Liquor Control Board of Ontario [LCBO]
reviews and complaints

I went to the LCBO and there was a man panhandling outside. He asked me for money and when I said I didn't carry cash, he told me to "F...Off." I went in the store and told the first staff member that I didn't appreciate having to deal with a panhandler and that it was against the law in Guelph to panhandle. The staff member said "What's your problem?" I repeated that I didn't appreciate the guy begging for money and he said again "So what's your problem." Since I didn't want to get into an argument with him, I let it go and he just kept saying "yea..thank you..yeah thank you." At the cash as I was checking out, I told the lady serving me and she agreed with me that we shouldn't have to deal with that outside of the liquor store. I mentioned the other staff member and she agreed he was incredibly rude. I think he upset me more than the guy asking for money, Rude, rude, rude.

On February 12, customer went to the LCBO and was served then the employee called the police claiming the the individual smelt of alcohol and intoxicated but still was served. Being required to having Smart Serve Certification, they should have refused the customer but instead, served then was later stop by police. They should not have served the individual under the Smart Served License that they all hold. The individual was not intoxicated nor had drank anything that day.

This is an ongoing issue since Oct 13, 2022,

The LCBO is currently selling products made by from Stratford Brewing Company/Joe Tuer who does not hold a valid Manufacturing License to sell in the province of Ontario. This product is currently on the shelves of LCBO Stratford and other locations as well the LCBO has been facilitating the sales to other retailors from Stratford to Toronto. Stratford Brewing does not hold any valid license to sell in Ontario, and also would have no liability insurance to sell to the LCBO in Ontario with no valid license.

Stratford Brewing has not held a currant license to brew beer since it expired in Oct 13, 2022. (yes 2022) Confirmed by AGCO

How is it the LCBO still selling this product over 15 months after the expiry of the license and it still available on the shelves as currant as yesterday Feb 11, 2024.

1900 Eglinton Avenue East

I am writing to express my deepest appreciation for the exceptional service provided by one of your salespersons, Saron, during my recent visit to the LCBO. Saron's care, professionalism, and warm demeanor left a lasting impression on me, and I believe it is vital to acknowledge individuals who go above and beyond in their field.

I was at the union station LCBO, and an employee asked me to park my ebike near the counter while I get my liquor. While I was shopping I saw the security guard on the other side of the store who was previously at the counter. I politely asked him if there is someone at the counter out of concern for my ebike. The guy rudely responds that he is not responsible and that the LCBO pays him and that he does not care. I get that I don't pay him but he was very rude. I left quietly about my business, got my alcohol and was at the counter to pay for them. Once I was done this guard approaches me and tells me he did not know I was also an Indian is the reason he was so rude. So if I was not an Indian he would be rude is what he meant. He was very rude and had a racist attitude. If it was someone else he would be rude and arrogant is what he meant.

Store s0547 around 2:10 pm on Oct 16

Racial profiling by security guard

1 he "eyeballed" me when I entered the store (which raised my attention)

2 he followed me back thru the store

3 he stood close by and stared at me while I shopped, making me feel uncomfortable

4 he followed me back to the front of the store, where I paid for the wines

I believed he followed me based solely on my race - I am an older white male, the security guard is a young black male

Gary Barber [protected]

Yonge and Eglinton stire I am a 70 year old customer I have been going to that store for 6 years. I thought I had great rapport with the employees except one male employee. Last Year I did go into the store intoxicated. I supplied the employees with food, special brownies sock monkeys all for free When asked by Chantal if I had an extra umbrella for a older customer who lost his. I rushed downstairs to the sore and gave your customer the umbrella free. I will say about 2 weeks ago I went in the store. The male employee who is always rude to me was the next person I was to go to. first I hesitated. Then I said To myself I will try. Went to his check out said I was paying by cash and that I needed a bag please. I put my 20 dollars on thé desk. He did not give me my bag. Laid the 5 dollar bill on the desk. It fell off behind the desk. I asked him to please pick it up. He told me in his words to [censored] Off. He also said I drink for a living. I am a Personal Support Worker. I called the manager to check the cameras to see what happened .. Tha manager today opened the store 5 mins late. He said Oh getting your booze already?! The vodka was not for me. It was for one of my clients. Hé than said »More than one of his employees said I was nasty to them. I was in shock. They are all nice to my face . Now I see they stabbed me in my back. The manager and the male staff owe me an apology. Hurt customer

Aug 1 midday LCBO allowed a minor to purchase alcohol. I came home to a very intoxicated minor and receipt was available to look at. No I will not be providing more information but the purchaser definitely DOES NOT look 25yrs. This is the 4th type of incident within two years and I’m pissed. I’ve spoken to the mgr and Commission already with no resolution, OBVIOUSLY!

