It’s a regular day in the gas station. I have a bit of a line and I quickly greet a customer who sort of scoots around the line to look at the flavors of “tobacco” wraps we carry. After a minute or so, he walks away and goes to the door, propping it open and YELLING at the top of his lungs:

Customer: “WHAT KIND DID YOU WANT?!”

I look to where he’s yelling and see a kid no older than sixteen sitting in the passenger seat of his car. The kid yells back his flavor and the guy comes back to the counter.

Customer: “Can I get a pack of the grape [Brand]?”

My coworker and I are staring at him open-mouthed. We’ve had people try to buy for teens before but never so blatantly. I finally pick my jaw up off the floor.

Me: “Um… no?”

Customer: “Why not?”

Me: “Because you are very clearly buying for the kid out there!”

Customer: “No, they’re for me.”

My jaw hits the floor again. He isn’t serious, right? I pick it up again and try to maintain what little professionalism I have left.

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, both company policy and federal law dictate that I cannot make a sale if I believe it’s for someone underage. If your… friend… wants to come and show me his ID so I can verify he’s eighteen, I will gladly allow you to pay for his products. If he cannot produce an ID, I have to call the police and report this.”

I wouldn’t have; they would’ve taken forever to come over something like this and the guys would’ve been long gone. But this seemed to light a fire up under his behind and he took off like a bullet, tires screeching as he sped out of the lot.

I work as an usher for a large chain cinema. Any horror film rated age fifteen is like a magnet to kids who often get people to buy them tickets and are shocked when they are ID’ed by an usher. Another issue is that kids that age are too young for driver’s licences and often genuinely don’t have any ID. I find that asking for their date of birth is surprisingly effective in weeding out people who are genuinely underage.

A group of about six fairly young-looking boys and girls line up to get their tickets torn, and surprisingly, some have ID showing that they are actually fifteen. I have this conversation with one of the girls.

Me: “Hi, can I see your ID, please?”

Girl: “Oh, hi! I don’t actually have any ID, but I’m fifteen today; we’re out for my birthday.”

Me: “Oh, hey, that’s great. Happy birthday. What’s your date of birth?”

Girl: “Uh, ummm… it’s today’s date and the year is… ummm…”

Her Friend: “Just take fifteen away from today’s date!”

Me: “Look, I’m sorry, but I’m pretty sure you can appreciate that this isn’t exactly convincing, can’t you? If you return to the lobby, they’ll be happy to exchange your tickets for any film rated under fifteen or refund you if you prefer.”

The group walks off looking a bit dejected. I phone the lobby to explain what happened. About fifteen minutes later, the group reappears and the girl stands at the end of the hall and glares at me before declaring:

Girl: “I don’t like you! You’re not very nice! I hate you!”

Then, she turned around and stomped off.

I am the deputy manager of a liquor store. In the UK, one can purchase alcohol for your own consumption from the age of eighteen, but it is illegal to purchase alcohol on behalf of a minor.

A woman enters and is shortly followed by two girls dressed in full school uniforms. As the woman browses, the two girls walk to the counter I am standing at and, as I look on in bemusement, review our selection of alcopops. Then, the woman joins them at the counter and asks them what they want. In full view of the CCTV cameras and me, the girls literally stand and point out what they want.

Customer: “I’ll have two of your large bottles of [Alcopop], too.”

Me: “I’m very sorry, but I have to refuse that sale unless the two young ladies accompanying you can show me their IDs.”

Customer: “What?! That’s outrageous! Why?!”

Me: “Well, I have to remind you that it is illegal to buy alcohol on behalf of a minor.”

Customer: “They are my daughters! They can drink in my home if I tell them they can, and who are you to say that they can’t?!”

Me: “Unfortunately, I have no way of knowing that they are your daughters. What I do have is CCTV footage — which will be reviewed by the police — that shows school children selecting alcohol for you to buy them. There is no way I could process this sale and keep my job.”

Customer: “This is outrageous. I’m just going to go and buy the same things at a different location.”

And then they stormed off. I later learned that there is, in fact, a provision in law where children of a certain age under eighteen can drink alcohol at home under the supervision of their legal guardian, but who thinks sending in children in full school uniform to buy booze is a good idea?!

(A young guy approaches the counter and asks to buy cigarettes.)

Me: “I’m going to need to see some ID.”

Customer: “Uh… uhm… here!” *hands me his ID*

Me: “This says you’re sixteen. I can’t sell you cigarettes.”

Customer: “Oh, come on! You should sell them to me for being honest!”

I got a job in the local liquor store. It’s a pretty nice gig, and my managers and coworkers are awesome, but the customers could use some work. A few days ago, a kid who is probably fifteen years old wanders into the store. She’s got a cart and a bag, and her phone is attached to her face. She comes to my register with a few packs of bubbly seltzer water.

Me: “May I see your ID, please?”

She flips out.

Teenager: “It’s not alcohol! You don’t need to card me!”

Me: “It’s a liquor store. You can’t even be in here without an ID or an adult.”

My manager is behind me and backs me up.

Teenager: “Fine. I’m going to call my daddy.”

And she storms out of the store. She stands outside on her phone yelling about how we’re being unfair, and then comes back in.

Teenager: “My daddy is on the phone, and he says you have to sell to me because it’s just water!”

Me: “No, I can’t, and I won’t.”

She tries handing me her phone and I back away.

Me: “No. If you want to buy it, you have to get an adult.”

She leaves the store again.

Twenty minutes later, a car pulls up and an older man comes into the store with the girl behind him.

Man: “I demand to speak to the manager about the unfair treatment of my daughter!” *Pointing at me* “I want the number to corporate, and I want your name and your manager’s name!”

He ended up buying his daughter the water while yelling at me and the manager.