The Underage-Looking Guest with a Vertical License and a Friend
A young woman, appearing about 19, orders a vodka soda at a Soldotna restaurant at 8:00 p.m. She hands over a vertical Alaska license. You examine it: the birth date makes her 22, the laminate looks intact, the photo matches, and the license is not expired. However, the license has a small notch cut in the top edge, and the font on the birth date looks slightly different from the rest of the card. She is with an older man, about 40, who orders a beer and says 'she's with me, she's fine.' The restaurant cards anyone under 30, and the man has a valid horizontal license showing he is 40.
1. Is the notch and font discrepancy enough to refuse? What is the correct sequence of actions?
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Yes - a notch and inconsistent font are classic signs of an altered or re-laminated ID. A vertical license is valid for a 22-year-old, so format is not the issue; the physical anomalies are. The correct sequence:
- Do not serve her while the ID is in question.
- Ask for a second form of ID (passport, another government ID) to cross-check name, photo, and birth date.
- If the second ID does not resolve it, refuse service and do not return the questionable ID by force - note the details and return it if she insists, but do not accept it as proof.
- Do not let the older companion vouch for her; his age does not transfer to her.
- Notify the manager.
If the ID appears altered, the establishment may retain it per policy and report it, but never physically struggle over it.
2. The older man orders a beer and says she can drink his. How do you handle the companion and the sharing risk?
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Serve the man only if he is of age and not visibly intoxicated - his valid ID satisfies that. But make clear that his beer is his and that sharing with an unverified guest is not permitted. Watch the table: if she drinks from his glass, remove the drink and end service to the table.
The key judgment: an adult buying alcohol for an unverified younger companion is a classic third-party service route. You are not required to accuse him, but you are required not to facilitate. A calm line - 'I can serve you, but I can't serve her or let her drink from your glass' - sets the boundary. If they push back, involve the manager and consider ending service to the table.