Reader Daniel would like to let us know that the Target in Huntsville, AL thinks Jones Soda is alcoholic, and they’re going to need to see some ID.
Daniel says: Hi guys,
I thought this was an interesting incident that you might want to look into and make your readers aware of.
I had went with a friend to buy a few things at the Super Target in Huntsville, Alabama yesterday. Upon checking out, the cashier looked at a four pack of bottled Jones Soda that my friend was buying for himself and asked to see his license. Having laughed it off a bit realizing her mistake, we informed her that this in fact was not an alcoholic drink and that she would not need his ID. She instead became very stern with us and told us that we would have to provide ID anyways, or else the Target Rent-A-Cop would “deal with us”, as she stated it.
Wanting to head home and not really wanting to cause a scene, we went ahead and did what she asked and headed out of the store with our purchases. I’ve tried to reach a manager by phone afterwards to state my displeasure but have had no luck as of yet. Should this happen again, I’m pretty sure that we’ll be standing our ground instead of giving in as we shouldn’t have.
-Daniel
Hey, in addition to complaining to Target, you should probably send a letter to Jones Soda. We’re sure they’d like to know that that particular Target is refusing to sell their soda to people under 21.
(Photo:zac attack)
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@hollerhither: I have also had to show ID while accompanying my husband to the liquor store, even if I’m not making a purchase. I’ve complained about it, but have always been told that it is a “state law”. I’m inclined to believe given that the liquor stores here are state-owned.
i would throw my poo at the cashier like a monkey.
All of the retail stores I’ve worked at that sell alcohol have an automated system for asking the cashier to check ID for alcohol and tobacco, to avoid screw-ups. I haven’t worked at a Target, but given the size of the Target Corporation, and risks involved in selling such products to minors, I can’t possibly imagine they wouldn’t have such a system in place.
All of this means, that something is wrong in that stores computers, listing Jones as an alcoholic beverage.
You should have just told her to shove it, and asked to speak to her manager.
I’ve been IDed for buying root beer, ginger beer, and Jones before also. I was also kicked out of a movie theater for bringing in my own Jones because the guard thought at first that it was a beer.
People fear what they do not understand.
.
.
.
And they’re dumb.
indeed it must a be a SLOW news day.
to characterize what one (dim) employee did as “Target Cards You” is huge overstep.
Bitches need to stop complaining about slow news days. I like these types of news posts, if you don’t – too damn bad.
Keep up the good work Meg.
When I worked at Target, I always scanned the IDs because, well, I was still amazed that I could (we have those strange ones that aren’t actually a barcode, but something called a “dot scan barcode”, I think).
Other than that, Target’s POS system is just like the one at Wal-Mart — if it needs ID, it will tell you.
Back in my retail years, I worked at a drug store too small to automate asking for ID. When AriZona Iced Teas created a “pina colada” flavor (which I don’t think they make anymore), one of our knucklehead cashiers kept trying to card people for it.
That particular cashier was perpetually stupid, actually. (For example: Not only couldn’t she do math in her head, she was too dumb to do her math on paper — she would write on the counter top.) I kept asking why the store wouldn’t fire somebody that monumentally dumb, and the manager would insist we had to settle for stupid employees because “It’s only retail.”
What was my point? Oh yeah — retailers know their cashiers are dim. They just don’t care, because dim people work cheap.
@JAREDGOOD1
Yes, I drink vanilla vodka with orange soda. In fact, Malibu Banana Rum with Fanta orange soda or any orange soda is pretty sick. It’s currently my fav Orange flavored drink. Although Malibu Coconut rum is almost as good. As far as a real vanilla flavored drink. Tuaca Vanilla Liquor mixed with Coke. It doesn’t get any more real. Smooth, No alchohol taste and after a few you will be lit. A staple drink of Boston’s North End.
@ManiacDan:
where can you find ginger beer anymore?? no place i know carries it as of late!
You mean ginger ALE?
Come on, now. The cashier made an honest mistake. Wine coolers are sold in 4 packs and look very similar.
A cashier saw four small bottles and assumed they were wine coolers. Had this happen all the time in Florida with an off brand soda I liked.
Irsistherootofallevil: No, there really is a beverage called ginger beer. The flavor is as, um, interesting as you could imagine.
That’s really weird. My husband and I have bought those sodas at Target and have never gotten carded. Then again we’re in our 30s, but still.
I think it’s funny. it just goes to reinforce the uneducated backwoods stereotypes of southern people many of us have.
Rednecks can be so funny, until you have to deal with them yourself.
@82300sd: Yes, at least in Ca they do- I bought two bottles of Chianti at mine just last night.
@hollerhither:
As far as showing your ID, to buy alcohol, that is correct, you need to. However, you do NOT need to hand them your ID. Showing it to them, in your possession, is pretty much all you need to do, if you want that product. That ID is your property, and they can’t search you, unless you allow it, or are somehow obligated to. Few people are aware that if something like a cop pulling you over, were to occur, you do not need to actually hand them your license. You are simply not legally obligated, once more, it is your property. What you ARE obligated to do, is give him the information on the license. IE, if I wanted to be an arch-prick, I could actually hold the license up to the window and make the officer copy all of the information down on a pad of paper. Now, I might end up with a broken tail-light, but, that’s the law(not the broken tail-light, the license part).
Super Targets in Iowa have full liquor sections. Anything from wine coolers to 12 year Glenlivet.
If you read the post closely, it states that the cashier just “looked at a four pack of bottled Jones Soda” and asked for ID. She wasn’t checking it out, she must’ve already or hadn’t done it yet, and just ASSUMED it was alcoholic. I seriously doubt that in all the Targets across the U.S. they prompt for ID for Jones Soda. I think Jones and Target would’ve fixed that a long time ago, bc that means loss of sales. This was primarily the cashier’s fault for assuming and should of course be reported to the store manager, atleast.
Are you sure this wasn’t because it was a debit card purchase? I know I’ve been asked for ID when buying things with a card.
@perfectly_cromulent:
Actually, Target’s Archer Brands offers a ginger beer made with cane sugar that’s quite tasty.
Wow! I live in hunstville! I’d like to know maybe which one it is, because there’s a crappy one and an okay one here.
I worked registers at the South Huntsville Target for nearly a year, and never did the computer ask to card for sodas. The alcohol had to be overridden by supervisors for those of the cashiers that were under 19, but otherwise, you can press one button and the screen would clear and let you sell it.
BUT, they implemented new systems since I left, so…It could be that the sodas were entered in the system wrong or something and it requires an ID to be scanned or swiped in order to proceed, otherwise its stuck and theres no way aorund it. It was just the computers fault if the girl wasnt lying, but at the north target, there’s lots of lying and hastling for customers. Oh, my bad. I mean “guests” ….
At any rate, thats really weird. Now I wanna go buy some boozesoda.