When checking thousands of IDs a night, it's easy for bartenders to let a fake slip through once in a while.
So some local restaurants are using scanners to help curb underage drinking and keep the fake IDs out.
Restaurants and bars like The Swamp Restaurant and Gator's Dockside are arming employees with a computerized scanner to screen IDs, meticulously checking for fake, invalid or expired cards.
Jeff Bartholomew, general manager of The Swamp, said that the majority of IDs that come through the restaurant are probably not being used by their rightful owners.
"We want to avoid being one of the bars getting in trouble with the cops," said Bartholomew, who made the decision to start using the scanner about a month ago.
If an ID doesn't scan, it is confiscated and turned over to the Gainesville Police Department.
Getting caught serving alcohol to minors can mean serious consequences for bar owners.
"You can get your liquor license taken away. That's why it's not worth taking a chance," Bartholomew said. "It's not worth me losing what I do for a living just so someone can have one night of drinking." He said the Swamp is trying to use the scanner as much as possible to avoid problems. Bouncers also routinely patrol the bar, and police officers frequently walk through.
GPD Lt. Wayne Ash said he applauds the bars that have gone out of their way to try and avoid underage drinking problems.
"Anything that will reduce the number of fake IDs will be helpful," Ash said.
Gator's Dockside manager Melanie Beebe said she uses the hand-held ID scanner to prevent arguments.
"Young people who want to drink will lie, argue and scream," Beebe said. "They'll tell you every line there is."
Gator's Dockside invested in a scanner about two years ago but only as a second reference. They use it at the door on Tuesday nights, which attracts the biggest crowd of drinkers, but keep it behind the bar on most nights.
"Training your staff for what to look for is a better tool than the scanner," said Beebe, who said she takes ID-checking very seriously.
For people who are caught drinking with fake IDs or ones that aren't theirs, theirs IDs are confiscated. Drinks are pulled from the table, the patrons must pay their tabs, and the server who supplied the drinks is fired.
Beebe thinks the reason not many bars use scanners is because of their price. Scanners can cost anywhere from $1,200 to $1,500.
"It works really well because people will turn around and walk out when they see the scanner," Beebe said. "It's not really a scare tactic. It's just our way of saying 'come on, just don't pull this here.'"
