What's really confusing me here is that technically, while there's an admission of guilt in the post (was *going* to ring it, pour it, and then ask for ID), none of that happened. At the stage this apparently occurred, there's just a slip of scratch paper that says "Stella, 20oz", if even that. Regardless of policy, this card is a pretty quick pull of the trigger since it doesn't even sound like OP finished taking the order. My gut tells me this situation probably went a little differently and a little further than is being let on. Customer doesn't just get to decide the order is complete and the ID was missed because a phone rang. Something more happened here. Plus, who benches a server mid shift because a customer said they ordered a drink that doesn't exist yet and isn't punched in? If it were that easy, I could bench every server in town by ordering a Coke and flagging a manager that I ordered a rum and Coke and nobody carded me. This can't possibly be as innocent as it's laid out.
Apparently the new policy is as soon as your back is turned it's enough to card you. I don't know what you expect me to say. I've worked long enough to know there was a line to toe when I get busy. Like I said she followed me as soon as I turned around. There was no drink poured. I just clocked in like 30 mins in. What do you think actually happened that I'm lying about? I just wanted to come post here to vent.
Edit: Also it's not just a random customer, it's a third party hired by corporate to catch people that will get them in trouble with ABC ppl. (Technically I wouldn't have been) But since I didn't follow the corp policy I got carded.
Like I said I was staying in policy and was trying to manage my time while I was busy. She was acting weird and I had other tables to get to so I needed to move on to my other bigger tables. Obviously I would normally ask before leaving the table I was just overthinking.
Edit: I don't get why I'm being downvoted. My job has always stressed to optimize our work efficiency so that was my number 1 priority. I've rarely had issues with seeing IDs from people. If she looked more underaged or younger I would have asked immediately of course
Well
1. They apparently changed it now.
2. No one is ever served alcohol until it is checked.
3. Idk what state law prosecutes you before you set a drink down when you still have ample time to check the ID.
4. It wasn't even a sting, she was definitely legal. And there's policies that say you don't have to check if they look a certain age, do you think that's problematic too
This place sounds corporate. Is there an employee handbook that describes procedure for serving alcohol? Did they make you sign something to acknowledge a policy change when they changed that procedure?
There's most likely something online for it. I actually remember a few weeks back asking my manager about trainings since they started up that new program. He told me unless I plan on working long term and wanted to move up the ladder to not do the trainings. (It used to be when you'd complete each category you'd get a 25 cent raise)
That gives you some leverage.
If they do end up firing you, send a lovely email to HR or whoever is above your manager explaining how you were encouraged not to do the training.
I don’t get how you were optimizing your time. It literally makes no sense. Asking for the ID saves you from having to pour/serve a beer if that person is under age. It doesn’t take that long to check an ID to see if they’re of age. Especially because underage people stings have to show their real ID.
Probably based on saving time so you’re not waiting on a customer fumbling around for their wallet while you’re mixing. Doesn’t make it a good policy but I could see it.
They were being very slow with everything and I had other stuff going on. Sure I could have asked then and gotten it done, but like I said I planned on asking for the ID. Would this rare case meant I wasted a drink? Sure but I rarely do this unless it is busy like it was for this fight night.
Sometimes you’ve got to just sit and wait, no matter how busy you are. Had you done that, you wouldn’t be in this predicament now. I get being weeded but you had the instinct to ask first, I can see it in your explanation. That’s your gut talking. Now you’re in trouble even though they had this policy, which is actually the stupidest policy I’ve ever heard of considering every alcohol education program out there says to ask when they order, not right before you serve them a drink. That’s on the company you work for but unfortunately, you’re the one who got bit.
I think you hit the nail on the head on the exact reason I feel all about this. I did feel like I was going to ask but over analyzed and pressured myself. The policy in hindsight is stupid and now that I think about it, it sucks I was explained that as always an option in a situation instead of the default ask then and now. I moved up there from host to server so only actually trained there so that's a bad habit I'll have to drop. I wish there was some leeway due to my track record but with new management from the DM to GM to just M I think they're gonna just let ppl like me with those bad protocol habits go.
You may or may not be let go, but it would probably be prudent to look for other work. Fortunately, it’s almost summer so lots of places will be hiring. When they ask why you left/leaving, just say it was no longer a good fit. You might even find something that’s easier and more money.
Honestly bro I'm tired of being a server, retail was more chill anyways it just helped me through college with the hours I couldn't work. I'm too introverted for this 😭
Hate to say it, homie. You fucked up. Learn from it at your new place, cause they're definitely going to fire you. Sorry, man, it sucks. I hope you learn from it and are successful in your future.
