Skip to main content

This Request About Costco’s Free Samples Drives Workers Crazy—Are You Guilty of It?

Next to the $1.50 hot dog combo and bargains that are too good to pass up, the free samples are one of the best reasons to spring for a Costco membership. On recent trips, I’ve enjoyed tasty chicken wings, mac and cheese and dumplings—practically enough treats to make a meal. I’m always grateful for the gratis snack and am always sure to say thank you (as my mom ingrained in me since childhood).

But it turns out that not all Costco shoppers live by the same set of rules. Recently, a worker took to Reddit to air their grievances about a particular request that rubs them the wrong way. Read on to find out what the request is—and if you might unknowingly be guilty of it.

Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more Costco news, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.

What request will get you in trouble with the workers giving out free samples?

Trying to modify your freebie will not go over well. Redditor Osh_Kosh_Bigosh started a thread on r/Costco titled, “No I will not be customizing your FREE SAMPLE.” They went on to list all the ways they’ve been asked to customize samples, including: “Can I get just the brie cheese and no cracker?” “Can I get my quesadilla extra crispy?” and “I want extra salsa on my chips!”

Other workers from Club Demonstration Services (CDS), the company Costco hires to prepare and hand out free samples, chimed in on the same thread to share their own experiences. User WantDastardlyBack recounted how a shopper once demanded they prepare all the flavors of Annie’s Mac and Cheese “immediately so that she could try all three before committing to buy them.”

Why is this so irritating?

As Osh_Kosh_Bigosh goes on to explain, “There’s no such thing as modifications or customizations when it comes to free samples.” And I tend to agree. They’re free! Be grateful that someone wants to hand you a free dumpling or piece of chocolate. That doesn’t happen when you’re at a ShopRite, Aldi or other regular grocery store. The Redditor continues, “… samples aren’t ‘have it your way’ they are ‘Take what’s offered or keep walking and get nothing.'”

Requesting a customized sample is more than just annoying; it could get a CDS worker in trouble, according to Redditor Legitimate-Fix-3987. “If you do custom samples and the CDS manager catches you, they either send you home, reduce your hours for the next week, give you a talk in the office or all of them. Because following the DPIS [Demo Product Information Sheet] is a strict non negotiable rule.”

Beyond that, it could be bad for you. Meat and seafood, in particular, need to be cooked to a certain temperature to be safe to eat, so rushing the workers might not be the smartest move.

Could this behavior actually get you banned?

While asking for customized samples won’t get you banned from Costco outright (about the only thing that we know of that will do that is abusing the store’s generous return policy), the CDS worker may refuse to give you a sample.

Are there any acceptable requests when it comes to free samples?

If you have any food allergies or intolerances, you’re certainly within your rights to ask about ingredients. And if you’re shopping with children, you may have better luck getting a customized sample. A number of commenters on the same Reddit thread mentioned that their children have been offered samples without a spicy sauce that goes along with the bite or a cracker without cheese.

So what is proper free-sample etiquette?

It should go without saying that you should say “please” and “thank you” when taking a free sample. You should also wait your turn patiently—no busting to the front of the line—and make sure your cart is stashed neatly to the side and not blocking a full aisle. Tossing your own utensil and serving container will also score you major brownie points. Most sample stations are set up with a trash can conveniently next to them, so don’t ask the CDS worker to toss it for you or, worse, stash it on an adjacent shelf.

RELATED:

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

The post This Request About Costco’s Free Samples Drives Workers Crazy—Are You Guilty of It? appeared first on Reader's Digest.



from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/U8OH9dv
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

41 of the Most Useful Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

Everyone wants everything they do on their computer to be fast. Their Internet connection, the speed they type, and how quickly they can save, open, and alter documents. These mac keyboard shortcuts can help you do just that. Try out these Mac hotkeys to make your browsing, typing, and viewing experiences a little more convenient. Here are some keyboard shortcuts that will make web browsing so much easier . Mac keyboard shortcuts allow you to do things on your computer that would typically require you to use a mouse, trackpad, or another device with a combination of the keys on your keyboard. To find the Mac shortcuts that are already set up on your device, go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts. From there you can look through the different mac keyboard shortcuts that are set up for your keyboard, launchpad and dock, Mission Control, Spotlight, and so on. To change an existing shortcut you can select the one you want to change, click on the key combination, and then ty...
Post a Comment
Read more

30 Math Puzzles (with Answers) to Test Your Smarts

Math is not everyone’s favorite, understandably. Hours of math homework and difficult equations can make anyone sour on the subject. But when math problems are outside of a school setting, there’s no time limit to do them, and they’ve got a fun, more whimsical concept than just finding x, they can be great activities for kids. (And adults, of course!) They test your brain and critical thinking skills, provide some constructive, educational fun,  and  provide tangible examples of math lessons you’ll actually use in real life . Math puzzles come in plenty of different varieties, too. Some more straightforward number puzzles do require calculations to find the solution. Others are more like logic puzzles and challenge you to look for a pattern. Still others present the puzzle through pictures, making them great for visual learners. From  Reader’s Digest ‘s “Mind Stretchers” books, these math puzzles have a bit of everything! If you’re more of a riddles person, we’ve got reg...
Post a Comment
Read more

Will Cicadas Destroy Your Garden? 10 Things You Need to Know

It’s easy to wince thinking about the mass emergence of insects like cicadas. Their numbers can reach millions per acre, creating a near-deafening buzzing chorus. So it’s understandable that questions like, “Will cicadas eat my plants?” immediately spring to mind. But cicadas are also pretty fascinating and play important roles in the ecosystem. “Cicadas inspire wonder in our world!” says Jennifer Hopwood, senior pollinator conservation specialist at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. “They spend most of their life underground next to the same plant roots. Somehow, these creatures are able to track the years that pass by and time their emergence with other periodical cicadas in the region to overwhelm predators. They are amazing little critters.” Here’s a rundown of what to know about cicadas, good and bad, including whether or not they eat plants and how to protect your trees during an emergence. Get Readers Digest s Read Up newsletter for more gardening, humor, cl...
Post a Comment
Read more