Almost all gas stations have a policy in place that requires the worker to check IDs before selling a customer alcohol or tobacco products. Some customers hate the very minor inconvenience, but it really does help to avoid problems for the company.

What would you do if a young man didn’t have his ID, and he kept getting upset that the worker refused to sell him tobacco?

That is what happened to the worker in this story, so he kept his cool and just kept explaining to the guy that he couldn’t sell it to him, even after multiple attempts.

To make the story even better, the guy was so upset that he kept messing up his fuel purchase, causing him to waste even more time. Check out the details below to see for yourself.

Guy with an attitude tries to buy tobacco and then forgets his own gasoline

I work at a gas station where I sell many tobacco products (unfortunately) and there’s no *legal* rule about getting ID from every customer.

Store policy helps to eliminate any potential problems.

But we’re supposed to do so *every single time they come* except for a few exceptions because of store policy.

Like old, physically disabled people who left it in their car. There’s a few others but the thing they all have in common is that they are old.

Let’s see what happened today.

None of us would ever sell to anyone who is not visibly old without an ID. Today, a young man, probably in his twenties, walked up and wanted a black & mild and some gas.

Guy: Can I get a black & mild FT and $9 gas?

Me: Sure, can I see your ID?

As if he couldn’t just make up a birthday.

Guy: I don’t have it, I can tell you my birthday.

Me: Sorry, we require IDs here for tobacco sales.

Even if he has seen that, it doesn’t mean they have to do it for him.

Guy: I’ve seen you guys sell before without ID (again, anyone who we do not ID is OLD and they are very few) and you guys just saw my ID yesterday.

Me: Well I’m not sure who you saw, but we are supposed to get ID from everyone. Even old people (which is true even if we do have exceptions)

Why would he do any favors for this customer after all that?

He then proceeded to waste my time and his time by going in a circle argument with me, eventually said “I’ll just get the gas” and me, already being pretty peeved by this guy’s attitude, did not ask for his points account.

Most people remember to put it in on their own without me asking.

So, put in the number. What a jerk.

Guy: You didn’t even ask me if I have a points account.

Me: I mean, DO you? You can put in the number.

Guy: Yeah.

He really just can’t let it go.

He then starts to put in his number, stops in the middle of it to start arguing with me about the ID again, then he says “I better see you guys ID everyone or I’m calling your boss” and walks away without even paying for his gas.

I thought he got angry and decided to just leave.

That’s funny. He forgot to pay and now looks like an idiot.

He came back up after a few other customers and asked “why isn’t the pump working?”

Me: You never PAID for your gas.

Why am I not surprised that this guy blames others for his mistakes?

And this was my fault, of course, because I made him mad and he said I should’ve said something because I’m a clueless baby and I don’t know how to do my job that he isn’t working I guess even though he’s the one who just walked away without paying for his gas.

The last thing that happened during his actual transaction was that he said he had a PHOTO of his ID on his phone and asked if I could take that.

Dude, just let it go.

I said “no, I have to be able to scan it.”

Guy: Yeah, I have a picture of it.

Me: No. I need the physical ID card. I am not allowed to scan the barcode from your phone.

Wow. This guy just can’t catch a break.

Guy: Then just say that in the first place.

He also told me the wrong pump number, so he walked up again after storming off to his car and threw his arms up right after I swapped it over (another customer was on the pump I thought he was on) and I just wanted him to hurry up and leave so I said “I swapped it over. It’ll work.”

As if a gas station worker should remember every customer who comes in, anyway.

And he luckily didn’t say anything else. I’ve had old people grumble about getting their IDs out but I never expected the first person to ARGUE with me about it to be a young person. I’m 22, this guy looked about the same age as me.

Also, I definitely didn’t see this guy on my shift yesterday.

The guy really isn’t that memorable. Or he was lying.

I asked both of my coworkers who worked yesterday if they had sold a black & mild to a young man with his physical description and, not only was there nobody with his physical appearance, they also didn’t sell any black & milds to any customers at all.

So, I think he probably was actually underage and trying the old “yell at the cashier until they just give in and say yes trick” which, unluckily for him, I actually need and like my job (mostly).

Whatever teh case, it is good that this worker didn’t give in to his antics. People like this need to be told no more often, so they realize that being a jerk won’t get them what they want.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a customer complaint that led to them losing their VIP status.

Read on to see what the people in the comments have to say about this story.

This commenter is right. Never argue with people like this. Just tell them the rule and move on.

He must have his license with him.

I didn’t even think about this option. It does make sense, though.

This commenter has a great suggestion.

Working at a gas station is no fun.

Customers who demand that employees put their jobs on the line to break store policy are the worst. It is funny that he even threatened to tell the boss. What is he going to do? Report him for following store policy?

I get that it is inconvenient, but it isn’t like it is a new thing to require IDs when buying tobacco. And who doesn’t carry an ID with them when they are driving?