Yesterday, I got carded when my husband bought alcohol

[Nikia]

The grocery store clerk asked to see both of our ids. We are both 28 so we were of legal drinking age but what would have happened if I hadn't brought it in with me (sometimes I don't if I am not driving or going to a bar or similiar venue). It reminded me of the time that one of my college friends said that her friend was prohibited from buying alcohol when she (the non buyer) did not have id that was 21 or older.
What is up with that? Maybe, they thought that two young adults together were sharing the cost, buying for, etc. I have seen adults buy alcohol in grocery stores with obvious children, though. Maybe it is assumed that they are the adult's children but that is not necessarily the case.
Why did I have to show my id? Why did it matter that I was of legal drinking age?
We live in Wisconsin. It was a normal grocery store and the alcohol wasn't the only thing that he bought.

[FoxOnTheRun]

1. It's the new freedom

[petronius]

2. It's not that uncommon - there are a lot of stores around

here that will card the whole party, especially around universities. I never really got the point, however, since the underage folks can just sit in the car...

[BarenakedLady]

3. I get carded all the time

And since I'm 37, I ain't complaining.

;-)

Well, I do look a lot younger than I am, but I think most grocery stores have to card you if you look under 30. :shrug:

[Nikia]

4. But I wasn't buying

Just as the 10 year old with a man who may or may not be his dad wasn't buying.

[RebelOne]

5. Darn, I haven't been carded since I was 30.

If anyone carded me now, I'd kiss them.

[skygazer]

6. I work in a grocery store

And essentially what that clerk was doing was covering his/her butt. If I sell alcohol to a minor, my store will be fined heavily, I personally will be fined heavily and I will lose my job. When you have two or more adults together and one of them is purchasing booze, you can actually be found liable if it turns out that one of them is underage and later consumes it. I don't make the rules, nor do I know exactly how they're written but that's what I've been trained to do. The ATF frequently conducts sting operations in which two agents, one with a valid ID and the other without, will attempt to purchase alcohol or tobacco - they've been in my store. On the couple of occasions they have, the clerk has thankfully done the right thing and the operative has then shown their badge and told them they "passed."

There are admittedly a lot of holes in this - what if an 18 year old wants cigarettes and he's with his younger brother? I can't sell them but if the kid waits outside, I can. Makes no sense. Like I said, I don't make the rules but that's what we're told to do. And I'll do it because I can't afford to lose my job. :shrug:

[lildreamer316]

7. Yep. Also,

I bet you have the registers that technically you have to key in the birth date from the ID before it will let you finish the sale...although there is an override key on many.