'People Have A Lot Of Nerve': The Costco Sampling Behavior That Makes Employees Mad

There's nothing better than making a trip to Costco (or really any grocery store), coffee in hand, and strolling down the aisle to see a staff member standing behind a cart, dispensing samples of granola, yogurt, cheese, or some other item. Even if you have no intention of buying it, there is something to be said about grabbing one of the little cups and eating it as you shop. While this is a passerby activity for many, some Costco customers have gotten pretty greedy about samples — going as far as to ask for customizations. 

In a thread on Reddit, employees shared some of the requests that they get from customers, including asking for their quesadillas to be cooked extra crispy, subbing out items, or asking for extra salsa on their chips. "This isn't Burger King — samples aren't 'have it your way' they are 'Take what's offered or keep walking and get nothing,'" wrote one Reddit user. Another shared how they once got an unhappy customer who was dissatisfied that their sample piece of peppermint bark wasn't large enough to share with her husband. 

There are other things Costco never tells customers about its free samples — including the fact that you can, technically, take as many as you like. But the habit has impacted customers, too. "I don't even bother with samples because of privileged families who made hogging samples their entire personality," replied one Reddit user. 

The free samples are one of the perks of shopping at a chain like Costco. As such, there are a couple of sample etiquette tips that you should keep in mind when visiting any one of the grocery stores with the best free samples — be it Costco, Trader Joe's, or Publix. On one Reddit thread, a Costco sampler shared some "grazing etiquette" tips for shoppers. 

For one, if the sample isn't going to be ready for awhile, don't hang out in the aisle and clog traffic; circle back around (to which customers in the comment section agreed). The sampler also shared the importance of sneeze shields and grabbing from the front of the tray, rather than reaching and potentially contaminating other sample cups. 

The sampler also noted that the sampled items often come with a sale quota (yes, Costco makes money on giving out free samples), so don't be that person who grabs a sample and runs the other way when they try to interact with you. "At least say hello and greet us instead of just zooming by grabbing a sample without [even] knowing what it is," they said.