Why Does Circle K Scan My Driver's License When I Buy Beer / Cigarettes?

reply to post by Signals


Maybe its the Obamacare way of tracking who smokes since they want to charge them extra for their insurance...I wouldnt be surprised if its being used with alcohol as well.

Originally posted by opethPA

Originally posted by TrueBrit
I carry ID for age verification purposes EVERYWHERE I go. Its in the beard on my chin, that reaches to my chest, and the grey at my temples, the manner in which I comport myself, and so on.

That's great, you think your physical appearance guarantees someone that doesn't know you can accurately confirm your age.

Too bad that's not valid and applicable to everyone.

Oh come on, if someone looks like an old man, theyre not a giggly spotty teenager in a wig.

This is the sort of thinking that gets us to where we are today. Unable to determine of old joe is actually 60 or just some run amok hooligan teenager with a wig and fake beard... woooolooloo..

reply to post by sdcigarpig


We penalise the public customer because we as management hire idiots who serve to minors.

Got it, sounds legit...

I didn't read any of this thread...

I interviewed for a Circle K job recently. Thank god I didn't get called back, what a terrible place to work.

You are watched by cameras constantly. You must scan ID's of everyone who buys liquor or tobacco who LOOKS under 40 years of age. If you do not.... I will quote Trump here "You're FIRED"! They look for any excuse to get rid of you, that's for sure.

reply to post by Ringadingasaur


This is where being very clear with what your argument is helps . . .

I'll recap my positions . . .
My first post was a direct reply to the OP, who was questioning the policy. I explained it. You started going in about being a grandma buying cigerettes and why should they have to see ID. I explained it. You wanted interject some morallity about the practice and wanted to know if that was worth the job. I explained that too. BTW - it doesn't have anything to do with me . . . I was always explaining the policy that none of you seem to understand.

I don't know how it is where you are, but in AZ, they aren't told they are "under investigation". Sometimes a parent will call the authorities and complain that their minor wasn't ID'd, or the police will sit in the parking lot and monitor and ask for ID when young looking people come out after buying beer/cigs to see if they were ID'd and if it was fake they'll check to see if it was scanned (if yes the kid gets a ticket for false ID and underage possesion, if not the cashier gets a fine), or they'll actually send in young looking undercovers to see if the employees are following the law. If an employee is found to not follow law they get fined. To combat this, the "ID under 40" campaign started . . . simply to reduce liablity. It's clearly posted at the stores and on the registers.

Sometimes . . . store policy is to scan everyone regardless . . .That is their prerogative as private business owner, if they want to do this or not. Just like sometimes they don't scan at all, simply look. It's different from store to store depending on owner/manager and their thoughts on the subject and how well they trust their employees. If a "grandma" gets carded . . . big deal. The employee covered his but and grandma gets to feed her nic fit . . . "Next, please."

You keep making this about some moral dilemma . . . it's not. You keep saying vague things like "that's how they'll get you" . . . Well . . . who is "they" and what exactly are they going to "get you" with? Explain yourself and provide your evidence. You seem to be really paranoid about a simple act to reduce liablity and young kids pulling the . . ."I forgot my ID" bit. This is not a part of any type of conspiracy. That's in your head. This isn't chipping or stealing your info or related to some national registry.

Originally posted by winofiend
reply to post by sdcigarpig

 

We penalise the public customer because we as management hire idiots who serve to minors.

Got it, sounds legit...

How is the customer penalized exactly? By having to pull two cards out of their wallet? The info isn't sent anywhere . . . the register reads the DOB and allows the transaction. End of story.

OP, since i agree whole-heartedly about going elsewhere ... and have done it many times myself, here's a suggestion that worked for me.

a local (not K store) convenience that i frequented for years before this "under 40 policy" went into effect, tried to ID me once, i left.

next visit, i came prepared.
they asked for ID, i complied (no scanning yet though) and presented them with a "courtesy notice" that informed them that in the event of their error (i'm well over 40), each infraction on their part would cost them $$ financially and payable at the time of infringement.

they reluctantly accepted it (didn't really have a choice if they wanted the sale) and since that day, i've received nearly 3 cartons worth of smokes, several cases of beer and a few smoking accessories along the way.
(free of charge in case i need to say so ... it's been a few years and quite a few employees)

needless to say, i don't even carry an ID into that store today for any purchase.
and, i still get a fistfull of free lighters with each carton purchased
(btw, a 'contract' sale is still a 'contract' and susceptible to the same laws)

be pro-active and courteous ... yes, take your business elsewhere if necessary, but, don't let them make the decision for you.

I had this happent to me at a Wawa once years ago. It was only this one clerk who did it, as every other time they punched in my numbers and I never saw that clerk before or after. I would go to that Wawa at least twice a week too.

She scanned it, like it was merchandise. It freaked me out too.

reply to post by TheLieWeLive


Untrue.

reply to post by winofiend


I sincerely take offense to that, thanks.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


really all you need is to get hold of a similar looking 20 somethins id when your a kid. those little pics on your licence/id are so damn small anyway all it takes is charm and 'oh its such a bad pic of me'...watch next it will be ssn cards and lastly being chipped, because even if it is a minor inconvenienice, it sure as hell can be annoying.

What kind of Mindless Society ID's 40 year olds???

