Apparently, I can't buy alcohol in Texas

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

So I do not yet have my green card. I'm just down for a visit over Christmas. I'm from Toronto, so I don't drive. I have an Ontario Photo ID card for all my liquor buying needs. This works just fine for me.

So last night, we went down to the HEB (a grocery chain here) to buy stuff to make dinner and get a bottle of pear cider to go with it. Not a big deal, right?

SO wrong.

I'm 27 and always still get carded. They carded me, of course. I pulled out my Ontario Photo ID. They pull out their Big Book of ID That Lets You Buy Alcohol. They go 'sorry, we can't accept this.'

I go 'cool, no problem.' My wife goes 'Okay, I'll pay.' They go 'No, she said she was paying, you can't pay for the cider now.' I go 'Okay, well, my passport is in my jacket pocket in the car, I'll be right back.' I run out to the car. I bring back my Canadian passport, which is good enough for the US government to let me into their country. I run back into the store and present it.

I am told that the only passport that counts is an American one. Canadian ones are not a valid form of ID according to the Big Book. I then learn that a Mexican Consular ID would be good enough, in fact any of the Central or South american consular IDs would be good enough.

So we went next door to the liquor store and bought the cider, but I was told there that they were 'doing me a favour' by letting my wife buy the alcohol with me present, because neither of my IDs are valid for buying alcohol.

So I can't buy alcohol in Texas until I get down here and get a driver's license. I'm actually not sure, given the things in the book, that a green card was considered valid. I didn't see it, but we may have just missed that page.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Well it's kind of a damned if they do damned if they don't kind of thing. They're not trained to detect ID other than their own so In a way it's the right thing. Personally I've never had trouble in Florida showing either my Canadian health card or passport for ID. However in Texas as they're more prone to illegal immigration I can somewhat understand it.

[Darnell 8,479]

go to Spec's Liquor store, next time. no muss, no fuss. Seriously.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Darn right!!

Murkha!!!!!!

So I do not yet have my green card. I'm just down for a visit over Christmas. I'm from Toronto, so I don't drive. I have an Ontario Photo ID card for all my liquor buying needs. This works just fine for me.

So last night, we went down to the HEB (a grocery chain here) to buy stuff to make dinner and get a bottle of pear cider to go with it. Not a big deal, right?

SO wrong.

I'm 27 and always still get carded. They carded me, of course. I pulled out my Ontario Photo ID. They pull out their Big Book of ID That Lets You Buy Alcohol. They go 'sorry, we can't accept this.'

I go 'cool, no problem.' My wife goes 'Okay, I'll pay.' They go 'No, she said she was paying, you can't pay for the cider now.' I go 'Okay, well, my passport is in my jacket pocket in the car, I'll be right back.' I run out to the car. I bring back my Canadian passport, which is good enough for the US government to let me into their country. I run back into the store and present it.

I am told that the only passport that counts is an American one. Canadian ones are not a valid form of ID according to the Big Book. I then learn that a Mexican Consular ID would be good enough, in fact any of the Central or South american consular IDs would be good enough.

So we went next door to the liquor store and bought the cider, but I was told there that they were 'doing me a favour' by letting my wife buy the alcohol with me present, because neither of my IDs are valid for buying alcohol.

So I can't buy alcohol in Texas until I get down here and get a driver's license. I'm actually not sure, given the things in the book, that a green card was considered valid. I didn't see it, but we may have just missed that page.

[NikLR 13,232]

Illegal immigration from Canadians? C'mon now. Basically they're morons. Like Darnell said, find the liquor store that isn't.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

Well it's kind of a damned if they do damned if they don't kind of thing. They're not trained to detect ID other than their own so In a way it's the right thing. Personally I've never had trouble in Florida showing either my Canadian health card or passport for ID. However in Texas as they're more prone to illegal immigration I can somewhat understand it.

But they accept a Mexican Consular ID, which is literally an ID that the Mexican government issues to citizens living abroad who are unable to obtain any other type of ID where they are living. This is literally an ID card for people who are undocumented in the country in which they live.

They'll accept a Canadian driver's license. They won't accept any other ID than a provincial driver's license for a Canadian. This is a terrible tourism decision. I mean, I'm largely amused, but it's a bit ridiculous that they've basically said 'nah, Canadian tourists can't buy alcohol unless they drive' while also going 'but an undocumented Mexican can!'

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

Illegal immigration from Canadians? C'mon now. Basically they're morons. Like Darnell said, find the liquor store that isn't.

I found one that would sell to us. But they stated, for the record, that state law does not allow them to sell to someone with a Canadian passport or an Ontario Photo ID card. They were doing me a favour and breaking the law, apparently.

[JohnR! 5,495]

That is more than a bad decision. That's just sheer stupid, because everyone know your passport trumps all other documents. You could give them a pass for not accepting your Canadian DL but seriously, not accepting your passport as a form of ID is just downright inane.

But they accept a Mexican Consular ID, which is literally an ID that the Mexican government issues to citizens living abroad who are unable to obtain any other type of ID where they are living. This is literally an ID card for people who are undocumented in the country in which they live.

They'll accept a Canadian driver's license. They won't accept any other ID than a provincial driver's license for a Canadian. This is a terrible tourism decision. I mean, I'm largely amused, but it's a bit ridiculous that they've basically said 'nah, Canadian tourists can't buy alcohol unless they drive' while also going 'but an undocumented Mexican can!'

[Boiler 46,103]

Law requires them to not sell to minors.

Law does not specify which forms of ID are acceptable.

Those books are guides produced by independent companies, they are not the law.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Honestly they seemed kind of rude but I wouldn't expect anyone in Texas to honour an ON photo id and they've probably only seen 1 Cdn passport (yours) in their life. 99% of the id they see is state issued so maybe give them a pass - just saying.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Happened to me once in Arlington Virginia at a Giant grocery store..would not accept my Nova Scotian DL or my passport!! I had used my DL in the past there..oh well, easy enough to go some place else,lol

[Darnell 8,479]

Welcome to Texas !

https://www.tabc.state.tx.us/enforcement/age_verification.asp

I mention Spec's Liquor Warehouse, as they have lots of imports, cater to foreign visitors, expats from other countries, and foreign workers.

[chiggins82 88]

Other states have told me that technically they cannot accept a foreign driver's license as ID... Many will though. Especially if they can tell you are almost certainly of age, and they just have a rule to check everyone or under 40 etc.

I have been warned a few times to bring my passport if I am going to a bar in the US... Crazy they wouldn't even accept that! I have never had my passport turned down, but once TGI Friday's refused my license

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

I do, admittedly, look much younger than my actual age. I'm not offended and I was able to find a place where my wife could buy the cider (which was delicious), but I'm mostly stunned that their magic book of magic had provincial driver's licenses--including versions that are years out of date--but not a Canadian passport. If I were making such a book, I would be much more likely to put in a federal ID from each country and not bother with any kind of provincial/regional ID, since foreigners must have a federal ID (passport) to enter America anyway. But yeah. I'm mostly shaking my head at "NO BOOZE FOR YOU, TOURIST! BWAHAHAHAHA!"

Damn my purple hair.

[Rob L 3,811]

Too much regulation in in liquor sales, we need beer vending machines like Quebec.