Kroger - Declined alcohol sale and a lousy apology
Went to Kroger Friday night to get snacks and booze for the night. I am 26, my friend is 25 and I had my two 20 y/o sisters with me.
All things were ready and we proceeded to four individual UScans, as we were all buying our own things. I had a 12 pack and my friend had 2 24 oz Guinness. Almost immediately, the young clerk asks for EVERYONE'S IDS. Even the ones not purchasing alcohol.
I had no problem showing mine, as well as my friend's as we were of age. However, my sisters are 20 and did not purchase any alcohol. The clerk proceeds to be *** about it all after I asked her why we had to show everyone's IDs instead of just the two of us purchasing alcohol. She stated we looked younger than 21 (mind you this girl looked about 17-18) and needed to card us.
I have my ABC card as i'm a cashier at another grocery store, and I know that this isn't a state law. You only need to see the purchaser's ID. I can understand in liquor stores and dry counties, but this is 2012 and i'm 26 and I can purchase alcohol like any other adult. Since my sisters are 20, we were declined the sale after I tried to ask the clerk what exactly was the problem?
She couldn't answer me. Meanwhile, my sister is buying something and used Kroger's pharmacy dollars they give you for transferring your Rx's from other stores. When I went to use the same $$ on my $13.00 purchase, it didn't work and so I asked the clerk for help. She said there was no money left on my account, when I assured her there was $25 on there minus the $6 my sister used.
Irritated myself, and the clerk was obviously annoyed because I had given her some resistance about the alcohol (which was a 12 pack, that's it) we reached no solution. She just kind of shrugged and I paid on my debit because at this point I was irritated, embarrassed and just wanted the whole experience to end! The next day I wrote a customer complaint to their corporate office and received a response today which was less than satisfactory. It basically seemed to miss my whole point and only reiterated the policy of checking an ID while purchasing alcohol.
Well, DUH I didn't have a problem with that! I had a problem with her thinking just because I walked in with my sisters that I was no allowed to purchase the alcohol because I was with someone under aged when that is not the law, nor had any other Kroger (including that one) ever ask for a whole group's IDs even if they were on separate registers. It was a very watered down response and didn't solve anything! In fact, they just told me they wished my next visit would be better, after I told them I'm not coming back!
If you look at my Kroger card on the Iphone app, you can see I shop at Kroger almost every day, sometimes twice in one day. I usually purchase my alcohol there and ya know, both of my sisters who are 20 don't even live here, they were home from College for the weekend!
I really shouldn't have to prove my case, basically I was declined a sale for no reason, simply because some clerk wanted to feel powerful. The customer service email was just salt on the wound and I won't stop until I get answers!
Monetary Loss: $15.
Location: Fayetteville, Georgia
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I think that Kroger should have a pre-screened list of people like the TSA does so that all you have to do is go through the check out line and it automatically uses technology like facial recognition to show that you have already been carded before and are good to go. Or, they could just simply use Cave Man technology and look at the person and be able to tell by their aged face that they are obviously old enough to be drinking alcohol if they want to.
I am 56 years old and just got carded. That is some kind of *** Krogers. Hire some intelligent people who know that someone is in their 50's and does not to be carded.
Regardless of the underage are buying alcohol or not if theyโre with you they canโt sell it. Itโs not just Kroger that does that itโs standard.. I had the same experience at Walmart.
I work at a Kroger and they would decline the alcohol sale in my store too. Itโs the way they train you on alcohol sales.
I'm 56. I look 56.
I got carded at Kroger today. That's fine, I understand, I have no problem.
My drivers license is behind a clear plastic window in my wallet, but easily visible, as it is designed to be. Not good enough, cashier was insistent that they hold the I.D., and only the I.D., in their hand.
That is not a state law, I checked, I'm only required to show them my I.D. Did this *** think I was a 20 y.o.
trying to use a fake I.D. to pass myself of as 56?
The corporations own you, you're just not aware of it.
I TOTALLY agree with you that Kroger is unecessarily overly strict with their Age-Verification procedures. Mind you, I said procedures, not policies.
It's not the policies that have been out into place that I have s provlem with. It's the procedures that are executed in otder to carry out adheranxe to such pilicies that ihave a problem with. Just like in your case, you had no problem with the policies, and completely understood then, you only had a problem with the fact that she tried to card those not buying alcohol and denied your sale based on that. In my state of CA, it's Ralphs whom I had an unacceptable shopping experience with, so much so, that after 30 years, I will no longer shop there.
It seems they only act like complete *** when Management is there that's when you will get the cashiers asking everyone for their ID, in a loud voice, making sure that management hears them a sing for ID, thus, adhering to company policies. I take that back it seems that the age verification process is quite biased. I'm sure that you if you are a Caucasian male or female that didn't "look under 40," there would be no question for an ID.
