate an ID check. In other words, just riding in the same car isn't enough to require ID.

I don't mind getting carded myself, but when you ask all people in the party, I think that's SUPER lame.

I believe that an establishment, whether a restaurant or grocery store, can serve products and services to whomever they choose.

I know in Virginia there is some law that states that you can drink on the day before your official 21st at a restaurant or something like that. But, most restaurants don't let you do that so there is nothing you can do. They have the choice of who they serve.

I imagine it is the same for the grocery store. Even if you are in the "right" and the law states you don't have to card people who are also with the person purchasing alcohol, an establishment might just be deciding to protect itself to a further extent.