Ok, I realize there are laws/store policies and I understand stores need to follow them and I understand why. However, I have to ask, what the hell happened to common sense. There’s a point where you can take a rule/store policy too far.

Just a little while ago, I stopped in a local UDF for an ice cream. While I was waiting I grabbed a six pack of beer. I walked up to the counter to pay; there was one customer ahead of me. While I’m waiting my wife decided to come in and grab a bag of marshmallows. She throws the bag on the counter with my sundae and beer and, for some reason unknown to me, throws me a twenty. The girl behind the counter informs me she now needs to see both of our IDs. Why? I ask. She says because she handed me money and I’m buying alcohol, she needs to see both our IDs. “I’m 50”, I told her. She says it doesn’t matter. I said, “she’s older than me by an year and a half, surely you can tell by looking at us that neither of us are even under 40”. “Store policy”, she tells me. I told her “I understand, but you’re taking the policy a bit too far, “if either of us looked even remotely close to say, thirty, I’d understand, but….come on” Blank stare and a repeat of “store policy”. My wife didn’t have her ID with her, so this 50 year old guy couldn’t buy a six pack of beer. She asked me if I wanted the Customer Relations number to which I responded, “oh, heck yeah”. They will be hearing from me and so will the manager of that store. They also lost a customer for good. I simply can’t relate to being so over the top about a policy that you inconvenience and frustrate your customer. I refuse to spend my money where not a shred of common sense prevails.

To be sure I wasn’t over-reacting, when I stopped at a liquor store for the beer after this brush with ignorance, I presented the them with the question of how they would handle my wife handing me money prior to paying for the beer, I didn’t tell them why at that point because I wanted an honest answer. They said they’d simply sell me the beer as if I payed with money from my own wallet. I then explained to them why I asked and all three of them blurted out, “WOW”! Two of them said, “that’s taking things too far, the third one just shook his head and said, “that would be my last time in that store”, to which I replied, “oh, don’t worry, it will be my last trip in there”.

Now, I know, this really isn’t a big deal to most of you and I’m sure some of you think I’m over-reacting. Sorry, I’m just getting really tired of stupid people, stupid policies and nanny state style ignorance invading my life on a daily basis.

 

 

There…I feel better now.

Ok, I realize there are laws/store policies and I understand stores need to follow them and I understand why. However, I have to ask, what the hell happened to common sense. There’s a point where you can take a rule/store policy too far.

Unfortunately, in this case, she did exactly the right thing. The police run stings like this all the time. If you break the rules, even when it seems obvious, the store gets busted and the employee gets fired. We may not like the rules sometimes, but a business has to do everything it can to cover itself from getting in trouble.

 

There are a lot of situations like this that will involve people of a more border-line age. The rules are set up for situations like that and that is why they don't allow any exceptions. Had she made the exception for you, and her bosses caught that on the tape, you can bet she'd be looking for a job.

:popcorn:

Unfortunately, in this case, she did exactly the right thing. The police run stings like this all the time. If you break the rules, even when it seems obvious, the store gets busted and the employee gets fired. We may not like the rules sometimes, but a business has to do everything it can to cover itself from getting in trouble.

 

There are a lot of situations like this that will involve people of a more border-line age. The rules are set up for situations like that and that is why they don't allow any exceptions. Had she made the exception for you, and her bosses caught that on the tape, you can bet she'd be looking for a job.

I understand you're point, BF, but will disagree on a few points. 1. They can't get in trouble for selling beer to a 50 year old.

2. This law gets "bent" daily...everywhere that sells beer. I hardly ever get carded, because I don't remotely look under age. Heck, I've bought beer at UDF before and didn't get carded, so the person behind the counter broke policy because they had enough sense to realize I'm not under 21.

3. I disagree that she would have gotten fired for selling beer to two people that are obviously well over the legal age to buy alcohol. If so, I certainly wouldn't ever want to support an establishment like that.

 

You make some very valid points that I agree with, but there are limitations. Sometimes policies and even laws are too over the top and need to be re-evaluated. This is one of them in my book. When something is obvious to all and you still press the issue, in the end you will only lose customers. UDF just lost two.

In this case the age has nothing to do with her asking to see your ID, it was the situation that happened. Person "A" giving money to person "B" and person "B" buys the beer. She did exactly what she was supposed to do. When you go talk to her manager he/she will say that was the way she was trained to handle that situation, regardless of age.

She was doing her job. It's better for her to be vigilant than get stuck with an expensive ticket or, perhaps, jail time.

 

Sure, it may seem nonsensical, but it was the right thing for her to do to protect her job.

Perhaps if I had been with you RTS you wouldn't have been carded...they would have been too busy trying to call Child Protective Services because of this MUCH older man being there with me...a MUCH younger girl....:lol: I understand her asking for your ID, after all she really was just doing her job and if she hadn't she might have gotten fired. I just don't understand her asking for your wife's ID also just because she handed you a twenty (that sounds kinda stupid to me also).

Folks, I understand what you all are saying. I simply don't care. Again, the majority of places that sell beer won't go that far when it's as obvious as it was in this case. How do I know that? I've been buying beer for quite some time now and I've seen that policy in many stores and I've seen said policy ignored when the purchaser is well over the legal age. The manager can say what they will, corporate can read from their scripted little card, it won't matter. They lost two customers for good, no more gas or anything else from UDF from the two of us. I have my own policy that I'm now going to be over the top about.

She was doing her job. It's better for her to be vigilant than get stuck with an expensive ticket or, perhaps, jail time.

 

Sure, it may seem nonsensical, but it was the right thing for her to do to protect her job.

I really don't want to blame the girl as much as I do UDF. Still, when I described what the girl looked like to the guy at the liquor store (he lives near the UDF and stops in there frequently) he said "oh, now I totally understand, that girl reminds me of Barney Fife. She takes everything to the absolute limit and drives people crazy". She was rather odd acting, but still, I blame the over-reaching policy more.

Nip it.

I will remember this policy if I ever forget my money in the car and my teenager gives me cash at the checkout while buying beer. :lol:

I understand your frustration with the incident.

But I prefer the stricter/no exceptions policies if it helps to keep the alchohol out of the hands of underage drinkers.

Nip it.

:lol:

I will remember this policy if I ever forget my money in the car and my teenager gives me cash at the checkout while buying beer. :lol:

I understand your frustration with the incident.

But I prefer the stricter/no exceptions policies if it helps to keep the alchohol out of the hands of underage drinkers.

Hey, I'm cool with that. Again, I understand the policy and the points you all are making. I simply know that there is a cut off point, a point where common sense should kick in. Again, if someone as young looking as your daughter handed me the money then it's a no brainer.

 

I'm not looking for support nor did I expect to get any. Just felt the need to vent. :lol:

RTS, I can't get past beer and marsmallows.

RTS, I can't get past beer and marsmallows.

:lol: My wife wanted the marshmallows since I was going to light a fire and sit out and drink my beer that I couldn't purchase at UDF. She's not a drinker, but loves roasted marshmallows.