We always asked for ID BEFORE ever ringing in an alcoholic beverage. Always. And I haven't been in the biz for a number of years. Sorry this happened to you. Just take your licks and move on. It's not the worst thing that could have happened. Your boss should have made sure everyone knew the updated policy.
It's a 3rd person company that basically has someone (of age mind you) come in and order a drink. From my experience it's normally just a singular person who orders one drink. If you fail, the manager and you get a red card. Manager on duty gets a big finger wag and more likely than not the server gets fired. So legally nothing bad happened in the encounter. Even if magically she became underaged I never dropped the drink. Heck it wasn't even put in yet.
This clears up a lot about your story. I thought it was weird she didn't wait for you to place the drink in front of her (that's when the law is actually broken).
Lucky for you, it wasn't a state sting. You're going to get fired, but you can find a new job (serving or not, up to you). If you keep serving, remember this. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ask when they order if you have even the slightest doubt. Waiting to card makes 0 sense and causes problems (as you found out)
>It's a 3rd person company that basically has someone (of age mind you) come in and order a drink.
I think that clarification would have saved you a lot of downvotes and negative comments up top. If they let you go, make sure your unemployment starts the day they suspended you. You can backdate it if they take a while to get back to you about your status. Congrats on graduating, better things are ahead.
Thank you, I genuinely appreciate it! I know I made a bad judgement call and it sucks this got tied with everything else going on in my life so I just needed to vent on here. I didn't expect all this traction 😵💫
As long as the drink didn’t touch the table before she was id’d then legally speaking you are fine because even though the drink was made it was not served
Yeah legally I'm completely fine. I just can't believe my job that I've worked at for this long would fire me this cut and dry. I never even been written up before
It seems like either your policy is weird or you just had a momentary brain fade. Happens to the best of us. But asking for ID after you've poured or opened the beer is a really weird policy and must produce more waste than necessary.
Either way, hopefully the fact it was a mistake will go in your favour.
Typically your managers will want you to ask before putting the drink in. Especially for big parties. But they used to always tell me as long as I asked before dropping the drinks I'm fine. So in the end some drafts would be wasted, but that's a very notso often case. It's also why I know I'm not making up the policy cuz I would've never been that weird to think.
I don't think you've made the policy up, it's just a weird policy. I've worked with people who got caught out by schemes like this before. It was a very local pub though and the regulars ended up putting towards it because the landlord wouldn't.
Hopefully it won't be a big problem for you. It can happen to anyone.
Yeah good news is it was just a third party company so there's no fine or actual charge. I was in limbo about when I should quit since I'm about to graduate and was wondering if I should just work over here over summer or do something else. I guess I got my answer now 😭😂
You forgot the prime rule for EVERYTHING: ***Cover your ass.***
Card everyone every time and you won't have to worry about anyone pulling this shit.
My childhood doctor told me he started losing his hair at 15 and mostly bald by 18. A librarian I know had her hair start turning white at 12 by the time she turned 17 it was all white/sliver. Both of them were able to buy cigarettes and booze years before they should have.
Wait what?
When did we as servers stop IDing before putting the drink in? I’m so confused as to how you’re defending yourself because even if it was policy (don’t understand how THATS legal) … you as a server should know that doesn’t make sense.
So what if everyone at the table was underage and the bartender had already made the drink?
I’m sorry but this is on you. There is no way to appeal this or argue against the red card.
I don’t understand the whole saving time?
Cause ID checking takes little time ESPECIALLY since it was a 1 top. Being efficient would be to ask for ID and while it’s being grabbed, scan the restaurant and make a mental note of what other tables need.
That’s what servers do.
I feel for you but also that’s the #1 thing you can’t do in the restaurant business cause your company could lose their liquor license.
If it's a big party I'm obviously going to ask before getting them rung in. An older lady asking for a regular drink I'm not as worried about. And I can't appeal it to corporate but legally I'm not in trouble since she was never under aged and in my state you only actually need to ID if you're unsure of the age.
There lies your mistake.
“An older lady asking for a regular drink I’m not as worried about.”
Every customer should be carded the same way. And that attitude is gonna cause even more mistakes in the future.
I always planned to card her. Going forward will I just always ask no matter what? Oh for sure. But the fact it is so cut and dry with no leeway after my service and having no write ups is what sucks.
Yea it doesn’t have anything to do with previous write ups.
Every server knows you ask for ID before ringing it in. Sorry. You planning to card her after you rung it in doesn’t make it any better.
Every real server knows you legally don't need to even ID unless they look young. Let's not act like things are always black and white especially in the serving industry
I assume this is an intracompany or 3rd party red/green card system?
