Tennessee's obsession with checking IDs/ Underage Drinking (Chattanooga: living in, restaurants)

[DubbleT]

I guess it's a case of better safe than sorry.
I recently had a young twenty something co-worker get hit on by a woman in her thirties and overheard him later tell another employee that she "had to have been at least fifty", lol. I think a lot of younger people are very very bad at estimating the ages of other people.

[linda814]

Just moved here 2 mos ago and was wondering why EVERY time I buy beer at Walmart they ask for ID....and I am 54 always shopping with my 56 yr old hubby...but on the flip side they barely look at you at the gas stations and I have NEVER had to show it to those cashiers....alas..no liquor stores in my town...it was the only place out of nine which turned liquor stores and by the drink down on the ballot a few weeks ago...

That same Walmart a year ago I still had my Michigan license and the older woman REFUSED to sell me beer...said my license was expired...it was not....they wouldn't even let hubby show his....we had like $300 worth of paint...caulk..home repair supplies already rung up and she came around my cart and grabbed it like we were under age criminals...I told her to get the manager..he sided with her...I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone....we left.. Went across the street to the gas station..the one where they don't even make eye contact and bought it there...the bottom line is we are in our mid 50s.....THAT was ridiculous...I used my Mich ID there after that one weird shopping trip and it was fine every other time.....I stay out of that woman's line now...

[85rx-7gsl-se]

Different places just do things differently. In St. Louis most places were really lax on id checks. However, Wal-Mart required everyone in your group to show id. So my wife and I would both have to show our id if we wanted to buy any alcohol.

[October_Pumpkin]

Originally Posted by linda814

Just moved here 2 mos ago and was wondering why EVERY time I buy beer at Walmart they ask for ID....and I am 54 always shopping with my 56 yr old hubby...but on the flip side they barely look at you at the gas stations and I have NEVER had to show it to those cashiers....alas..no liquor stores in my town...it was the only place out of nine which turned liquor stores and by the drink down on the ballot a few weeks ago...

That same Walmart a year ago I still had my Michigan license and the older woman REFUSED to sell me beer...said my license was expired...it was not....they wouldn't even let hubby show his....we had like $300 worth of paint...caulk..home repair supplies already rung up and she came around my cart and grabbed it like we were under age criminals...I told her to get the manager..he sided with her...I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone....we left.. Went across the street to the gas station..the one where they don't even make eye contact and bought it there...the bottom line is we are in our mid 50s.....THAT was ridiculous...I used my Mich ID there after that one weird shopping trip and it was fine every other time.....I stay out of that woman's line now...

Why would being expired even matter? It still shows your age. Bizarre.

[October_Pumpkin]

Originally Posted by 85rx-7gsl-se

Different places just do things differently. In St. Louis most places were really lax on id checks. However, Wal-Mart required everyone in your group to show id. So my wife and I would both have to show our id if we wanted to buy any alcohol.

So if you have your child with you, you can't buy alcohol?

[85rx-7gsl-se]

Originally Posted by October_Pumpkin

So if you have your child with you, you can't buy alcohol?

I never personally encountered or witnessed that scenario so I cant state for certain. However, my wife and I would both get carded even if buying just one can of beer. I saw many college kids get declined since one person in the group was under 21.

[85rx-7gsl-se]

Originally Posted by October_Pumpkin

Why would being expired even matter? It still shows your age. Bizarre.

That too is pretty common. Strange.

[Memphis1979]

Our liquor stores do not allow even accompanied minors into the liquor store. This was one of the prevailing reasons why many people voted for wine to be in the grocery store. When I walk in, I have my ID at the ready because the first thing I'm asked for is my ID, just walking into the store.

I look well over 21, and I find it kind of silly to be carded at this point, but its what I have to do when I want to buy booze. Even my 70 year old grandmother gets carded when she buys something.

[DonCorleone]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

My thoughts? Stop doing this.

Government granteth the beer permit, and government can take it away. If you want to make a profit and survive, follow the law.

My thoughts exactly.

If I recall, the previous law was something along the lines of: if the customer appears 35 or older, you don't have to card them; but if they look younger than 35, card them. Which is common sense, but when the law is subject to personal judgement of someone's age it offers some grey area. Plus, it takes away that indignant factor customers might throw up ("can't you tell I'm 21", etc) because the law is written to card everyone.

I have a favorite wine store I go to and they know me personally. I'm there every week. They still ask (apologetically and with a towards the law), assuming I don't already have my ID out to show them. It doesn't bother me in the least, however.

It will be interesting to see if it does have the intended effect of cutting down on minors being able to buy alcohol. I'd like to think it will, but I suspect it won't...as others have mentioned there are still lots of places that don't even ask. Ideally, it protects both merchants and minors. But only if the merchants follow the law.

[DubbleT]

Our training for our company is that we accept four forms of picture ID and they must be current, expired ID is not considered valid. We can also refuse to sell if we suspect the customer is already intoxicated or if there is any hint that someone is buying for a minor (even if it's your own kid). Our store does go over some various scenarios, so just having a kid with you usually isn't going to get you denied, we look at behaviors too.
TN likes to conduct stings and I'm not willing to potentially risk my stores license and my job, so definitely I go with better safe than sorry.