Costco Wholesale dominates the bulk retail industry, offering its members worthwhile perks and a mountain of options in groceries, electronics, clothing, and more to choose from. But it isn’t just its affordable food court menu or Costco’s famous $4.99 rotisserie chicken that define the club. The thing that arguably makes a grocery trip to Costco so gratifying is the food samples that are scattered throughout the store’s aisles, which by the way, are totally up for grabs — even if that means taking more than one.
One of the many secrets to know about Costco’s free samples is that there’s no set rule on how many you’re allowed to take. It might get you a look or two if you grab more than your fair share, but nowhere will you find it written that it isn’t permitted to do so. So if you’re bold enough, you can technically go right ahead and taste test those products as many times as you may want.
Things to be mindful of when getting free samples
While it is true that Costco’s samples are free and open for the taking, it never hurts to be courteous to both the employee handing them out and your fellow grocery shoppers. For instance, if you notice that there are several people in line behind you, don’t be greedy and grab every sample that has been put out. Take one to try, leaving others a chance to experience the product, too. A Costco employee also shared on Reddit that it is “very frustrating for us to prepare the samples and [the] same person finishes the entire batch,” noting that it sometimes takes long to get the food out in the first place. And when snatching a sample up, be kind by listening to the accompanying explanation the worker will likely give you in an effort to sell an item.
One other unspoken rule is not to touch more than what you’re taking. Another employee handing out samples at Costco admitted on Reddit that a customer once dug their hands into the bowl of chips they were serving from, causing them to have to toss the entire thing out. These samples are meant to be eaten by everyone, so it’s important to not contaminate food that others will be putting into their mouths. Pick up the sample that you first touch, and don’t put it back once you have. Also be sure to toss the trash out, being careful not to leave the disposable cups or toothpicks laying around the warehouse. It’s this free sample etiquette rule at Costco that’ll hopefully ensure the public’s flow of the beloved testers are never put to an end.