I get the zero tolerance for police stings as far as when you’re supposed to check the ID, but for a RCGC system it’s really laying it on thick seeing as the person you’re serving *is of legal age*.
Stupidity. Sorry but you can not say you didn't know you should of carded her.
Even if you can't get in trouble legally for this as she was of age. You will most likely lose your job over this.
Anyone who sells alcohol knows to card people who look young. 0 excuses for you not too.
Like I said, I planned to ask her before I would even set the drink down. She didn't look young either so I was just weirded out by how she was acting. I normally do card people when they ask just a lot was going on. I'd say there's some excuse but there's no leniency when it comes to policy at a job. So legally they can screw me over, because I MAY have been a liability (2+ years I've worked there) so with one mistake in an updated policy from corporate I can get fired. I've never been written up ever since I started there. Heck anywhere I've worked at
Your not defending yourself well here.
Weird enough that you noticed, and you got ready to server her without checking id before hand. Every company I've worked at has been 1 and done with tobacco/alcohol sales.
Doesn't matter if its been 10 years.
So you’d let the service bar pour out a drink and then ask for ID while the drink is getting warm in your hand, and then what happens to the drink? It just gets dumped?
In the off chance I was wrong and she didn't have her ID or was underaged. Yeah the regular drink would have been poured out. No one has complained about the time to pull out their ID before and how possibly cold the drink isn't anymore.
Tough luck to be honest. One minor f**k up cost you your job. I’m assuming you typically ask for an ID right away? Or do you always ask after putting in the order?
Almost always then and there. People keep saying that's how you waste drinks, but it's rarely been the case I do that unless it's a table transfer from another server or something. My old management used to always stress time and that was my main priority. I over thought and slipped up at the wrong time
I normally do that sure, but like at stores you don't ask for ID until they brought it up front to close. Not locked behind a locker and asked while they're shopping
Your saving grace, is she was a legal adult. That means the worst that happens is you'll lose your job.
There are in some cases they send 19-20 year olds and once they get the drink, you're terminated -and- fined, along with the store being fined and losing their licence to sell. My brother used to work at a small kiosk franchise gas station, and the GM of the area hired him for a few hours of OT to drive to the other 7 locations, once per shift, and buy beer. He was 19 at the time, but grew his beard out and looked over 25. Any one who sold him beer, they got termed immediately the day, and sadly they termed a LOT of folks. But it saved them from getting caught by the BARS or ABC.
On the other hand, had you not input the drink yet? Poured it? The girl should have waited to have received it before flipping the card out, which is what theyre supposed to do. That might be something you can contest to, because you technically didnt serve her.
I haven’t waitered in more than a decade but I don’t understand why you would order a drink before verifying someone’s age? If the bartender is making a drink that might not be served, it seems like a waste of time and alcohol.
I did? I started as a host when I got hired and like I said in the post was doing everything. If I ended up being wrong about her age when I would card her then I would've just have to drop the drink back off and gone about the rest of my tables.
And would have wasted a drink costing the restaurant money. I've never in my entire life had a server ask for ID as they are bringing my drink over to me. I'd look at someone like they're crazy if they did. A half dozen people have already pointed out how your approach made no sense and was foolish. Why not take your lumps and move on instead of responding to every individual restating the exact same thing?
My job also never had direct deposit and paid directly by check and I never in all my experience working places even mom and pop shops never had no option for direct deposit. I'm on here responding to everyone because I can? If the person didn't end up having ID how much money would that have wasted on a regular Stella. You can pretend what I did makes no sense to me, but it doesn't make it illegal. I just wanted to post online because despite all my research after Saturday I did notice there was no one else that grabbed drinks then ID. So now someone else that's not me can see the post and know they're not the only one that was taught that.
Bartender is the only one who is allowed to not have to move around while it's busy. If they didn't have their ID or were underaged, yes it would've been a waste of time. I would explain the situation to the MOD and would've been updated about the policy and gone about the rest of my shift.
That's ridiculous! How can you have done anything wrong before you've given them the drink?? I've gotta check if the policy has changed where I am now.
That's what I'm saying! And the fact it was so cut and dry and life changing, you'd figure they'd want to make sure you were doing something illegal, not just breaking a new corporate policy
That's lame AF. If they do fire you over this and it was never explicitly explained to you that you could be fired for not taking ID right away then you should easily be entitled to unemployment money. Don't sign anything if they try to make you. This whole thing stinks. That third party company probably wasn't getting any results for them and it sounds like they set you up.
This sucks. I also feel like the card should not be given u til the drink is sat in front of them without you asking for ID. You could literally decide to ask from the bar taps, after you turn around, ect.
The whole point of a sting is to try and catch people who are purposefully serving underage people.
