The Birthday Party and the Borrowed ID
A 19th birthday party books a table at a licensed restaurant. Eight people arrive, most of them clearly in their late teens. The booking was made by a young woman, Chloe, who says she is turning 19. The legal drinking age is 18. One guest, Sam, looks about 16, is quiet and does not order anything. Another guest, Ravi, orders a jug of beer for the table and says, 'It's for all of us, we're all 18.' When asked for ID, Ravi produces a driver's licence. The photo resembles him but the birth date makes the licence holder 24 years old. The licence is slightly bent and the laminate looks lifted at one corner. Chloe says her own ID is in the car and offers to fetch it.
1. Assess the ID Ravi has presented. What should the staff member do, and what reasoning supports that decision?
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The staff member should not accept the licence as proof of age and should not serve Ravi or the table on the strength of it. The birth date shows a 24-year-old, which is inconsistent with Ravi's apparent age and with the group's stated ages. A document that does not match the person presenting it is not valid proof of age, even if the photo looks similar.
The physical condition of the licence adds to the concern. A bent card and lifted laminate at the corner are common signs of tampering, and staff should treat such a document as unreliable. A genuine licence can be damaged, so damage alone is not proof of a fake, but it is enough to justify refusing it as proof.
Having decided the ID is not acceptable, the staff member should refuse the alcohol politely and explain that the ID cannot be accepted. They should not confiscate the card or accuse Ravi of fraud, since that can escalate the situation and may not be their role; many venues have a policy of recording the refusal and, where appropriate, reporting suspected false ID to police or management. The staff member should also note that the order was for a shared jug, which would serve the whole table, so refusing the jug is the correct step rather than serving individuals who have not been checked.
2. Chloe offers to fetch her ID from the car, and Sam, who looks 16, has not ordered anything. How should staff handle the rest of the group, and what should they do about Sam?
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Staff should treat each person who will be served as an individual and check ID for anyone who appears under 25, or whatever the venue's policy age is. Chloe's offer to fetch her ID is reasonable, but until she produces acceptable ID she should not be served. Staff should not hold the table's order open indefinitely; they can say they will check her ID when she returns and serve her then if it is valid.
Ravi should not be served because his ID was rejected. The other guests should be assessed individually. A group order does not transfer proof of age from one person to another, and 'we're all 18' is not evidence. Anyone who appears under the policy age and cannot produce acceptable ID should be refused alcohol.
Sam is a particular concern. He looks about 16, which is below the legal drinking age, and he has not ordered anything. Staff should not serve him alcohol and should not allow others to supply him with alcohol at the table. If the group is served, staff should make clear that alcohol is not to be passed to Sam, and they should keep an eye on the table. If Sam is visibly supplied with alcohol, staff should intervene, stop that supply and follow the venue's incident procedure. The safest approach may be to decline alcohol for the table until each person has been checked, while still allowing the group to stay and eat.