Rules of Costco Samples Etiquette (LOL)

18 years ago

After my recent nasty experience at a Costco, I came up with these common sense rules to keep everything nice and pleasant. I thought maybe they should post them at the sample tables.

Rules of Costco Samples Etiquette

1. Say please and thank you. Remember your manners. (That is your mother talking.)

2. Politely wait your turn. No cutting in line. You might get an elbow in the ribs.

3. No negative or nasty remarks to other customers. Especially if there is a knife close by.

4. Move out of the way once you have a sample. Do not stand there eating it and blocking the table. It may be a table but it is not a dining table.

5. Do not run over people with your cart just to get a sample. They may be packing!

6. Do not go around the back of the attendant to sneak a sample, bypassing the line. Your hand might get slapped.

7. Do not take more than one sample piece at a time. Even if it is for your DH, DS, DD, DB, MIL, FIL, BIL, SIL, Dog, Cat etc.

8. Do not block the booth or isles with your cart. Some people are there to shop, not just to eat samples. They are the athletic looking ones that race down the isles like they are running a marathon.

9. Do not bring the whole family in for a lunch of free samples. They are called 'Free Samples' not 'Free Lunch'.

Don't hover, blocking the isle. If it isn't going to be ready for several minutes, move on. Hovering isn't going to make it cook any faster.
Don't stand there reading the box or label for 10 minutes. Go to where the product is and read it there or buy the D@#N thing and read it at home.
Don't keep revisiting the same sample table within a half hour. The sample attendants may be older, but they aren't senile. They WILL recognize you.

Can you think of any other ones?

Clare ;>)

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Comments (18)

bigfoot_liz
18 years ago
don't eat any of their samples lol...they always look awful. my DH got violently ill from food samples at our local Williams-Sonoma 2 yrs ago, he's never taken samples from anywhere ever again and he would try everything. i do not ever eat things like this, you never know...is my philosophy. plus it keeps me from eating bad stuff calorie/fat/sodium wise :-) ~ liz
marygailv
18 years ago
I think you are obsessing about that incident too much.
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caflowerluver
Original Author
18 years ago
bigfoot_liz - My DH is like that too. He rarely eats any of the Costco samples. I am picky and even pass on some of them.

marygailv - I was trying to turn a bad situation into a funny one. Sorry you didn't get it.
Clare
Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
18 years ago
Clare I love your rules! LMAO!

maybe add
1. Take a sample near you. Don't stand there, surveying the whole platter looking for the absolute biggest piece.
but your wording is much better.

Sue
caflowerluver
Original Author
18 years ago
Sue - That's a good one. I should have thought of that after the "incident". LOL
Clare
western_pa_luann
18 years ago
9. Do not bring the whole family in for a lunch of free samples. They are called 'Free Samples' not 'Free Lunch'.

So you think that I should leave the kids in the car if we are at the Costco??
1. Don't stand there reading the box or label for 10 minutes. Go to where the product is and read it there or buy the D@#N thing and read it at home.
Why would I bother to find it, yet alone spend good money for it, if I can't read the box and see if it fits my dietary needs?

I "get it", but I agree with the obsessing.
Just let it go...
dirt_yfingernails
18 years ago
Clare,
If you made that sign and posted it at the sample tables, people would take their time crowding around the table reading it. LOL
glenda_al
18 years ago
I used to, USED TO, work on weekends in food stores passing out samples.
mollylexipatches
18 years ago
That's hilarious! And pretty accurate too! LOL

Too many people have their panties in a wad today at the table...

~Cindy Jo
liz
18 years ago
I love it...you put some thought in to these...I personally hope Mr jerk is probably sick today from TOO MANY SAMPLES he grabbed yesterday!!

(((Aptosca)))
donna37
18 years ago
I love it Clare, very cute and to the point. That's turning an 'incident' into a funny thing, and I like it.
chubby_rat
18 years ago
I don't do samples anymore.Since I saw a lady put sauce on a Taco of some sort....take a bite,then hold it over the crockpot to drain the extra sauce off and they still used it....just a thing I have about not eating after strangers! LOL!
caflowerluver
Original Author
18 years ago
Those who found it funny, thank you. Those who didn't, it was just a joke and not meant to be taken seriously. Please lighten up and enjoy life. And I won't obesses about it anymore. LOL
Clare
maybee_gw
18 years ago
funny, funny, funny...

And..I'm so guilty of taking more than one. Just one at a time, but going around for seconds...lol A friend and I went into a Harry and David's. Have any of you tasted the stuff they have in there!!! Cherry chocolates to die for and I don't usually care for cherry chocolates...and peanut butter balls...oh man..just one wouldn't cut it! But..the sales people were very nice about it....
petaloid
18 years ago
I like your rules!

At our Costco we need three more rules, besides those for the samples.

1. If a car in the parking lot has stopped, has its turn signal on and is waiting for another car that is leaving a parking space, it has "dibs." This means they get the space, not you -- keep driving.

2. The restroom has a changing table for your baby. Do not use the leather sofa for that purpose.

3. You must buy fruit before you eat any of it. This applies in particular to cherries and strawberries.
okwriter
18 years ago
Well, I am laughing because you didn't wait your turn in line (#2) when you reached around.
And you admitted you thought it was lunch instead of just a free sample (#9).

:-)

And yes, people can be rude.
cynic
18 years ago
I usually avoid the samples too. I just don't like them usually and no offense, all present company is excepted, but don't they seem to attract a lot of a, well, certain type? There's always one or two who are sitting there dining. Grab 2 or 3 samples, chomp away, talk to the demo person and grab more and more. Few of the demo people around here will do anything about it. They don't care.

The "rules" make some good points about why I dislike the sampling. The blocked aisles for one. I despise shopping. It's not fun and not something I want to spend excess time doing. So for me I usually make a wide circle around and move on. I will say though that Rainbow did have some samples of bratwurst that were very good. So good in fact that I did buy some. That doesn't happen often. With samplers or me.

Good rules. There should be a rule though to move them to a corner or a back room. The samplers will hunt them down no matter where they're at! :)

Oh, another rule, Don't ask the person when they'll be ready! They'll be ready when they're ready and they don't know when.

And no, you don't have to give the chicken nugget samples to your toddler in the cart. It won't shut them up and won't keep them from grabbing impulse items at the register!

Oops... now I'm starting to obsess a bit aren't I??? :D
caflowerluver
Original Author
18 years ago
okwriter - I reached around because they wouldn't move, but just stood there eating their sample. Maybe they were going to grap a second one to take with them. I said excuse me so at least I was polite. And I said that "it was lunch" as a belated comment to lighten up the situation with the nasty dude, but he just glared at me. I am glad you finally got a laugh at my expense. ;>)
Clare

Rules of Costco Samples Etiquette (LOL)

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