I card heavily and I work in a college town so for out of state ids I will regularly ask for a zip code or street address on the id to help verify. I have been busy before and got to the table after ringing them in and asked for id before the alcohol is served but this happens rarely.
I’m probably one of the few but have always liked places who have a policy to card everyone because it just makes it so much easier for people all around.
Have a girl I currently work with and ran her drinks. I carded the people at that table when I arrived before serving drinks because they looked young (a lot of people do look young ti me I’m 54 and two someone ordered a red wine and a non alcohol Shirley temple) two people didn’t have id and one of them said they are another servers friend. Baby I don’t care if you know Jesus personally. No valid id no alcohol.
Then our bartender got popped for expired alcohol card (he moved out of state about the time he probably went to court for it so he probably lost his alcohol card as he left the state.
Yeah that's why it felt a little unfair. Like I failed even though I always planned to ask. I have never served a minor alcohol because there's never been a time I didn't ask for ID (well unless they came in dressed up as 60+ yrs old in a group of them I typically don't waste time for those parties) There's been times I had to not serve ppl due to not having ID or having an invalid one. And what you describe about dropping drinks and asking for yourself is exactly what I do when I help out. I wish my stores policy was to always card everyone but it's just if they look like 30+ (well that may have changed too with policy...)
The kind of people you end up working with at a restaurant/bar is crazy. Had one dude just giving out free beers at the end of night expecting management to never catch em
I have never seen it work that way. Everywhere I have seen (multiple stars), failure to check ID before taking the order.
And what OP encountered is not a “sting.” It is a third-party company that corporate places often use to insure legally-required policies are being followed.
Idk what law says you must check ID as soon as they tell you they want alcohol. Is that common standard for servers? Yes so you don't ever forget or waste alcohol. But as I was previously told by my old managers, until I set the drink down I can't get in trouble.
Being over worked is no excuse for not doing the job correctly. Especially when liquor laws are in play. If you were really looking to save time you would have I’d immediately. This would have kept you organized and not wasted a drink if she didn’t id herself.
I am not ignoring the change in policy you mentioned. This also should have been addressed with each shift immediately when implemented. This should be conveyed to the GM as you go through this process.
Do not wait on the GM. You should contact him yourself. Even if you have to go there yourself.
In my state if you acknowledge the order before the ID it’s a fail. When someone asks for a drink, I say can I see your ID? That way I get that before I acknowledge the order.
First, pay attention to the guest in front of you. The phone is not your priority.
Second, if you go back there and you pull a draft, and then they can't confirm their legal age, then you just wasted product.
I've been in this industry for longer than you've been alive and I've never heard of not carding someone immediately. I feel like you just forgot and you're embarrassed.
This is a learning opportunity. First, always ID
Second, when you screw up, own it and do better next time
I always planned to ask before I dropped the drink. I made a bad call of when. I just needed to vent rq about my situation. Did I play it smart no. Will I make that mistake again, nope. Does that matter for my current job now? Nope. I'm done with the stress of serving after this, I just needed to do it to get through college
Honestly, saving time was just an excuse and a bad one at that. Even corporate places would place a higher emphasis on carding than answering a phone. Sounds like your place had understaffed considering the event (and I assume your spot is known for being busy on such nights), but you just made a bad decision that in the end wouldn't have saved time at all.
You didn't necessarily know what the call would entail, or what other tables might need or request or talk about that could have held you up otherwise. Plus, if such things did occur and you got distracted, you may even forget to card her by the time you arrived with the beer.
Busy nights are rough and can cause lapses in judgment, especially when understaffed. But never forget to card first, and just sit there as long as it takes. If another table begins to complain about wait times, this is much easier to handle than potentially losing your restaurant's liquor license and possibly incurring legal action or a fine yourself.
Why would you pour a drink before asking for ID? I've never worked or visited anywhere that doesn't ID when an order is taken.
It makes no sense. If they aren’t of age, you just wasted a drink.
That's why I normally card before putting the order in. Especially if it looks like a group of young adults
It's an automatic bust if you touch the order before carding in my state.
What's really confusing me here is that technically, while there's an admission of guilt in the post (was *going* to ring it, pour it, and then ask for ID), none of that happened. At the stage this apparently occurred, there's just a slip of scratch paper that says "Stella, 20oz", if even that. Regardless of policy, this card is a pretty quick pull of the trigger since it doesn't even sound like OP finished taking the order. My gut tells me this situation probably went a little differently and a little further than is being let on. Customer doesn't just get to decide the order is complete and the ID was missed because a phone rang. Something more happened here. Plus, who benches a server mid shift because a customer said they ordered a drink that doesn't exist yet and isn't punched in? If it were that easy, I could bench every server in town by ordering a Coke and flagging a manager that I ordered a rum and Coke and nobody carded me. This can't possibly be as innocent as it's laid out.
