Apparently, I can't buy alcohol in Texas

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I had it happen to me with a US passport in my hometown. I was at a baseball game with my parents, they sent me to go buy beer. I was still living in the UK, so I didn't have a US DL and used my passport as ID. The worker at the concession stand refused to accept my passport as vaild ID. He had never seen a passport before and had no idea what it was -- he called the manager, who also said I not only had to have a DL, it had to be a Connecticut DL. Crazy. The situation was remediated when my mom came out looking for me, since it had been a while since I went for beer. My mom demanded to know what was going on, I explained, and she said, "I know exactly how old she is -- I gave birth to her! Consider this the Mom ID."

They sold me the beer.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

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I'm mostly stunned that their magic book of magic had provincial driver's licenses--including versions that are years out of date--but not a Canadian passport.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.

In border towns (ie Buffalo) and snowbird destinations (Florida, Arizona) this likely isn't asuch of an issue. They should update the books to include passport. However, the passport rules for travel are still relatively young as well.

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

I had it happen to me with a US passport in my hometown. I was at a baseball game with my parents, they sent me to go buy beer. I was still living in the UK, so I didn't have a US DL and used my passport as ID. The worker at the concession stand refused to accept my passport as vaild ID. He had never seen a passport before and had no idea what it was -- he called the manager, who also said I not only had to have a DL, it had to be a Connecticut DL. Crazy. The situation was remediated when my mom came out looking for me, since it had been a while since I went for beer. My mom demanded to know what was going on, I explained, and she said, "I know exactly how old she is -- I gave birth to her! Consider this the Mom ID."

They sold me the beer.

See, I didn't even get carded in CT, even when I was 21. Having a baby on your hip is like the magic "you are old enough to buy liquor" card. I think once I went without the kiddo and got carded. Then again, the place I bought from got fined for underage liquor sales.

[CanadianMom 45]

I had that issue at a bar during our bachelor/bachelorette party in San Diego 6 years ago. I had my Ontario drivers license which was good enough for the guy at the door, but the bartender wouldn't serve me with it...said I had to use my passport which I didn't have on me. We ended up going somewhere else.

[kc247 22]

That is ridiculous. I have never had an issue using my NS drivers license for anything here in Utah. You would think a passport would easily be good enough!

[Dualie 185]

I had an interesting exchange with a clerk in a West Fargo, North Dakota liquor store a few months back. I arrived in town around 7 PM and decided I would like a shot or two of Honey Jack Daniels that evening, so I stopped at the neighbourhood liquor store (rather than Happy Harry's which was way out of my way). Anyway, I go to pay and they request ID, which I kind of giggle at because I am 57 and, although I look younger...no way I look young enough to card, lol). I produce my Manitoba drivers license - no go. This particular store has a new scan device and it won't accept my DL. So I produce my US military (dependent) ID - no go. So I say "try my passport" - no go. OMG...at this point I am laughing because I find it all too funny. I offer to show her my Ontario birth certificate, but no, that won't work either.

Long story short, this 50 something year old lady is refused liquor sales at this store (tears in my eyes at this point from laughing). The clerk was most apologetic, and agreed that it is an asinine system and is costing them sales. Not her fault, but REALLY? So, no Honey Jack that night but I had my entertainment for the evening. (BTW - Happy Harry's is always more than happy to take my money!) I understand trying to protect the store from selling to minors, but that store can only sell to someone with a valid ND drivers license. Gonna kill their business.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

FYI, it's not just alcohol. Some places it's cold medication and even anything aerosol.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I had an interesting exchange with a clerk in a West Fargo, North Dakota liquor store a few months back. I arrived in town around 7 PM and decided I would like a shot or two of Honey Jack Daniels that evening, so I stopped at the neighbourhood liquor store (rather than Happy Harry's which was way out of my way). Anyway, I go to pay and they request ID, which I kind of giggle at because I am 57 and, although I look younger...no way I look young enough to card, lol). I produce my Manitoba drivers license - no go. This particular store has a new scan device and it won't accept my DL. So I produce my US military (dependent) ID - no go. So I say "try my passport" - no go. OMG...at this point I am laughing because I find it all too funny. I offer to show her my Ontario birth certificate, but no, that won't work either.

Long story short, this 50 something year old lady is refused liquor sales at this store (tears in my eyes at this point from laughing). The clerk was most apologetic, and agreed that it is an asinine system and is costing them sales. Not her fault, but REALLY? So, no Honey Jack that night but I had my entertainment for the evening. (BTW - Happy Harry's is always more than happy to take my money!) I understand trying to protect the store from selling to minors, but that store can only sell to someone with a valid ND drivers license. Gonna kill their business.

Actually that happend to me in Virginia a few years back--with my Virginia DL!!! Guy scanned my Virginia DL---rejected!! My DL had expired!!! So couldn't sell me the rum!! Bigger issue was my expired DL.....I quickly went to the DMV. The lady initially said, I was going to have to re-do the whole thing--including written and driving test!! But luckily the manager was in a good mood and since it had only been expired for a few days, they allowed me to renew it, whewwwwww

[thatangela 134]

Maybe they just wanted to stop you from making the very bad decision of buying pear cider?

[Chalandrae 32]

Wait... I've never seen one of these vending machines, where are they?!?! And I don't get why your passport was declined. Everytime I visit my fiancé in NY we end up going to a restaurant or buying some alchool. They accept my passport without any questions.

Well, except at our engagement party where the waiter spent 10 minutes staring at my passport like it was written in a foreign, long lost language... Took the whole family telling him I was a French Canadian from Québec for him to let me get my martini....

(I was refering to Rob L's post on the first page for the vending machine... Buy I only discovered the Quote option after I submitted my post... )

Edited December 29, 2014 by Chalandrae

[Teddy B 17,252]

Maybe they just wanted to stop you from making the very bad decision of buying pear cider?

I was thinking the same thing!

[cloudy 6]

I lived in Florida last winter and only ever used my QC driver's license, which was never a problem (despite some minor confusion about why I - clearly an anglophone - have a french language ID). I usually had to point out my DOB to them because they couldn't figure out the French.

Now I live in Massachusetts and they are a lot pickier. I always carry my passport if I'm going to a bar or liquor store. And we've learned the hard way (we were denied once) that if I don't have it with me when my husband and I stop at the liquor store, I just wait in the car and he goes in alone.

[NikLR 13,232]

Whh don't people who have lived in the USA for some time get a US driver's license and save the fuss? I got my CO license 4 months after moving. It took 3 months to do it because of SAVE db issues but now i can use that or my green card as my ID sources.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

As soon as I move, I'll be getting my license. I'm just down for the holidays, though. We managed to score a really good plane ticket price so I was unexpectedly able to come down. I probably won't be back until after we get through NVC--I don't anticipate moving until April or May.

[warlord 73]

I remember the days in the early 90's using my fake Texas ID card and it passing all the time in Destroit when I would go get alcohol, even some would bring the managers over to verify it and it always worked. I think I still have that ID laying around. I actually was carded in Canada this past summer when I was up there visiting. The state run liquor store in Ontario had a book and they pulled it out to verify my Colorado ID which luckily it matched as I was worried if they didn't have that in their book, that even my US passport wouldn't work (which I didn't even have on me anyways). At least there it was up to date and wasn't even a border city. Not sure if Canadian ID books are actually government issued and not independent as someone mentioned earlier in this post...