When is it appropriate to check a customer's ID?

Checking a customer's ID when they appear to be younger than 21 is crucial for ensuring compliance with legal age restrictions regarding the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. The law requires servers and sellers of alcohol to verify the age of any customer who does not visibly appear to be of legal drinking age, which is 21 in Oregon. This practice helps prevent underage drinking and protects establishments from legal penalties.

The other options do not align with the legal requirements or best practices for ID checking. Only checking IDs on weekends is not sufficient, as underage individuals can attempt to purchase alcohol any day of the week. Checking IDs before serving food does not address the core concern of age verification for alcohol consumption specifically. Lastly, limiting ID checks to after 9 PM is arbitrary; individuals may attempt to purchase alcohol at any hour regardless of the time. Consistently checking IDs based on the appearance of age is the appropriate and responsible action for servers in the context of alcohol service.