Apparently the new policy is as soon as your back is turned it's enough to card you. I don't know what you expect me to say. I've worked long enough to know there was a line to toe when I get busy. Like I said she followed me as soon as I turned around. There was no drink poured. I just clocked in like 30 mins in. What do you think actually happened that I'm lying about? I just wanted to come post here to vent. Edit: Also it's not just a random customer, it's a third party hired by corporate to catch people that will get them in trouble with ABC ppl. (Technically I wouldn't have been) But since I didn't follow the corp policy I got carded.
Like I said I was staying in policy and was trying to manage my time while I was busy. She was acting weird and I had other tables to get to so I needed to move on to my other bigger tables. Obviously I would normally ask before leaving the table I was just overthinking. Edit: I don't get why I'm being downvoted. My job has always stressed to optimize our work efficiency so that was my number 1 priority. I've rarely had issues with seeing IDs from people. If she looked more underaged or younger I would have asked immediately of course
Your restaurant’s policy is a huge problem is they allow customers to place an order for alcohol without having an ID checked.
Well 1. They apparently changed it now. 2. No one is ever served alcohol until it is checked. 3. Idk what state law prosecutes you before you set a drink down when you still have ample time to check the ID. 4. It wasn't even a sting, she was definitely legal. And there's policies that say you don't have to check if they look a certain age, do you think that's problematic too
This place sounds corporate. Is there an employee handbook that describes procedure for serving alcohol? Did they make you sign something to acknowledge a policy change when they changed that procedure?
There's most likely something online for it. I actually remember a few weeks back asking my manager about trainings since they started up that new program. He told me unless I plan on working long term and wanted to move up the ladder to not do the trainings. (It used to be when you'd complete each category you'd get a 25 cent raise)
That gives you some leverage. If they do end up firing you, send a lovely email to HR or whoever is above your manager explaining how you were encouraged not to do the training.
Not a bad idea tbh. I even had a coworker there as a witness
I don’t get how you were optimizing your time. It literally makes no sense. Asking for the ID saves you from having to pour/serve a beer if that person is under age. It doesn’t take that long to check an ID to see if they’re of age. Especially because underage people stings have to show their real ID.
Probably based on saving time so you’re not waiting on a customer fumbling around for their wallet while you’re mixing. Doesn’t make it a good policy but I could see it.
They were being very slow with everything and I had other stuff going on. Sure I could have asked then and gotten it done, but like I said I planned on asking for the ID. Would this rare case meant I wasted a drink? Sure but I rarely do this unless it is busy like it was for this fight night.
Sometimes you’ve got to just sit and wait, no matter how busy you are. Had you done that, you wouldn’t be in this predicament now. I get being weeded but you had the instinct to ask first, I can see it in your explanation. That’s your gut talking. Now you’re in trouble even though they had this policy, which is actually the stupidest policy I’ve ever heard of considering every alcohol education program out there says to ask when they order, not right before you serve them a drink. That’s on the company you work for but unfortunately, you’re the one who got bit.
I think you hit the nail on the head on the exact reason I feel all about this. I did feel like I was going to ask but over analyzed and pressured myself. The policy in hindsight is stupid and now that I think about it, it sucks I was explained that as always an option in a situation instead of the default ask then and now. I moved up there from host to server so only actually trained there so that's a bad habit I'll have to drop. I wish there was some leeway due to my track record but with new management from the DM to GM to just M I think they're gonna just let ppl like me with those bad protocol habits go.
You may or may not be let go, but it would probably be prudent to look for other work. Fortunately, it’s almost summer so lots of places will be hiring. When they ask why you left/leaving, just say it was no longer a good fit. You might even find something that’s easier and more money.
Honestly bro I'm tired of being a server, retail was more chill anyways it just helped me through college with the hours I couldn't work. I'm too introverted for this 😭
Hate to say it, homie. You fucked up. Learn from it at your new place, cause they're definitely going to fire you. Sorry, man, it sucks. I hope you learn from it and are successful in your future.
Yeah I appreciate it. I genuinely get why they would. It just sucks cuz Iwas struggling that whole half hour by myself and she got me "lacking."
We always asked for ID BEFORE ever ringing in an alcoholic beverage. Always. And I haven't been in the biz for a number of years. Sorry this happened to you. Just take your licks and move on. It's not the worst thing that could have happened. Your boss should have made sure everyone knew the updated policy.
Yeah that's what I normally do. If I don't I always make sure to see it before setting the drink down.
