When was the last time you got carded?

At a restaurant, suburban Atlanta, about three weeks ago. Like you, I am clearly over 65 years old, grey hair, the works.

The restaurant had a sign up at the entrance: “We Card Everybody” – and indeed they do.

I had to show my license to buy a decongestant at Costco a few years ago, but it wasn’t because they wanted to see my age, it was because you’re only allowed to buy a certain amount within a certain time frame because people use that to make meth or other such illegal substance.

The last time I had to show my license to prove my age, I don’t remember, maybe ten years ago at Walmart to pick up cigarettes for someone. I don’t smoke and I very rarely drink so I am almost never picking up stuff like that from stores, and restaurants will very rarely card someone for alcohol, I find, or maybe it’s because I look nowhere near cardable age.

Actually, no, @jca2. She carded me for age. Frequency of such a purchase would already be in the database of the store, and sent to state authorities. The human element is to confirm age. The government fines if it’s not verified by a cashier, and they always comply because they are on camera.
The first part was told to me by a former LEO from the area (who mentioned it in conversation a few years ago), the last part by the cashier today.
They log the name if the customer has not used a store card.

@canidmajor Oh, ok great!

Everytime we get wine at the grocery store. I picked up a bottle for my wife a few days ago. Me with a gray beard and all “can I see some ID for the wine sir?”

Every time I buy product at a grocery store. They are required to input your birthday.

HA! I’ve never been “carded”.
The day that I turned 21 my brother in law asked me to run across the street to the liquor store to by a six pack of beer. The clerk did not ask to see my ID.

They probably had a boss that was telling them how important it is to card, and possibly threatened them with a write up.

Most people don’t care, but they have to care while at work. Some call this “playing the game”.

But I actually haven’t been carded in a long time.

I was at a concert at the Greek Theater on the UC Berkeley campus, and went to the concession stand to get some water. They check everyone while in line to give you he proper wrist band, so i was “okay” to but booze even though I had not (at the time) had a drink in over 30 years.

I remember I bought beer about 4 years ago to make a bread, so I think that was the most recent time. I bought it at the supermarket and they always check, it’s part of the software on the register to check out.

I tell clerks that I’ll tip them if they card me. Hey, it’s cheaper and much easier than botox!

Usually only young workers if I buy alcohol, probably this last summer.
I am also obviously old enough.

Here’s the reason why . . . .
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/curious-about-a-law-requiring-an-id-to-buy-cough-syrup/

Last time I was carded was for pain-killers, post-op at CVS Pharmacy.

Does one get carded when one is purchasing a gun?

Yes, @Tropical_Willie, it’s been over a decade, so the methods of checking have been upgraded, as explained above.

@rebbel it depends on the state, the location, (they are notoriously casual about this in many circumstances), and whether or not the seller thinks anyone will care.

I have to give my birthdate every time I buy wine at the store. The register demands it.
@canidmajor Sorry you aren’t feeling well. If you drink enough NyQuil you won’t know you feel bad. Feel better!

I haven’t drunk alcohol for 24 years, so that’s out as an excuse for me. NyQuil has alcohol, so I don’t use it.

I have a thyroid disease that warns me not to take decongestants, so I refrain from those.

If I remember correctly, I was carded when I was about 34 years old to buy alcohol. I might have been younger.

There’s an art museum here that has concerts in their sculpture garden twice a month. I go to each and every one, and my boyfriend, who is 59 years old, comes with me. He drinks, and they card everyone who’s going to buy alcohol at the door to give them a wrist band.

It’s all very interesting.

First time I was carded was when I was 21 at an “18 or older” beer only bar in Ohio.

I’d been passing for 21 or older since I was 14 or 15.

I have never been asked for ID to prove my age, I have been asked to prove who I am but that is it.

@chyna, it’s for my poor, snuffly kiddo…I just hope I don’t get it!

I don’t remember the last time I got carded, but I remember the most memorable day I got carded twice. I was about 40 yo. The first one I stopped in at Hooters and ordered a burger and a beer. The girl taking my order asked if I had an ID to prove I was old enough to buy beer. Humored I gave her my ID and told her I was probably drinking before she was born. I was right! So feeling good about myself, I went to a store on the way home. I picked out a couple items and went to pay. The cashier asked me if I had my Golden Buckeye card (discount card for seniors). And my bubble got busted! I didn’t believe I looked under 21 but I didn’t think I looked over 55!

@seawulf575 this reminds me of going to a barber shop a couple years ago. They had a sign that offered discount haircuts to people over 55.

I was about 60 then, so I asked them about it, and if a lot of people got the discount. The barber said “no, fewer than you think. A lot of old guys just don’t want to admit it”

I have never participated in an official football game.

I was 46. My guy got a kick out of that.

That plus more. @rebbel

They occasionally ask my age, but never ask for proof.

Flippin’ Fred Meyer a couple of weeks ago! They implemented some evil stupid new policy where they not only card people who are very obviously over 21, then even INSIST on SCANNING their ID!

I told them that was NOT acceptable, and gave the poor clerk a rough time about it. He turned bright red as the people behind me in line supported me and we laughed about it and made fun of them.

Poor clerk, but a scumbag invasive store policy. I won’t be buying alcohol from them again if I can help it.

Regarding buying Nyquil and some other OTC medications where the pharmacy will card you, I asked a friend who is a pharmacist and here’s his response: laws do vary slightly from state to state for the purchase of pseudoephedrine (PSE). In most states, the info from your driver’s license is electronically stored so that a person does not exceed a certain amount purchased per day or per month. Complete info for each state in the link below:
https://www.nacds.org/pse/

I asked him specifically about age, and he said Alabama is one of the states that requires the person purchasing be 18 years old, but most states don’t require it. I noticed at least one state requires a prescription if the purchaser is under 18 when I glanced through the list. NY and CT don’t have an age requirement under the law according to the link, but maybe the store has a requirement? I don’t know if stores can on their own require an age minimum. Possibly the clerk at the store where @canidmajor purchased hers is making assumptions (was the person a pharmacist?) or possibly it was the store policy.

It reminds me of the requirements for buying codeine. When I was in college I was sick with a bad cough, and under the law back then, in Michigan I didn’t need a prescription, but they made me buy it at the prescription counter and took my information.