worked in services myself, ok. And these ID checks are obviously totally random, and on people who obviously shouldn't need to be pestered. And comments regarding "compliments" and "flattering" are just outright rude.
The word 'pestered' says it all really. Whether you worked in services or not. I don't insinuate I'm being flattering or giving a compliment when asking for ID, I simply ask for ID, serve if it's provided and don't serve if it's not.
I've worked for companies where you had to challenge X amount of customers a month, regardless of if you actually needed to or not. To prove that the challenge scheme, which is a mandatory condition of the license, is being used. Quite frankly I'm more interested in not getting disciplined than not 'pestering' anyone. I wasn't allowed to say "Well I haven't had to challenge anyone because no one appeared too young" my common sense wasn't enough, I had to be able to prove it, so they could prove it to the licensing authority.
And they are quite tough. A business fairly local to me have had their alcohol and entertainment license removed for things posted on Facebook, not even actually breaking any laws, the license holder was considered to no longer be a suitable person, what he posted was pretty damned awful, but it didn't break any law. Holding an alcohol licence is a privilege, not a right and you need to demonstrate you're a suitable and responsible person to do so. He demonstrated the opposite, so he's lost that privilege along with his livelihood.
Blame the laws that create the situation, the companies that don't train their staff properly because it costs money, the requirements that need to be adhered to in order to get and keep a license. Not the bottom rung of the ladder that face out of proportion punishment if they don't ID and at worse abuse, at best being accused of being thick, idiots, having no common sense, being on a power trip if they do.
As I said before, I'm really not in the slightest bit interested if someone wants to drink themselves insensible, give their 5 year old a whiskey every night because it's legal, or whatever else they want regarding alcohol, but as the concequences from not following company policy, up to actually breaking the law, are for me, I'm going to do what I can to make sure I avoid those concequences.
The only way to stop this situation is to ID everyone who wants to buy an age restricted item, the only way to not rely on perception which obviously differs from person to person.
And again, it's a want, not a need. No one was harmed or died from not being able to buy a bottle of merlot to go with dinner. There's such an entitled attitude around alcohol, like you're refusing something essential to every day life for a laugh.