In my case, I went to purchase alcohol, a cashier that I have known for over a decade was at the register, and under normal circumstances, she would have just rung me up, no questions asked, & I would have been on my way.
However. because Management was there that day, she had to ask me for my ID, which I told her that I did not have because my purse was stolen recently, however, I showed her a picture that I had taken with my phone of my California state driver's license along with my social security card asking if that would suffice and she sheepishly lowered her head and apologized, saying that management was not looking at her, and at that point, I just walked out. It's sad to see a cashier that I've known for nearly a decade suddenly become a cold apathetic robot due to management and corporate. I have worked in the Retail industry for over a decade, specifically as a cashier, and I can say that I adhere to all federal, state, city, AND company laws, regulations, and policies, but I do so without coming off as a pretentious ***, and I am always willing comma though not always able to, make exceptions based on situational circumstances.
And I only ask for ID ONCE. I will not ask you the next time you come in.
That's just common sense. I want considered applying at Ralphs, but after my experience and hearing of more experiences similar to mine, I will NEVER consider working for Ralphs (Kroger), and I will NEVER shop there, at that store or ANY Ralphs/Kroger store & their affiliates, EVERY AGAIN!!
Same here. I suggest they hire some intelligent people who can see that someone is obviously in their 50'S.
Krogers is the state liquor store. I have a problem with people like you who want every body else to risk their job and going to court and jail etc just because you don't want a hassle.
Would you do the same if you were that cashier? Would you check only one ID and risk your job etc? Don't you think it looks pretty suspisous when you and a friend are there buying a 24 pk and a twelve pk? Your sister sister is with you?
Looks like a bigparty to me.
They need to hire intelligent employees that can figure out that a grey haired, hunched over, walking with a walker man or woman does not need to be carded.
Just because you wanted alcohol doesn't mean that person should jeopardise their job and risk getting fined or having a felony on their records. If something happened to your sisters like if they stole or drank a few of your beers and something happened, that would come back on the clerk and the store!
It is law . It is also a policy in several retail stores.
Spoiled brat. like, OMG!
Get over it, man.
One more thing, the OP needs to get his facts straight and stop lying. He does not work in a store that sells alcohol, if he did he would buy his booze from there, he cannot because they know he is under the legal drinking age, being under the legal drinking age he cannot even sell alcohol.
If he really sold alcohol he would know that by law they are required to ask the whole group for ID because there are people who go and buy alcohol for underaged children like himself and that is why everyone in the group is REQUIRED BY LAW to show their ID. It is to prevent underaged drinking.
They could have declined your alcohol sale for two other reason's they thought you were already drunk based on your behavior, and or thought you had fake ID and were way under the drinking age.
I am sure the girl was a woman and older than you. Age can be deceiving, for instance you claim to be 26 but from your behavior I would have thought that you were five years old.
And from your own behavior, we can deduce that you are about 10 years with a severe mental handicap. You should not be allowed to post on this site, as it is intended for adults.
I'd like to know what group home you reside in, that you are allowed to play on the internet, unsupervised. BTW: in case no one else has told you today Kevin (and I know you hear it a lot), YOU ARE A WORTHLESS TURD!
I am 17, and I am just stating the truth, the cashier was only doing her job. The OP and several others are throwing temper tantrums because they would rather risk the cashier losing her job than show their ID.
I am 17 I don`t reside in a group home.
You and the people who post ridiculous reviews are worthless. They are just doing their jobs, and should not have to worry about not making ends meet and feeding their family, just because you do not want to show your fake id in case they find out that it is fake.
Five, more like three. Anonymous who quoted Kevin, you are the one that seems too young to be on this site.
He has a good point, they are required that everyone for the group shows their ID and are of legal drinking age, this is to prevent adults from buying alcohol for minors. If the person were telling the truth and worked in a store that sells beer he would know that, then again perhaps the store he works at needs to be investigated because they are breaking the law. Maggie, if your boyfriend forgot his ID they cannot sell it to you either, for all they know you could be buying it for a minor, and yeah people Kevin is calling some of these people childish, well perhaps because they are acting like they are three years old.
The could get fired for selling without proper ID, some have families to feed, young children ect. They should not risk their job because you are with underaged people, or because you forgot your ID.
I'm 59 years old and on 2/6/15, at the Kroger store in Rochester Hills, MI, they wanted my ID when I attempted to purchase a bottle of wine. I AM 59 !!.....I don't jump through hoops for anyone !!......I recommend that everyone take their business to stores that have respect for their customers.
Oh, by the way, I let them know they were idiots and didn't purchase the wine. Went to another store.
quite a few places have a policy to card everyone who buys age-restricted products- that's why. ( it is probably a corporate policy, so the staff you called idiots weren't actually the ones who came up with it)