When I was hired a few months ago, I went through cashier training and we were told that we have to check everyone's ID if they're buying alcohol or tobacco products (including lighters) and certain medications. They also told us that they could be 100 years old and look old as dirt and we'd still have to card them. Do y'all really do this at any other stores or is it just here? They told us it's Kroger policy but I've been hearing from other employees who've transferred from different stores that at their old store they didn't have to check ID and could just key in a random DOB if the customer looked 40+.
Recently, we've just been asking the customer to verbally tell us their DOB if they look 40+ rather than asking them to provide us with an actual ID.
These things tend to piss off a lot of customers. One time, one of our cashiers asked this guy for his ID because he was buying beer and the guy got really angry and actually threatened the cashier... We had to get management to escort her out to her car and she got to leave early because she was so nervous and just distraught.
Honestly, I think checking everyone's ID is a total waste of time, we should only have to check if they look underage.
There's been cashiers that have been fired because they kept repeatedly keying in the same DOB for multiple transactions.
I don't know what division or state your in, but in the Atlanta Division the policy is that you always must check the ID for Alcohol. For tobacco products if the customer looks over 27 then we do not need to ID.
My division's the same as kitty's. 27 and up don't need ID, but actually being able to say that someone is a certain age just from looking at them is impossible.
I'm in the Atlanta division too, I think... I'm in South Carolina.
Sometimes it's kinda obvious, like say, it's a guy that looks like he could be your great grandfather... we shouldn't have to ID them.
Also, does anyone's store still mark currency bills?
At my old job we would mark 20's and anything higher. At Kroger we're not provided with those black markers and told to just use our hands and eyes to check 100's only. It's kinda ancient to me I guess, I'm just used to marking bills and I've only ever had two "fake" bills before and that was last year at my old job.
I think it's kinda dumb how our managers give the "fake" bill back to the customer even though we're told to confiscate it and call the cops.
Each division sets its own policy based upon the makeup of relevant laws in the states in the division. The policy tends to be a strict as state law plus a little (sometimes).
Here in tn, Nashville div, tobacco laws say card for every purchase if the purchaser looks under 27. If that's not the case, we are allowed to bypass the id restriction. Company policy matches this.
As for alcohol sales, law says id is required for every purchase, but "it is not a violation of these laws if a purchaser, who reasonably appears to be over 50 years of age, fails to provide proper identification" (don't blame me, that's actually more or less how it's worded) which means we legally don't have to card if they look older than 50. Company policy, however, says we id for alcohol every customer, every time.
For my store, we don't have to ID if they look over 40. The ones that look like they're on the verge of death are also cleared. We have the option to hit [clear] [enter] to override the birthday requirement.
But that's where it stops. Everyone who looks younger needs to have ID checks. Though, we normally let the regular buyers on their own since we card them so many times.
I wish we could override the birthday requirement. I don't like asking for ID if they're obviously old enough because then they get rude and treat me like I'm stupid. :(
We have to ID if they appear under the age 40. We also have to ID everyone in a group which angers alot of customers. I had a pregnant lady yesterday get angry with me. She kept saying "but I'm pregnant". (She was with her husband.) I had to hold my tongue - I was about to go off on her about fetal alcohol syndrome.
We are in the BARS program and they come in and check us all the time. We get a green card if we pass, red card if we fail. I ID everyone.
I usually just joke with them, I tell them I'm old and everyone looks like they are 12 to me!
-- Edited by Ms White on Tuesday 3rd of June 2014 09:40:55 AM
We have to ID if they appear under the age 40. We also have to ID everyone in a group which angers alot of customers. I had a pregnant lady yesterday get angry with me. She kept saying "but I'm pregnant". (She was with her husband.) I had to hold my tongue - I was about to go off on her about fetal alcohol syndrome.
We are in the BARS program and they come in and check us all the time. We get a green card if we pass, red card if we fail. I ID everyone.
