# They swipe your ID if you want to buy booze or medicine now **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 18, 2007, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520 "2007-01-18T22:57:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2024, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/121 "2024-12-31T01:32:45Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > One of the things that I learned from the Bryan Kroberger/Idaho murders is that he went to some restaurant when he was home in PA, well before he (allegedly) killed anyone. Not only did they scan his ID but their system keeps some info on him & even allows them to put in notes on customers; the news story was about how they had entered notes on him that the waitress thought he was creepy. I can safely say the chain I work for doesn’t do that, because I would have access to it if we did. We have notes on you if you’ve ever cashed a check, done a money transfer, purchased over a certain dollar amount in money orders or gift cards, applied for a sales tax exemption, been caught shoplifting, been trespassed, or written a bad check, but not just because you’ve bought an age-restricted product. If we did, it would certainly make it easier for us to get rid of some of our problem customers. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2024, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/122 "2024-12-31T02:11:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I can safely say the chain I work for doesn’t do that, because I would have access to it if we did. It may have been going on at some places for years but until it came out as a story incidental to a newsworthy murder I had never heard of _any_ place doing such. I wonder if they disclose that up front in the brewery; I didn’t see anything about it on their website. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2024, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/123 "2024-12-31T02:25:27Z")
Haven’t you ever seen the notes on store doors, “So in so is trespassed” Or on registers “So in so had 2 bad checks here”? There’s only one way to fight this intrusion into your life, turn hermit, go live in a cave or on an undiscovered island. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2024, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/124 "2024-12-31T03:34:51Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > However, I assume that the records are only kept of those checked? My understanding is some entry is made only for those who fail to provide (sufficient) ID so if you are 32 no entries are made. A caveat, however, is if your girlfriend joins you, “Honey, I found that flavoured tonic water we like” and she looks under 25, she gets ID’d as now it’s a “proxy sale”. Same if your son or daughter is there, perhaps helping to bag items. “Hang on, that’s my daughter. I’m 43 and she’s 16 and the wine is for my wife and guests tonight.” Too late. No sale. Ironically, if you were buying a bag of beer for some teenagers outside there are no counter-measures. So the entry is “red wine”, “some irate guy who said he was 43 accompanied by underage female”. And if they have your name I’ve no idea how long they can keep it for. I know Asda has a similar policy as I use the self-checkout and if you have alcohol they have a “challenge”, “challenge 25” and a “c’mon, the guy is like 50+” button they use for me. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2025, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/125 "2025-01-01T17:27:50Z")
We don’t post those The company likes a nice clean appearance, and ratty paper everywhere looks tacky. It’s also bad for business. We don’t accept paper checks anymore thank dog. Our store is ridiculously busy, processing paper checks, _and_ potentially refusing one takes time we do⅚n’t have. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2025, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/126 "2025-01-01T17:37:38Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Where do y’all live that your driver’s licenses have magnetic strips? My Oregon one has a couple of barcodes, but no magnetic strip. Colorado has both. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/127 "2025-01-01T17:40:20Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > “Hang on, that’s my daughter. I’m 43 and she’s 16 and the wine is for my wife and guests tonight.” Too late. No sale. I was in a liquor store with my stepson who at the time was barely 21. I was holding the basket so he pulled the Seagram’s 7 off the shelf _as I’m standing right there_. Nope, couldn’t buy anything since HE pulled one item off the shelf and didn’t have HIS identification. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2025, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/128 "2025-01-01T19:17:53Z")
> [@Sylvanz](#): > > Our store is ridiculously busy, processing paper checks, _and_ potentially refusing one takes time we do⅚n’t have. That’s a helluva typo. How’d you do that? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2025, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/129 "2025-01-01T20:18:30Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Haven’t you ever seen the notes on store doors, “So in so is trespassed” > Or on registers “So in so had 2 bad checks here”? Not in this century. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2025, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/130 "2025-01-01T20:23:35Z")
Hell I don’t know. 😊 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2025, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/131 "2025-01-01T20:25:59Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Not in this century. There’s a little mom-and-pop grocery store in my neighborhood, where the interior still looks pretty much exactly like it did when we moved here in 1996. They do still take checks (a lot of their customers are senior citizens), and still have a paper list, visibly posted at each of their three registers, of people who aren’t allowed to write checks there, due to bouncing them. But, they’re the exception to the rule; it’s the kind of thing that I haven’t seen at a chain store in decades. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2025, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/132 "2025-01-01T20:37:20Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > But, they’re the exception to the rule; it’s the kind of thing that I haven’t seen at a chain store in decades. Okay, I can see that as an exception. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/133 "2025-01-01T20:51:44Z")
The other decongestant that was promoted as a Sudafed replacement doesn’t work. I’d be outraged that it’s still on the market if I didn’t have so much other stuff to be outraged about. > **[A Common Nasal Decongestant Doesn’t Actually Work. What Should You Use Instead?](https://www.bu.edu/articles/2023/phenylephrine-cold-medicine-decongestant-ineffective/)** > > Nasal and sinus expert says there are far better and safer alternatives than phenylephrine that are available over the counter And here’s a fun trick I just learned but I haven’t actually tried personally …. If you are prompted to enter the phone number connected to a loyalty program and you’ve never signed up with that store, try (your area code) 867-5309. Apparently Jenny signed up for lots of loyalty programs and her number usually works. And I’m sorry, but I like getting carded for beer because I’m 67. And I like it twice as much when the clerk scowls at my smile and says - “we are instructed to card everyone that looks like they might be under 40”, like that’s the gotcha that’ll wipe the smile off my face. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/134 "2025-01-02T01:36:55Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > And I’m sorry, but I like getting carded for beer because I’m 67. Card me, sure. But no scanning my ID, please. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/135 "2025-01-02T01:44:39Z")
Walmart scans my ID for sudafed. What can one do? It’s the only way to get it. I believe it’s scanned to track how much you purchase. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/136 "2025-01-02T02:01:35Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > Walmart scans my ID for sudafed. What can one do? It’s the only way to get it. That is state law. They have to do it. It’s not just store policy. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/137 "2025-01-02T02:04:19Z")
I understand it’s state law. I don’t mind it. Was just sharing my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/138 "2025-01-02T02:14:55Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Ellecram](#): > > > > Walmart scans my ID for sudafed. What can one do? It’s the only way to get it. > > That is state law. They have to do it. It’s not just store policy. Nit, the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 is Federal law…& we can thank Walter White, well his predecessors, for that. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2025, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520/139 "2025-01-02T02:50:33Z")
Oh yes we get annual trainings on how to ID meth lab homes at work. I’m well aware. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-swipe-your-id-if-you-want-to-buy-booze-or-medicine-now/388520.md?page=6)