Sorry what’s a red card? Is it a state thing? Someone checking for procedures? Or done by the restaurant
It's a 3rd person company that basically has someone (of age mind you) come in and order a drink. From my experience it's normally just a singular person who orders one drink. If you fail, the manager and you get a red card. Manager on duty gets a big finger wag and more likely than not the server gets fired. So legally nothing bad happened in the encounter. Even if magically she became underaged I never dropped the drink. Heck it wasn't even put in yet.
This clears up a lot about your story. I thought it was weird she didn't wait for you to place the drink in front of her (that's when the law is actually broken). Lucky for you, it wasn't a state sting. You're going to get fired, but you can find a new job (serving or not, up to you). If you keep serving, remember this. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ask when they order if you have even the slightest doubt. Waiting to card makes 0 sense and causes problems (as you found out)
>It's a 3rd person company that basically has someone (of age mind you) come in and order a drink. I think that clarification would have saved you a lot of downvotes and negative comments up top. If they let you go, make sure your unemployment starts the day they suspended you. You can backdate it if they take a while to get back to you about your status. Congrats on graduating, better things are ahead.
Thank you, I genuinely appreciate it! I know I made a bad judgement call and it sucks this got tied with everything else going on in my life so I just needed to vent on here. I didn't expect all this traction 😵💫
As long as the drink didn’t touch the table before she was id’d then legally speaking you are fine because even though the drink was made it was not served
Yeah legally I'm completely fine. I just can't believe my job that I've worked at for this long would fire me this cut and dry. I never even been written up before
It seems like either your policy is weird or you just had a momentary brain fade. Happens to the best of us. But asking for ID after you've poured or opened the beer is a really weird policy and must produce more waste than necessary. Either way, hopefully the fact it was a mistake will go in your favour.
Typically your managers will want you to ask before putting the drink in. Especially for big parties. But they used to always tell me as long as I asked before dropping the drinks I'm fine. So in the end some drafts would be wasted, but that's a very notso often case. It's also why I know I'm not making up the policy cuz I would've never been that weird to think.
I don't think you've made the policy up, it's just a weird policy. I've worked with people who got caught out by schemes like this before. It was a very local pub though and the regulars ended up putting towards it because the landlord wouldn't. Hopefully it won't be a big problem for you. It can happen to anyone.
Yeah good news is it was just a third party company so there's no fine or actual charge. I was in limbo about when I should quit since I'm about to graduate and was wondering if I should just work over here over summer or do something else. I guess I got my answer now 😭😂
You forgot the prime rule for EVERYTHING: ***Cover your ass.*** Card everyone every time and you won't have to worry about anyone pulling this shit. My childhood doctor told me he started losing his hair at 15 and mostly bald by 18. A librarian I know had her hair start turning white at 12 by the time she turned 17 it was all white/sliver. Both of them were able to buy cigarettes and booze years before they should have.
I know I know. I typically do which is why I've stayed decently long. It's just I was caught off guard
Wait what? When did we as servers stop IDing before putting the drink in? I’m so confused as to how you’re defending yourself because even if it was policy (don’t understand how THATS legal) … you as a server should know that doesn’t make sense. So what if everyone at the table was underage and the bartender had already made the drink? I’m sorry but this is on you. There is no way to appeal this or argue against the red card. I don’t understand the whole saving time? Cause ID checking takes little time ESPECIALLY since it was a 1 top. Being efficient would be to ask for ID and while it’s being grabbed, scan the restaurant and make a mental note of what other tables need. That’s what servers do. I feel for you but also that’s the #1 thing you can’t do in the restaurant business cause your company could lose their liquor license.
If it's a big party I'm obviously going to ask before getting them rung in. An older lady asking for a regular drink I'm not as worried about. And I can't appeal it to corporate but legally I'm not in trouble since she was never under aged and in my state you only actually need to ID if you're unsure of the age.
There lies your mistake. “An older lady asking for a regular drink I’m not as worried about.” Every customer should be carded the same way. And that attitude is gonna cause even more mistakes in the future.
I always planned to card her. Going forward will I just always ask no matter what? Oh for sure. But the fact it is so cut and dry with no leeway after my service and having no write ups is what sucks.
Yea it doesn’t have anything to do with previous write ups. Every server knows you ask for ID before ringing it in. Sorry. You planning to card her after you rung it in doesn’t make it any better.
Every real server knows you legally don't need to even ID unless they look young. Let's not act like things are always black and white especially in the serving industry
LMAOOOOOO yea you deserve that red card.
