Costco shoppers have a few perks as part of their membership. In addition to stocking up on beloved staple item croissants, ordering sheet cakes from the bakery department, and lining shopping carts with enough peanut butter to get through this year (and possibly next), in-store shoppers are also greeted with snack stands that offer free samples of products. But while Costco’s food and drink samples are free, there is one particular behavior that can drive Costco employees, sampler handlers, and fellow Costco members up the wall: Leaving sample trash like cups, napkins, or cocktail sticks on a random shelf.
Though sampler workers are used to customers grabbing samples and splitting before listening to the complete product story, finding crumpled napkins and cups throughout the store is the disappointing discovery that no one wants to encounter. Returning to a food station for a second or even a third taste isn’t frowned upon, but discarding used and dirty items around the store makes clean-up more challenging for workers and litters the store for other visitors. One employee took to Reddit to complain about the practice, saying, “Members, we are not your maids. We have trash cans in every aisle,” which they posted with a photo of a used cup dumped on items for sale. So whether you’ve enjoyed noshing on cookies, cheese, sausages, salty tortilla chips, or hot pockets, take time to place any used napkins, cocktail sticks, and sample cups into one of those trash cans.
Respect can’t be purchased in bulk
If you’re shopping on weekend afternoons, there is a good chance you’ll find more snack stations set up around the store. Saturdays and Sundays are busy enough to try to navigate aisles without having to overlook crumpled up napkins or half-eaten snacks. Keep in mind that the workers passing out the samples aren’t Costco employees — they are contractors from an independent company called Club Demonstration Services. So while they don’t mind you filling your face with free goodies as long as you don’t take the whole tray, they may not know where to find the particular items you’re looking for on your shopping spree.
The sample booths stationed throughout Costco stores can turn an average, run-of-the-mill shopping experience into something akin to a culinary treasure hunt, as you never quite know what will be on display for tasting. In order to help all workers provide this assortment of snacks and drinks that can keep customer determination and endurance high as you navigate the store, take the effort to properly dispose of trash. And while we’re talking about common courtesy, remember that you should only touch what you plan to eat on a sample tray, too. In exchange for free treats, these things are the least we can do to participate in a quick, convenient grazing during what has the potential to become a frenetic shopping experience.
