Can't buy beer if you have a minor with you?

[papajohn1964]

I stopped in the store on the way home last night. While I was in line there was a lady and a young girl at the register next to me. The lady puts a six pack on the counter and the girl puts her soda and candy up there, the lady has a twenty in her hand ready to pay. The clerk looks at the girl and asked for HER ID, lady tells him that she is her 14yo daughter and why do you need to see her ID I'm the one buying it. Clerk says its TABC law that you can't buy beer if you have a minor with you. I'm pretty sure I've seen signs on liquor stores that says no minors unless accompanied by an adult. Anyone know anything about the TABC laws? The clerk is kind of a jerk to everyone and I'd like to set him straight if he's wrong.

[cheezit]

imo hes not unless its a new thing, like last few days new. i see parents and there kid in the local supermarkets buying beer all the time.
the store in question may have some issues with tabc and are tring to not get more fines.
also its there store to do as they please and they are not required to provide service to everyone that walks in the door.

[tiviti]

I have been told that it is okay if the purchaser is the legal guardian of the minor (parents shopping with kids) but not otherwise. The only thing I could find from TABC was

Company Policies
Some retailers will insist that everyone in a group show proof that they are 21 or over when anyone in the group is attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages. This is an attempt to prevent adults from illegally providing alcohol to minors.

Though considering minors are allowed to possess/consume alcohol in the presence of their parents/guardians (Sec.106.04,Sec.106.05,Sec.106.06), I'm not sure why it would matter in your case.

From personal experience, I have had a clerk refuse to sell beer to my brother because my younger sister was with us and she was not yet 21.

[WildBill]

I stopped in the store on the way home last night. While I was in line there was a lady and a young girl at the register next to me. The lady puts a six pack on the counter and the girl puts her soda and candy up there, the lady has a twenty in her hand ready to pay. The clerk looks at the girl and asked for HER ID, lady tells him that she is her 14yo daughter and why do you need to see her ID I'm the one buying it. Clerk says its TABC law that you can't buy beer if you have a minor with you. I'm pretty sure I've seen signs on liquor stores that says no minors unless accompanied by an adult. Anyone know anything about the TABC laws? The clerk is kind of a jerk to everyone and I'd like to set him straight if he's wrong.

I may be wrong, but I don't think it illegal. It's probably a company policy so that adults aren't buying alcohol for minors.

[Keith B]

I stopped in the store on the way home last night. While I was in line there was a lady and a young girl at the register next to me. The lady puts a six pack on the counter and the girl puts her soda and candy up there, the lady has a twenty in her hand ready to pay. The clerk looks at the girl and asked for HER ID, lady tells him that she is her 14yo daughter and why do you need to see her ID I'm the one buying it. Clerk says its TABC law that you can't buy beer if you have a minor with you. I'm pretty sure I've seen signs on liquor stores that says no minors unless accompanied by an adult. Anyone know anything about the TABC laws? The clerk is kind of a jerk to everyone and I'd like to set him straight if he's wrong.

I may be wrong, but I don't think it illegal. It's probably a company policy so that adults aren't buying alcohol for minors.

Sounds like a clerk who didn't know how to properly interpret the company policy and not sell beer to a 21 year old who was gonna pass it to the minor. As a matter of fact, a minor can actually order and drink alcohol in Texas if they are in the presence of their parent or guardian, so I am positive the clerk was not correct.

[WildBill]

Sounds like a clerk who didn't know how to properly interpret the company policy and not sell beer to a 21 year old who was gonna pass it to the minor. As a matter of fact, a minor can actually order and drink alcohol in Texas if they are in the presence of their parent or guardian, so I am positive the clerk was not correct.

A couple of months ago I got carded at Target when I bought a bottle of wine. I gave the cashier a little bit of a hard time, and told her that it was the first time that had happened to me in about 30 years. She laughed and told me that she was a new employee and had been trained to card every one who bought liquor.

[smoothoperator]

The clerk is kind of a jerk

I think you just answered your own question.

[C-dub]

I have purchased beer a few times with my daughter in tow. She usually cons me into a bag of beef jerky, which also goes good with my beer, BTW, and or some KitKat bars. I haven't had anyone say anything to me about this "law" yet.

[Abraham]

I got carded at Walmart when I asked for some Skoal - a smokeless tobacco product.

It was put on the counter and before I could buy it they asked for I.D.

I look like Methuselah. Wrinkled as a raisin. White haired and white bearded. I'm a geezer for gosh sakes!

I declined to go through the act of digging out my drivers license in order to dance to their absurd corporate requirement.

I asked to speak to someone in management. Eventually a woman representing management came to the counter. I asked her if using common sense had come to a halt. I pleasantly asked if I looked even remotely like I might not be old enough to buy tobacco products. She shrugged her shoulders and said that was the new rule for ALL tobacco sales at their store. No I.D. No tobacco. Period.

I left the Skoal on the counter and calmly walked away...

I'm not going to conform to absurdity when I have a choice, guess I'm just ornery that way...

As an underage kid in south Texas, I used to drink beer with my Dad in bars. The bartender would serve the beer to my Dad and he in turn would hand it to me. Doing this was perfectly legal and as far as I know still is.

[harrycallahan]

I am sure I'll get flamed, but I have a hard time finding fault with the clerk's actions.

[The Annoyed Man]

I am sure I'll get flamed, but I have a hard time finding fault with the clerk's actions.

Just kidding. I understand why they have the policy, but it's kind of absurd. What's to stop you from having your kid wait in the car while you go inside to buy beer FOR HER?? As for the employee, he's just doing what he was told to do.....which may not even mean that he personally agrees with it. But remember that he and the register are likely under video surveillance at all times, and if the video gets reviewed for any reason whatsoever, he could lose his job. Nobody has a right to expect a lowly sales clerk to put their job at risk simply because he won't sell an adult customer some beer with the customer's own child standing next to him...........well......you have the right to expect it, but you also have the right to expect the moon to be made of cheese. Realistic thinking dictates otherwise. It's a ridiculous situation, but it involves a possible loss of employment on the clerk's part, versus a mere inconvenience on the customer's part.

It's a give and take world, and that particular hill is not the one I want to die on.

[fickman]

I spent a few years working in a grocery store between 8th and 10th grade.

If there was a group of young people (even 2-3), buying beer, we'd check everybody's ID. If 1) the group had a couple of people just barely 21 and a few people right on the verge of 21, and/or 2) the one(s) older than 21 were clearly buying more beer than they would probably drink by themselves, they probably weren't getting beer.

One group offered to have the minors leave so that it was just the 21+ guys at the register, and the manager said, "Too late. I've already seen the other guys. None of you are buying alcohol here tonight."

I can't decide based on OP. If it was only a six pack and the older looked old enough to be the mom of the younger, I would've processed the sale. If she was buying a case or more and they looked close enough to be sisters or friends, I might have nixed it.

There can be criminal penalties (jail and fines) for individuals and stores that show negligence in letting minors obtain alcohol. TABC is very active in undercover stings.

[gigag04]

Not illegal. Might be store policy though.

[WildBill]

Not illegal. Might be store policy though.

It could be the store was previously busted by the TABC and they are trying to improve their system for preventing illegal sales to minors.