I usually just joke with them, I tell them I'm old and everyone looks like they are 12 to me!
-- Edited by Ms White on Tuesday 3rd of June 2014 09:40:55 AM
Yup this is how we do it, unfortunately management thinks the "ID everyone in a group" policy is common-sense, and refuses to put a sign/notice alerting customers to it. So we're practically guaranteed to get bunches of peeved college kids who can't buy alcohol because one of the six people didn't have ID.
I work in produce but have to pull double duty as a cashier when the wonderful que vision gets out of hand. I was never given the formal training to be a cashier, just the "crash course". I always check ID for alcohol and when certain OTC medicines prompt me too. As far as tobacco I use common sense. I was told if the ID provided is expired (drivers license) I can refuse the sale, even if they are of age. I don't want to risk my job for a small mistake.
We have to ID if they appear under the age 40. We also have to ID everyone in a group which angers alot of customers. I had a pregnant lady yesterday get angry with me. She kept saying "but I'm pregnant". (She was with her husband.) I had to hold my tongue - I was about to go off on her about fetal alcohol syndrome.
We are in the BARS program and they come in and check us all the time. We get a green card if we pass, red card if we fail. I ID everyone.
I usually just joke with them, I tell them I'm old and everyone looks like they are 12 to me!
-- Edited by Ms White on Tuesday 3rd of June 2014 09:40:55 AM
Yup this is how we do it, unfortunately management thinks the "ID everyone in a group" policy is common-sense, and refuses to put a sign/notice alerting customers to it. So we're practically guaranteed to get bunches of peeved college kids who can't buy alcohol because one of the six people didn't have ID.
IDing everyone in a group has been against corporate policy for a few months now, except where required by law.
Also, does anyone's store still mark currency bills?
At my old job we would mark 20's and anything higher. At Kroger we're not provided with those black markers and told to just use our hands and eyes to check 100's only. It's kinda ancient to me I guess, I'm just used to marking bills and I've only ever had two "fake" bills before and that was last year at my old job.
I think it's kinda dumb how our managers give the "fake" bill back to the customer even though we're told to confiscate it and call the cops.
Your mgmt may have chosen to drop the requirement to mark all big bills, but afaik it's still policy. Bill markers are available to order as a store supply item for a reason.
We can only hold up the bills and look for holograms. Though, I believe customer service MIGHT have a marker there, though seldom used if every.
About a week ago we had a guy buy a Green Dot card and load $5,000 in there. Mostly in hundreds, fifties, and twenties. The cashier called the manager over to make sure nothing goes wrong but they never checked if any of the bills were legit and continued the transaction as normal.
And that, is why I always refer Green Dot customers to the Customer Service desk.
We can only hold up the bills and look for holograms. Though, I believe customer service MIGHT have a marker there, though seldom used if every.
About a week ago we had a guy buy a Green Dot card and load $5,000 in there. Mostly in hundreds, fifties, and twenties. The cashier called the manager over to make sure nothing goes wrong but they never checked if any of the bills were legit and continued the transaction as normal.
And that, is why I always refer Green Dot customers to the Customer Service desk.
Around Christmas I'm always that cashier taking his time checking the 100's people are giving me for gift cards. Little known to most Krogerites, there are huge gift card frauds near Christmas.
At my store, at first we did if the customer looks over than 27 you can just ask for their DOB but now we have to card everyone. I have pissed off plenty of customers by doing this. It's nerve wrecking especially around holiday time when tons of people are buying alcohol and then you have to card them . I haven't really had anyone threaten me but i have had older customer chew me out.. I'll just tell I am just doing my job. I had one older guy who had his ID but refused to show it to me. He pissed and left the beer there.
We have to ID if they appear under the age 40. We also have to ID everyone in a group which angers alot of customers. I had a pregnant lady yesterday get angry with me. She kept saying "but I'm pregnant". (She was with her husband.) I had to hold my tongue - I was about to go off on her about fetal alcohol syndrome.