Reference: order # [protected] - Gift to Ed Gorgulho from Mike Swierzy

To whom it may concern:

Today I just had a most disagreeable experience with LCBO. I ordered a bottle of champagne to celebrate an occasion & that was gifted to Mr. Ed Gorgulho.

During the online purchase, I ticked off the square indicating that it was a gift.

A notice followed saying that, because it's a gift, LCBO will not send any indication of price to the recipient.

I also included the recipient's email address in order for LCBO to notify him when he could pick up the gift at your store # 641.

My friend phoned me approximately 1/2 hour after concluding the purchase in order to thank me for the most - in his words - extravagant gift. You see, LCBO had also emailed the invoice to him; thus spoiling the important element of surprise completely!

Apparently, the very negative news reports regarding LCBO online purchases that have appeared in the media are true. In essence, your service stinks! The right hand doesn't seem to know what the left hand is doing.

Sincerely, your very dissatisfied first-time & last time customer,

Mike Swierzy

Ps. I also wrote an online gift card to go with the purchase. Did you manage to screw that up as well?

Good afternoon, on Saturday June 24th around 3:00pm I visited the Lindsay LCBO located on Kent Street.

I was at the check out purchasing a case of coolers. The price seemed higher than what was on the shelf so I had asked if we could go and take a look to verify. The man at the cash was very pleasant and flagged down a young lady(around 20-25 years old) with curly hair and glasses who was going to walk with me to verify the price.

While she was walking, she had dropped a case which then had started leaking. She said she was going to the back to put it away. I then waited quite some time at the isle where the coolers were, and she then came out with a floor cleaning machine. I had asked if she was going to verify the price with me, she sighed, and walked over. I said there was no price tag for the coolers I was purchasing (which there was no tag with the right identifications of the product) and she proceeded to point to the coolers under/beside and said it's the price for these coolers. I said ok, but what is the price for the coolers in question, she said "I don't know, the price that they rang up at, there's no price here for these coolers." I then said, okay you may want to remove the tag directly under the coolers in question so that others don't get confused either. She then proceeded to say "well that's not the price for those coolers so I don't know what to tell you" and then started to walk away. I said ok, thank you for your help, and she very condescendingly said "oh, you're SOOO welcome!"

She was a very rude employee, and treated me very unkindly when I was just looking to verify a price on an item. I really don't think she enjoys her employment there, and it shows. I hope she hasn't been that rude to other customers.

Grocery Store with LCBO outlet employee and customer theft with no repercussions. Specifically one butcher stealing consistently to feed an addiction. Under age cashiers selling to customers through the grocery store checkouts. Non functioning security cameras. No Smart Serve training or certification provided. Outlet not sectioned off to regulate organization and prevent loss.

Shopped at LCBO Store0353, 219 Main Street, Markham at 1:16PM

RM: 0001B, TRN:36229 Store Manager: Maritza Belnavis

I went to buy a bottle of Oyster Bay Chardonnay and a bottle of JB Scotch at 219 Main Street Markham (store #0353) today, April 8, 2023 at 1:16p.m.

I lined up as usual to pay. When my turn came, a casher informed me that a gentleman who lined up on other line a few rows away has to be served first. There were not many people lining up and it took my by surprise. So I said "Excuse me?" The casher said, "the gentleman there on other line has to be served first".

[edited], I had never been treated that way and it was a shock. She simply did not want to serve me. It took the gentleman by surprise also who was waiting in other line came over anyway. I lined up there as I thought the line was somewhat short and my friend just finish paying there. My friend was also surprised by the action of the sales person and did not quite understand what was happening. [edited], I did not want to make any scene in public so I just paid $64.90 when my turn came.

I spend at least $600 per month at LCBO as we often have dinner parties. I live in [edited] in Scarborough and seldom go to Markham. I have never experienced the treatment as such.

I feel that I have been mistreated.

Completely embarrassed to be refused service right before closing and to be ridiculed by staff as I called a friend to inform her I was unable to obtain bottles of wine for an event the following day. Staff were peering out the window at me which made me extremely uncomfortable, I left the car and asked them if there was something I could help them with and they continued to insist I was intoxicated and shouldn’t be driving. I WAS NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM.

I truly cannot figure out what made “them” feel I was intoxicated, I work in food and beverage and they insisted I smelt of alcohol (which I guess is possible) It was an extremely embarrassing interaction and I truly am distraught by the way it was handled. I cannot even describe how this made me feel and I am at a complete loss of words.