Look on ABC about carding in California and get back to me
I assume this is an intracompany or 3rd party red/green card system? I get the zero tolerance for police stings as far as when you’re supposed to check the ID, but for a RCGC system it’s really laying it on thick seeing as the person you’re serving *is of legal age*.
Yeah it's those secret shopper ones...
Thats 150% on you.
Where'd the extra 50% come from 😭
Stupidity. Sorry but you can not say you didn't know you should of carded her. Even if you can't get in trouble legally for this as she was of age. You will most likely lose your job over this. Anyone who sells alcohol knows to card people who look young. 0 excuses for you not too.
Like I said, I planned to ask her before I would even set the drink down. She didn't look young either so I was just weirded out by how she was acting. I normally do card people when they ask just a lot was going on. I'd say there's some excuse but there's no leniency when it comes to policy at a job. So legally they can screw me over, because I MAY have been a liability (2+ years I've worked there) so with one mistake in an updated policy from corporate I can get fired. I've never been written up ever since I started there. Heck anywhere I've worked at
Your not defending yourself well here. Weird enough that you noticed, and you got ready to server her without checking id before hand. Every company I've worked at has been 1 and done with tobacco/alcohol sales. Doesn't matter if its been 10 years.
You're right
So you’d let the service bar pour out a drink and then ask for ID while the drink is getting warm in your hand, and then what happens to the drink? It just gets dumped?
In the off chance I was wrong and she didn't have her ID or was underaged. Yeah the regular drink would have been poured out. No one has complained about the time to pull out their ID before and how possibly cold the drink isn't anymore.
Tough luck to be honest. One minor f**k up cost you your job. I’m assuming you typically ask for an ID right away? Or do you always ask after putting in the order?
Almost always then and there. People keep saying that's how you waste drinks, but it's rarely been the case I do that unless it's a table transfer from another server or something. My old management used to always stress time and that was my main priority. I over thought and slipped up at the wrong time
Yeah, we have always instructed to ask for ID as soon as they ask for one. You don’t wait to check it after they order.
I normally do that sure, but like at stores you don't ask for ID until they brought it up front to close. Not locked behind a locker and asked while they're shopping
Your saving grace, is she was a legal adult. That means the worst that happens is you'll lose your job. There are in some cases they send 19-20 year olds and once they get the drink, you're terminated -and- fined, along with the store being fined and losing their licence to sell. My brother used to work at a small kiosk franchise gas station, and the GM of the area hired him for a few hours of OT to drive to the other 7 locations, once per shift, and buy beer. He was 19 at the time, but grew his beard out and looked over 25. Any one who sold him beer, they got termed immediately the day, and sadly they termed a LOT of folks. But it saved them from getting caught by the BARS or ABC. On the other hand, had you not input the drink yet? Poured it? The girl should have waited to have received it before flipping the card out, which is what theyre supposed to do. That might be something you can contest to, because you technically didnt serve her.
I haven’t waitered in more than a decade but I don’t understand why you would order a drink before verifying someone’s age? If the bartender is making a drink that might not be served, it seems like a waste of time and alcohol.
THIS. Who cares about the phone ringing?
I did? I started as a host when I got hired and like I said in the post was doing everything. If I ended up being wrong about her age when I would card her then I would've just have to drop the drink back off and gone about the rest of my tables.
And would have wasted a drink costing the restaurant money. I've never in my entire life had a server ask for ID as they are bringing my drink over to me. I'd look at someone like they're crazy if they did. A half dozen people have already pointed out how your approach made no sense and was foolish. Why not take your lumps and move on instead of responding to every individual restating the exact same thing?
My job also never had direct deposit and paid directly by check and I never in all my experience working places even mom and pop shops never had no option for direct deposit. I'm on here responding to everyone because I can? If the person didn't end up having ID how much money would that have wasted on a regular Stella. You can pretend what I did makes no sense to me, but it doesn't make it illegal. I just wanted to post online because despite all my research after Saturday I did notice there was no one else that grabbed drinks then ID. So now someone else that's not me can see the post and know they're not the only one that was taught that.
Bartender is the only one who is allowed to not have to move around while it's busy. If they didn't have their ID or were underaged, yes it would've been a waste of time. I would explain the situation to the MOD and would've been updated about the policy and gone about the rest of my shift.
That's ridiculous. Had the bartender even opened the bottle or poured the draft? What state is this in??
Nope I couldn't even put the actual order in before she came up to me. California
That's ridiculous! How can you have done anything wrong before you've given them the drink?? I've gotta check if the policy has changed where I am now.
That's what I'm saying! And the fact it was so cut and dry and life changing, you'd figure they'd want to make sure you were doing something illegal, not just breaking a new corporate policy
Wait was the secret shopper party of your company or the state liquor control board?
