No samples? Say it isn't so!
There are so many things that can make or break a trip to Costco—level of parking difficulty, length of checkout lines and quality of the free samples. (Admit it, those samples are one of your favorite Costco membership perks!) Snacking on a potsticker or a quartered cheeseburger while you shop just makes the day better. But believe it or not, there are reasons you might want to avoid the free samples at Costco. Blasphemy, I know. But seriously …
It turns out that there are some things Costco’s free sample employees wish you knew, and others they’d prefer to keep close to the vest. Reader’s Digest spoke to Andrea Woroch, a consumer savings expert you’ve probably seen on Today and Good Morning America, to get the inside scoop. So keep reading, and let’s consider why those yummy bites might not be as sweet as they seem.
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Are the samples at Costco safe to eat?
No fear-mongering here—Costco samples are safe to eat. The staff doling out the free samples actually work for a company other than Costco called Club Demonstration Services (CDS), and CDS employees are trained in food and beverage sampling. Plus, according to the CDS website, there’s 100% on-site supervision of these food-safety certified associates. So the samples are in excellent (food-safe, gloved) hands.
Why might you want to skip the free samples at Costco?
Again, I realize skipping Costco’s free samples sounds like blasphemy, but there are some reasons that avoiding these delicious bites makes total sense.
Sampling encourages impulse buys
The whole point of offering samples is to encourage customers to buy the product—like, right then and there. And if you’re really feeling the moment and enjoying that small snack, you could fall prey to this rather annoying marketing tactic.
“This is especially true if you’re shopping hungry, as some samples may taste even better on an empty stomach, leading you to buy the food regardless of the cost or need for it,” Woroch says.
Sampling adds time to your in-store experience
Let’s face it: Costco is never truly an in-and-out experience. Even if you stick to your list, you’re typically searching the aisles to find exactly what you need, as stores are known for moving items around thanks to Costco’s “treasure hunt” model. Tack on stopping for samples and you really start cutting into the rest of your day.
“Free samples can distract you from the items you actually need,” Woroch says. “That could mean missing out on a deal for something on your list if you deter from the aisle where you were heading.”
Sampling leads to buying unnecessary items
No, we’re not talking about the actual samples here, though that big bag of dumplings might qualify. Everyone loves something free, and those sample stations draw a lot of attention, leading to bottlenecked aisles jammed with people just like you.
Picture it: You’re waiting for the CDS employee to refill that must-have sample in an aisle with nowhere to move. You start to look at the shelves around you. All of a sudden, that bulk buy of whey protein starts to look interesting, only because you’ve been staring at it for five minutes. Next thing you know, it’s in your cart. Then, it’s sitting in your pantry. A year later, you’re wondering why you ever purchased whey protein. And that’s money down the drain.
How can you avoid giving in to temptation?
First of all, there’s no law saying you have to buy the product you sampled for free. Particularly not right then and there. Here are some Costco tips to stay on track.
- Put it on your wish list. “If you come across a sample you enjoyed but the item isn’t something you currently need, add it to your future shopping list,” Woroch says. “And instead, wait for an instant savings.”
- Snap a picture of the product. Woroch encourages taking a photo of the item you sampled to help you remember it at a later date. “It’s kind of like the TikTok savings trend that went viral, called Screenshotting,” she says. “It suggests you take a picture of an item you came across unexpectedly before hitting the buy button, so you have time to think about it.”
- Swap it for another item on your list. It’s easier said than done, but when you’re about to give in to an impulse buy, consider if there’s anything on your list that’s worth swapping out for that new product. Chances are, the answer is no. If you aren’t willing to give up something already on your list for it, walk on by.
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Sources:
- Andrea Woroch, consumer shopping expert; interviewed, August 2025
- Club Demonstration Services: “Product Demonstrations”
