Can You Buy Alcohol In Walmart Self Checkout

You may be someone who needs to stock up on alcohol on the weekend. Since you’re already at Walmart, you decide to pick it up at Walmart too. Before heading off to the self-checkout, you should consider: can you buy alcohol in Walmart self-checkout?

You can buy alcohol in Walmart at the self-checkout. Upon scanning the products you’ll be asked to verify your age via a driver’s license or other photo ID.

As long as your Walmart store sells alcohol, you can purchase it at the self-checkout. Continue reading to learn how this work and what to do if you can’t use the self-checkout. 

Does Walmart Sell Alcohol

Walmart sells alcohol in some states in the United States, but not every Walmart has alcohol and liquor. 

Alcohol is available in 31 states, but that doesn’t mean that every Walmart in those states will have alcohol.

Walmart is allowed to sell alcohol in 31 states, but it is up to the local government to decide if Walmart can sell alcohol. This means that one Walmart can have alcohol, but one 20 minutes down the road will not have alcohol.

I have experienced that alcohol is hard to find in states like Pennsylvania and Texas. On the other hand, alcohol seems to be readily available in Walmart stores in New York. 

This can be frustrating, especially if you are visiting a new town and are looking for a quick way to grab alcohol!

How Do You Buy Alcohol Using the Walmart Self Checkout

Buying alcohol using self-checkout is almost as easy as purchasing milk or eggs.

• Step 1: When you take your alcohol to the self-checkout, you should scan the bottle as you would anything else.
• Step 2: The self-checkout machine will flash and alert the Walmart employee who oversees the self-checkouts.
• Step 3: The employee will come over to scan their badge or enter their employee number to pass the prompt screen.
• Step 4: The employee will look at your ID to check that you are at least 21, allowing you to complete the transaction. 

And that’s it! You’ve successfully purchased alcohol at the Walmart self-checkout within a few minutes.

Things To Consider When Purchasing Alcohol At Walmart

Buying alcohol at Walmart should be easy, but if you are buying alcohol, here are some tips to follow.

Use A Register With A Cashier If The Self Checkout Lines Are Long 

The self-checkout lines can be long these days as people are checking out.

If you see that the line is long, I would recommend using a register with a cashier so that everything is done in one transaction.

This means that another employee will not have to come over to check your idea, and you can get out of the store faster. 

Be Patient With The Employee Overseeing The Register

Always be patient with the employee who is at the self-checkouts.

Sometimes one employee is overseeing ten or more registers all at once. They could be helping someone else with a problem, so be patient while you are waiting for them to come over.

Problems other customers are having could take longer than a few seconds, but the employee will get to you as quickly as possible.

Keep Your Purchases In One Order 

Keep your purchases in one order, so the employee at the checkouts does not have to keep coming over to check IDs.

If you’re buying alcohol with friends, you should have one friend purchase all the alcohol and reimburse them. Make the employee’s life easier if you have the chance! 

Do Not Be Suspicious When Buying Alcohol 

Don’t act suspicious while you are buying alcohol at the self-checkouts.

Any behavior can be seen as strange, but the following can be seen as red flags by employees:

• You are pacing
• You look nervous
• You are trying to hide the bottle of alcohol
• You are looking around you all the time 
• You are in a bigger rush than necessary

Do Not Try To Buy Alcohol When You Already Intoxicated 

Bars will not serve you if you are already intoxicated; an employee at Walmart will do the same.

Trying to buy alcohol while you are visibly intoxicated will only end badly because you will not be leaving the store with another bottle of alcohol.

The employee will stop you when you show them your ID, and they will not let you complete the transaction. In that case, you’ll need to sober up before you can get another fix.

Do Not Buy More Alcohol Or Liquor Than Allowed

This is an odd rule, but some stores limit what you can buy and the quantities you can buy. This is often dictated by local laws or store policy.

When I purchased alcohol once, I was not allowed to purchase vodka and a 12-pack of beer in one transaction because of the combined alcohol content. I needed to make a purchase, take it to my car, and then return to make a second purchase.

I’ll be the first to say that this is a pain, but do not fight with the employee if you run into this when you buy alcohol at Walmart.

Be 21 Or Over!

This one should go without saying, but don’t try to buy alcohol if you are under 21.

You won’t be completing the transaction at the Walmart self-checkout without a valid ID, so you won’t be able to cross your fingers that the employee won’t card you.

If you’re looking to buy alcohol at Walmart, you will have to wait for that huge milestone of 21 to purchase alcohol.