We are in the BARS program and they come in and check us all the time. We get a green card if we pass, red card if we fail. I ID everyone.
I usually just joke with them, I tell them I'm old and everyone looks like they are 12 to me!
-- Edited by Ms White on Tuesday 3rd of June 2014 09:40:55 AM
Yup this is how we do it, unfortunately management thinks the "ID everyone in a group" policy is common-sense, and refuses to put a sign/notice alerting customers to it. So we're practically guaranteed to get bunches of peeved college kids who can't buy alcohol because one of the six people didn't have ID.
Most college kids that shop at my store don't give me crap about it cause they know they're gonna get carded so most of them already have their ID out. We don't ask for everyone's ID in a group though. It's the older customers who freak out and mumble on and on about it like a five year old. If I had it my way lady, I wouldn't even think of asking you for your ID. Some people act like you're gonna steal their identity or something cause you have to see their ID.
My division is card anyone who looks under 30, we also have a BARS (Be A Responsible Store) check every month and police stings once or twice a year. I'm almost 40 and still get carded sometimes so I don't give a crap if they get pissed off.
No. When I went through training, I was trained to just key in a date. Most of the customers already have their ID out anyway so I don't worry too much about it. If I question their age then I'll ask them for ID. I only ask for all customers when the managers are around my register. That way, I'm saving myself.
-- Edited by DanielleNicole94 on Saturday 28th of June 2014 01:08:15 PM
I was not buying alcohol, tobacco just a bottle of red cooking vinegar. The cashier asked my birthday. I should have asked why? Are the cashiers required to enter customers' birth date when cooking vinegar is purchased?
From the viewpoint of a 60-year old customer who buys an occasional bottle of wine, having to call (and wait for) an attendant to check my driver license every single time is insulting and annoying. For heaven's sake, I've been going to this Kroger store for 40 years, and all older employees know me. And yes, every single time, we go through the same song and dance. Ridiculous! The law does not require permit holders to check IDs, by the way. The law only requires to make sure no underaged person is sold alcohol. So I get it, ID checking is a good way to ensure compliancy--but use some common sense!
According to true age restriction item rules: yes you need to.
Favoritism is not a way around it though a lot of people are use to regulars so they just auto clear them. By law you're really not supposed to.
The only time I actually enter a b-day is if they're 28 or less or look really young. Right now I know all the birthdays from 1995-1980 and older clear. Anything below 1995 I have them scan their license then double check it. I'm glad i did because some kids faked the scan bar and they failed to modify the age 21 on date. Refused sale. So don't just scan and assume all is well. Right now the math for age 21 couldn't be simpler. What's 2,000 minus 2021? Answer: 2,000. At the moment of this post anyone that falls into the year 2,000 is eligible for 21 age items. If it falls before that year. Well it just depends when their birthday falls for them to be eligible.
Always take caution and raise a red flag to pay closer attention to the horizontal licenses.
For job protection always walk up to the machine and enter their b-day or over ride them manually. At self check out. I've seen too many people termed for clearing the wrong terminal with the hand held at sco. Use it only to clear general error messages.
If they have grey hair or obviously look older than 40+ just clear it. Even if grandma is pissed when sco requests it. By law it has to ask because it doesn't have facial recognition software. Even then right now it's not all that great and full of imperfections.
Your job is more important than selling liquor to a minor or under aged individual. Even if they're of age and making a huge scene you can refuse sale.
We still check for ID. EVEN IF your older than the beginning of time itself. Dont have ID? Then you do not need the alcohol, medicine, tobacco products etc.
The store that I'm at, I was trained that if the customer looks younger than actual age, we asked for I.D. If an customer is old as McCain, we don't ask for I.D.
It varies from person to person and cashier to cashier. The entire store talks about how the younger generation of high school looks older than their actual age, so we will ask for I.D.
