Love ’em or hate ’em, free samples are a central part of Costco’s brand. After all, who doesn’t love free food? But it turns out that some samplers (and shoppers) find the process a tad irksome, especially when customers misbehave. On the r/Costco subreddit, Costco samplers have aired those grievances and reminded the public of some basic etiquette.
To ensure our readers don’t commit any egregious sampling faux pas, we’ve gathered eight Costco sample rules that samplers wish customers knew.
Don’t Wait For a Sample
Costco customers can be a bit like vultures. As soon as they see a station, they set up camp and wait for their prey — even if the samples aren’t ready yet. Don’t do this, samplers say. Waiting congests the aisles, and it’s stressful for the sampler. Instead, go back to shopping and circle back when the food is ready.
Don’t Reach Behind the Sneeze Guard
Once samples returned after the pandemic, Costco took extra measures to keep things sanitary. The sneeze guard is one such addition that, as its name suggests, is meant to act as a barrier between ravenous, germy Costco shoppers and the food. So don’t reach behind the sneeze guard. One sampler explained that as soon as a customer reaches behind the guard, the employee has to drop everything and sanitize the cart.
Do Take Samples From the Front of the Cart
Yes, maybe the cup in the back has a few more honey-roasted peanuts, but just take the sample closest to you on the red tray. Again, the problem is that touching items further back might mean the sampler has to throw out the tray because it’s contaminated. Plus, grabbing from the front ensures that tray rotations are easy.
Do Listen to What Samplers Have to Say
Samplers have a daily sales quota, which means that flat-out ignoring their product spiel is pretty inconsiderate. “It can be a little bit disheartening when people don’t even listen to us (or) say hello and just snag a sample,” one Redditor writes. Out of all “grazing etiquette” tips, this was the most divisive on r/Costco. “If people wanted sales pitches,” one reply noted, “Costco would just have you stand behind a podium and talk about your product. The sample is the sales pitch …”
Do Keep Kids Away From the Sample Cart
Sometimes preparing samples involves big, sharp knives and hot pans. So, just as you would do at home, keep the kiddos away while the samplers are chopping away. This goes for adults, too. Don’t reach for a sample before the employee is finished working. Otherwise, someone may lose a finger.
Trending on Cheapism
Don’t Ask for Custom Orders
This is the obvious centerpiece from the thread. Sample workers complained about shoppers asking for things like “extra salsa,” “no cracker,” or requesting samples cooked differently — essentially treating the station like a restaurant. One worker said Costco demos are “take what’s offered or keep walking.” Another noted that employees can actually get reprimanded for modifying samples because vendors pay for the demonstrations to be done a certain way.
Don’t Take Multiple Samples at Once
Several commenters complained about shoppers grabbing handfuls of samples for their “wife and kids” or repeatedly circling back for seconds and thirds. One former demo worker said people would spend an hour making laps around the store treating samples like a free buffet. A good etiquette addition: Take one sample and move along unless the worker explicitly offers more.
Don’t Leave Your Trash Everywhere
A recurring complaint in the thread was abandoned sample cups, spoons, and napkins left on shelves around the warehouse. Multiple commenters pointed out that trash cans are usually right next to the sample stations. Easy etiquette rule: Toss your cup before walking away.