I'm in my 30's and haven't been ID'd in 10 years!! Who is running things at this circle jerk K and why are you still giving them your business? What possible reason would a business have to scan an old ladies ID?

Not for good reasons I imagine. SNAP, your country sounds like it is really on the brink of corporate fascism.

Getting carded is a touchy subject for older people. Even though I am in my mind forties, until just a few years ago, most people guessed my age, based upon visuals, as being in my early twenties. I got carded all of the time not just for alcohol, but for cigarettes as well. It's an odd feeling to be 40 or 41 and having to fight with some teenage cashier, insisting that you are actually older than they are.

The worst even came when an Asian convenience store clerk insisted that my drivers license was fake, refused to sell me cigarettes, and then called 911 after I got frustrated and left the store. I was pulled over by a very cop who started out very, very aggressive towards me - until he finally got a light on my face and saw that I wasn't as young as first glances suggested. Even the cop was just a kid. At one point I vented my anger by telling him that I had tattoos older than him and that he was NOT respecting his elders.

He just scoffed.

Then again, I've been on the other side of this issue as well. I've never worked in a convenience store or gas station - but I did work the door at a bar for awhile and became quite the expert in spotting fake ID's - as well as the ins and outs of how society feels about them. The bar owners were pretty clear... under age guys were NOT to be let in, under any circumstances, ever. If there was a doubt at all? They did not get past. But attractive females? If they even remotely could pass for 18 then I was not to hassle them at all.

My main experiences, however, come from high dollar retail. And, yes, I've stood there and been reamed by people who were absolutely furious about the protections that might be in place at any given time. Things like wanting two forms of ID for large credit purchases, calling the bank to make sure large checks would clear, etc. People become extremely offended by anything that makes them feel like they are being scrutinized. There is a very visceral reaction to it.

The caveat is that these are the very same people who would blow a gasket if their ID or credit card got stolen and the store didn't catch the person trying to use them. And that is pretty much where my thoughts end on this. Yes, it's a pain in the rump to get scrutinized like this - but be honest. Most of the folks who are offended about it would expect an identity thief to be busted right out of the gate.

They'd also sue and raise a stink if their teenage kid managed to buy beer from a Circle-K. We want the benefits of these things without any of the inconvenience.

You can't have it both ways.

reply to post by rangersdad


Thanks, that's where I'm afraid this is going...

I used to work in food and drink retail, years ago when my getting ID'd would have been halfway understandable, from age 18 to 19. I had to ID people for booze and cigarettes. But that was at our own behest as employees. We were expected to make an assessment of each individual, and only ID people that looked like they were under the actual age, at which sale of the products concerned would have rendered us in violation of statute.

The policy of IDing everyone, or anyone who looks to be less than two decades older than statue requires, is not appropriate. I should also mention that from the ages of seventeen to twenty five, I was NEVER ID'd for anything, beer, cigs, products containing dangerous chemicals, or anything. It is only in the last three years that I have ever been ID'd, and on both the recent occasions, it has been done by people who have known of my regular patronage at the bar, and the convenience store involved. It has been done to fill a quota in the case of the store, and because of a totalitarian policy in place at the bar, not because there was any risk to the store or bar concerned, from allowing me to purchase thier products.

Using a policy which demands that employees learn a life skill, like assessing a persons probable age from thier physical characteristics, is sensible, and fair. Using a policy which requires ALL customers to produce ID, or requires all people who do not look like they just fell out of a retirment village sitcom to be ID'd is not appropriate. ID requests should be made under the express understanding, that they are being made on a case by case, person by person basis.

Bars do it now too. Since they started putting that new style "bar code" on them they scane them to make sure they aren't fake. That's all.

Agreed with GoGo here. It is a CYA measure for the business. Circle K isn't the only one to do it. The fines/threat of loosing a liquor license (or just selling controlled items such as cigarettes) is great for selling beer to a minor and there are some very crafty kids out there that can near duplicate the methods of an ID.

My only contention is that companies that utilize this method should be upfront considering major personal information being scanned. If it only accesses the digital information of your D.O.B, then I see no harm so long as I know the company has in place protections that will protect the rest of the scanned information.

I'm in Tennessee and for years we've had a law that if you're buying alcohol it's a mandatory ID check no matter the age a person looks.

When I bought beer yesterday the clerk scanned my ID, which is a new thing for that store. The clerk alluded to the fact that it was to keep employees from intentionally keying in the wrong information for underage purchases. Guess somewhere along the line an employee was busted for helping the under 21s out.

Here in the Uk they started with a check 21 scheme so you had to look over 21 to buy beer but there was too many kids looking just old enough to get past that so they've increased it to 25 and here in the UK to sell alcohol you need a license and if you get busted enough times they can take it away and for the big stores alcohol is a good profit line, some shops that have been busted quite a few times have had to go mandatory checking of ID for every purchase but thats their own fault for underage selling but it depends on the local council as its their job to sort out licensing of alcohol

theres no storage of identity data or such...

they scan it and

A) prove its not a fake (back before the high-tech licences it was easy as to make a fake.. trust me.)

B) it reads the age data and tells the cashier whether you are of age.

They check everyone because they don't want to be fined/etc. If someone comes into my store and buys something without using a valid ID, then it turns out they were an auditor - it doesnt matter how old they looked.