BURIEN, Wash. — On June 13, Burien Liquor & Wine received a violation from the Washington State Liquor & Cannabis Board (WSLCB) for selling alcohol to a minor.
The notice shocked the owners and their employees because they were certain no one had ever sold alcohol to a minor in their store. They learned the violation stemmed from a liquor delivery compliance check.
Now, they're forced to pay $1,000 or close down for 10 days. The owners can also appeal the violation.
"In our 12 years of business, we've never sold to a minor, never sold to a minor, never had a strike. We've always been tax compliant," Pedro Sanchez, a long-time employee and manager, said. "The DoorDash driver is actually the one who gave a delivery to a minor during a sting operation at a hotel here."
Documents from the LCB violation given to Burien Liquor & Wine state the following: Officers were doing liquor delivery compliance checks on June 5; through DoorDash, an officer purchased alcohol from Burien Liquor & Wine; a delivery driver picked up the alcohol; that same driver showed up at the Radisson Hotel Seattle Airport. She gave the alcohol to an 18-year-old man despite checking his ID, which clearly showed he was under 21; officers confronted the driver before she left.
Sanchez said it feels like his place of employment is being punished for an issue that was caused by a DoorDash Delivery Driver.
"I reread the contract and they guaranteed us that they will ID everyone and the order won't be completed until the order is scanned," Sanchez said.
The violation documents pointed to this state law that includes the following: A spirits retail licensee shall be accountable for all deliveries of liquor made on its behalf. A WSLBC spokesperson pointed to this state law and said businesses who use third-party vendors do so at their own risk; they're responsible for the sale from beginning to end. That means, for now, Burien Liquor & Wine is on the hook for this violation.
"We didn't know we did anything wrong and we believe if new laws were to come into place, they should come in, advise us on what to do," Sanchez said.
The delivery driver was given a criminal citation. She was also driving on a suspended license. Officers allowed her passenger, who had a valid ID, to drive them away.
DoorDash shared the following statement about this incident.
“We are deeply committed to helping ensure the safe delivery of alcohol, and it’s a responsibility we do not take lightly. That’s why we have created industry-leading ID verification protocols before any deliveries are completed, and provide compliance modules for Dashers in Washington who deliver alcohol. We understand how concerning this must be for this business, and are in contact as we actively investigate this incident.”