can the restaurant i work at do this?

It's a gray area.

Your restaurant isn't doing anything illegal, but the beer company would rather sell it to you themselves than have you buy it from a grocery store (higher markup selling to an individual restaurant).

Though they're not doing anything illegal, the beer company may find grounds to file a civil suit - which is likely what your boss is afraid of.

Sheeni,

Your employer should have a state liquor license. You know that I'm sure! So, I'm assuming the restaurant has it!

Not all states are the same, but he or she can buy product from a distributor or a resale. A lot of the time a biz can buy product from a retail store for less that a distributor. This happens to smaller businesses a lot! If a beer distributor ask for their kind of beer, it may be because their there to sell or set-up something with your employer.

Does the restaurant display beer brands (logos)? This could be one reason why your employer doest what to mess with a distributor. He may not what to go through settings something up because of the cost.

If nothing else, ask!

Hope this helps and remember it's his problem, not yours.

Sounds fishy to me. But really, if the beer rep really wanted to find out, they could just pose as a customer and ask for their brand. If you are feeling uncomfortable about the whole thing, talk to your boss, explain your discomfort and try and get them to see the honest thing to do.

At the same time, it might be a good time to start looking for another job. A number of years ago I had a very similar kind of talk with a boss, and ended up quitting on the spot.

No job is worth that kind of terrible feeling you get in being forced to do what you know is wrong.

Good Luck.

Most states require that resellers (restaurants, liquor stores, etc.) buy their supplies from a wholesaler/distributor. Most beer companies also require the same. It would be interesting if the distributor (who knows who he sells to) was to come in and ask for one of his beers and get it.

best to go with what your employer says, since you work for him.

If you have any problems with it, talk to him