LCBO - Orono Ontario

March 11, 2023 @9:30pm

Attempted to purchase a 6 pack of beer. Clerk(Owner) complains that I put the beer upside down. I do this for his wife as she uses the handheld scanner to scan the barcode. I even advised him of this. He said No No. No good. Very rude. I am a regular and this is how he treats me. Im from Orono. I paid for my purchase and told him he was an idiot. I can believe the customer service this man gives.

At approximately 846pm February 06, 2023.
I and my two sons approach the LCBO cashier name tag "Tracey" at location: Bayou Plaza, 1280 Bath Rd, Kingston, ON K7M 4X3.
She carded my first son. Who didn't have his ID on him? My second cashed out. The boys joked about it. I then went up to pay for my bottle. But explain I had to go get my wallet. This being the reason my older son was paying. Tracey said "ok" at no time did she explain that I would not be able to purchase the bottle she was holding under her counter.

I return with my ID. Tracey then said "I still can't sell this bottle to you" I have never experienced this situation before. My son tells me I need to get another bottle. I then tell him to get his I D from the car. This cashier is now rhyming the riot act. Which I understand. I let the man waiting. Go ahead. This cashier is still talking over the customer she is serving. Son shows her the OD. I ask if that is to her satisfaction. Her reply is "don't get an attitude with me" "I don't have to serve you" I tell her to stop talking and cash me out. She said, how are you paying. In order to avoid anymore verbal communication with this person, I hold up my visa card. Look at the store Camara please. She then"the card all say Visa" I said there is difference between the two. "You have an attitude and I don't Have to sell to you" The gentleman I had let go ahead of me while I wait. Her tone was very different with his man. It became very clear that my skin colour was the issue with this lady.

February 06 was my birthday. My son sarcastically said "you'll be wrong" she only hear wrong.

LCBO AMHERSTBURG ON

STAFF NAMED NICOLE on Saturday Jan 14 at 3pm

This staff person was extremely irritable making myself and friend very uncomfortable...wouldn't make eye contact, rolling her eyes and slamming the items onto the counter.

This is absolutely unacceptable and this behavior shouldn't be tolerated period

Thank you for your time and consideration

The current manager of SRF lcbo store is very rude and unprofessional very unpleasant every single time I shop there which is almost daily she should not be working in the public she apparently has an injured knee and is busy with town council but please she should leave her problems at the door I’m sad enough being an alcoholic she should not treat me like this other attendant Tina is wonderful I ty for addressing this

On Wednesday the 21 December 2022, close to 3:00 pm, I noticed the sale price on the shelf for 500 ml of FAXE beer at the Port Elgin LCBO store was tagged at $2.20 per can. I decided to take a full set of twenty four (24) FAXE beer cans, which I calculated as being a total of $52.80.

At the check-out point the attendant rang in a total cost of $58.80. I asked why the price was so high and explained the tagged sales price on the shelf clearly showed the beer listed at a special price of $2.20 per can.

The assistant asked me to wait a moment, rushed away and produced the $2.20 per can price tag a short while later. She seemed a little confused and explained that she had to consult the manager.

When the manager appeared she explained that I could purchase one can at the special price of $2.20 and the remaining cans at the regular price of $2.45. When I indicated my intent to purchase all 24 cans at the identified price of $2.20 for each beer can the manager changed her mind and told me I could buy two cans out of the twenty four for $2.20, with the rest at a cost of $2.45 each. I again indicated my intention to purchase the 24 cans at the identified sale price.

I was then bombarded with statements on the store policy that the beer in question can only be sold at the regular price. I was now told to pay the regular price for all cans or do without, regardless of the mistake she admitted had been made in the store.

Then without another word and explanation the manager snatched the package containing all 24 cans and carried them away into the storage room. I was left standing empty handed feeling totally embarrassed with a large number of customers behind me witnessing the event.

Based on this unfortunate experience it would only be reasonable for the Port Elgin store manager to convey her personal apology for exhibiting such rudeness and making me feel totally embarrassed in public.

Additionally, I also consider it only fair and proper to honor the identified sale price of $2.20 per can of FAXE beer for the twenty four (24) cans I intended to purchase in the first place on my next visit to the Port Elgin LCBO store.

Your considered response is welcomed.

I recently tried making a private order for Coopers Australian Beer through the Canadian Supplier (United Distributors) in Calgary, Alberta.

I have made similar orders since 2016, when I moved to Canada from Australia, but in the past 2 years I have been unable to place a private order, mainly due to the new business practices of the LCBO, which are aimed at preventing private customers from ordering what they want.

I finally contacted United Distributors and was told that the LCBO now require a $2500.00 retainer/deposit paid either by the supplier or private customer before this order can be processed.

I am not sure about you? but as a working-class customer I cannot afford to pay $2500.00 for 2 cases of beer.

This is an appalling practice, and the public should be allowed to order without this atrocious business practice.