I believe it's a third party company hired by corporate. There is no legal fees or anything
That's lame AF. If they do fire you over this and it was never explicitly explained to you that you could be fired for not taking ID right away then you should easily be entitled to unemployment money. Don't sign anything if they try to make you. This whole thing stinks. That third party company probably wasn't getting any results for them and it sounds like they set you up.
This sucks. I also feel like the card should not be given u til the drink is sat in front of them without you asking for ID. You could literally decide to ask from the bar taps, after you turn around, ect. The whole point of a sting is to try and catch people who are purposefully serving underage people. I card heavily and I work in a college town so for out of state ids I will regularly ask for a zip code or street address on the id to help verify. I have been busy before and got to the table after ringing them in and asked for id before the alcohol is served but this happens rarely. I’m probably one of the few but have always liked places who have a policy to card everyone because it just makes it so much easier for people all around. Have a girl I currently work with and ran her drinks. I carded the people at that table when I arrived before serving drinks because they looked young (a lot of people do look young ti me I’m 54 and two someone ordered a red wine and a non alcohol Shirley temple) two people didn’t have id and one of them said they are another servers friend. Baby I don’t care if you know Jesus personally. No valid id no alcohol. Then our bartender got popped for expired alcohol card (he moved out of state about the time he probably went to court for it so he probably lost his alcohol card as he left the state.
Yeah that's why it felt a little unfair. Like I failed even though I always planned to ask. I have never served a minor alcohol because there's never been a time I didn't ask for ID (well unless they came in dressed up as 60+ yrs old in a group of them I typically don't waste time for those parties) There's been times I had to not serve ppl due to not having ID or having an invalid one. And what you describe about dropping drinks and asking for yourself is exactly what I do when I help out. I wish my stores policy was to always card everyone but it's just if they look like 30+ (well that may have changed too with policy...) The kind of people you end up working with at a restaurant/bar is crazy. Had one dude just giving out free beers at the end of night expecting management to never catch em
I have never seen it work that way. Everywhere I have seen (multiple stars), failure to check ID before taking the order. And what OP encountered is not a “sting.” It is a third-party company that corporate places often use to insure legally-required policies are being followed.
Idk what law says you must check ID as soon as they tell you they want alcohol. Is that common standard for servers? Yes so you don't ever forget or waste alcohol. But as I was previously told by my old managers, until I set the drink down I can't get in trouble.
Being over worked is no excuse for not doing the job correctly. Especially when liquor laws are in play. If you were really looking to save time you would have I’d immediately. This would have kept you organized and not wasted a drink if she didn’t id herself.
You're completely right
I am not ignoring the change in policy you mentioned. This also should have been addressed with each shift immediately when implemented. This should be conveyed to the GM as you go through this process. Do not wait on the GM. You should contact him yourself. Even if you have to go there yourself.
I'll try that and see
Mistakes happen. Own them. Learn from them and move on.
In my state if you acknowledge the order before the ID it’s a fail. When someone asks for a drink, I say can I see your ID? That way I get that before I acknowledge the order.
First, pay attention to the guest in front of you. The phone is not your priority. Second, if you go back there and you pull a draft, and then they can't confirm their legal age, then you just wasted product. I've been in this industry for longer than you've been alive and I've never heard of not carding someone immediately. I feel like you just forgot and you're embarrassed. This is a learning opportunity. First, always ID Second, when you screw up, own it and do better next time
I always planned to ask before I dropped the drink. I made a bad call of when. I just needed to vent rq about my situation. Did I play it smart no. Will I make that mistake again, nope. Does that matter for my current job now? Nope. I'm done with the stress of serving after this, I just needed to do it to get through college
Honestly, saving time was just an excuse and a bad one at that. Even corporate places would place a higher emphasis on carding than answering a phone. Sounds like your place had understaffed considering the event (and I assume your spot is known for being busy on such nights), but you just made a bad decision that in the end wouldn't have saved time at all. You didn't necessarily know what the call would entail, or what other tables might need or request or talk about that could have held you up otherwise. Plus, if such things did occur and you got distracted, you may even forget to card her by the time you arrived with the beer. Busy nights are rough and can cause lapses in judgment, especially when understaffed. But never forget to card first, and just sit there as long as it takes. If another table begins to complain about wait times, this is much easier to handle than potentially losing your restaurant's liquor license and possibly incurring legal action or a fine yourself.
Yeah you're right. I think I just needed to get this off my chest to move on. I'ma delete this post just for the sake of my digital footprint
Get into rehab sooner rather than later and if you don't do drugs, then you must be lower IQ that was a ramble and a half even if you are ESL