Costco Ettiquette...Samples?

[DawnCt1]

This is another fluff thread, but an incident today caught my attention. Like most Costco's, ours has samples with food service people preparing them. I always say thank you when I take one, although it is clear that they want you take one. Today, an older man took a sample and he didn't say "thank you".
Apparently the worker was not happy, and said in a rather loud voice, "Your welcome". To me, it is always nice to say thank you, but is it really obligatory? If he was rude in not saying "thank you" it was clearly overshadowed by her rude "your welcome".

 

[mjkacmom]

I usually say thank you - I also usually have my kids with me, and they say thank you - but most don't. Most are just shoving people out of the way, trying to get to the free food!

 

[JEmaryland]

I would consider it rude not to say "thank you", but it was very unprofessional of the employee to respond that way and not something they should have gotten so worked up about.

 

[dcentity2000]

I would consider it rude not to say "thank you", but it was very unprofessional of the employee to respond that way and not something they should have gotten so worked up about.

Bingo, spot on.



Rich::

 

[Freyja]

I would consider it rude not to say "thank you", but it was very unprofessional of the employee to respond that way and not something they should have gotten so worked up about.

 

[DawnCt1]

I would consider it rude not to say "thank you", but it was very unprofessional of the employee to respond that way and not something they should have gotten so worked up about.

I agree. The worker's job is to increase sales. She didn't seem to be off to a good start!

 

[rparmfamily]

LOL funny thread.

I usually say thank you but sometimes I'm also herding my kids away from the samples (I make them share w/me) and I probably have had moments where I didn't say thank you because I was saying to my children "back up please, no! stand there, keep the cart still, please move the cart, get out of the way",etc LOL!

 

[DawnCt1]

I usually say thank you - I also usually have my kids with me, and they say thank you - but most don't. Most are just shoving people out of the way, trying to get to the free food!

I must go to a polite Costco. People seem to know "whose next" and wait patiently. It was really odd to have a rude server.

 

[JEmaryland]

LOL funny thread.

I usually say thank you but sometimes I'm also herding my kids away from the samples (I make them share w/me) and I probably have had moments where I didn't say thank you because I was saying to my children "back up please, no! stand there, keep the cart still, please move the cart, get out of the way",etc LOL!

In that case I would say you get a free pass and the employee should be thankful that you're not letting your kids run wild!

 

[rparmfamily]

LOL, I honestly do say Thank you about 98% of the time but sometimes it is nuts around the samples and I just want them to stay put out of the way LOL!

 

[mill4023]

They are given as marketing tools to try to convince people to buy the product. They are not gifts being given out just to be nice. And even if they were, the person working the sample booth isn't the one who is providing the samples, so I'm not sure why they would care if someone said thank you or not.
I think I normally say thank you, but that's just part of normal politeness, not any obligation.

 

[DawnCt1]

They are given as marketing tools to try to convince people to buy the product. They are not gifts being given out just to be nice. And even if they were, the person working the sample booth isn't the one who is providing the samples, so I'm not sure why they would care if someone said thank you or not.
I think I normally say thank you, but that's just part of normal politeness, not any obligation.

I agree. it is their job.

 

[JEmaryland]

I realize that the person is at work, but how does that make it okay for people not to be polite to them? Do you not thank your server at a restaurant or the person who rings you up at the checkout?

 

[TnTsParty]

People (customers) at my Costco are pushy and will push you out of the way to get another sample. Most of the time I don't even bother with the sample because it seems the wolves all around will pounce and get the last one available even if they just had one!!

 

[mjkacmom]

I realize that the person is at work, but how does that make it okay for people not to be polite to them? Do you not thank your server at a restaurant or the person who rings you up at the checkout?

I've never said thank you to the person who rings me up, unless they put the items in the cart (although I will thank baggers). Usually, cashiers say "thank you and have a nice day" and I will say "you too!"

 

[mamacatnv]

I must go to a polite Costco. People seem to know "whose next" and wait patiently. It was really odd to have a rude server.

Costco must have hired a batch of rude servers. Just the other day I was in Costco with DH. There was a server with a marinade for Carne Asada. We were walking by, my DH said to ME, "what is that?" I said, "it is a marinade for Carne Asada." Now, DH and I were conversing, not speaking to the server nor were we approaching her station. This woman loudly and snootily corrected my pronunciation from several feet away I was floored, my DH's eyes got really big and he looked at me and I said to him in just as loud of a voice, "wow, must be the cranky sample lady day" and we moved on.
Let me assure you, my pronunciation was accurate, hers was not.

 

[DawnCt1]

I realize that the person is at work, but how does that make it okay for people not to be polite to them? Do you not thank your server at a restaurant or the person who rings you up at the checkout?

There is no reason not to be polite but the height of rudeness is to remind someone else that they have no manners. It was ruder of her to loudly say "your welcome", than him not to say "thank you".

 

[Ciao Mickey]

I guess I'm rude because I don't think it's necessary to say thank you to every person who is doing their job.

In my Costco, once they put food out the vultures swoop in and you are lucky to get a sample. Also, they are so busy working that they don't pay much attention to the people around them.

If I do say something to them it's usually when I ask a question about the food, how they prepared it, etc. Then I will say "thanks."

Maybe they should be thanking me for trying the stuff.

 

[JEmaryland]

There is no reason not to be polite but the height of rudeness is to remind someone else that they have no manners. It was ruder of her to loudly say "your welcome", than him not to say "thank you".

Oh no, I agree that the employee did the wrong thing. I just think it's odd that some people are saying they don't say thank you to someone who's at work who is performing a service for them.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

I realize that the person is at work, but how does that make it okay for people not to be polite to them? Do you not thank your server at a restaurant or the person who rings you up at the checkout?

I say thanks in a restaurant by leaving a tip.

As to the cashier, no because I'm usually too busy bagging my own groceries, and they should be thanking me.

I'm the paying customer and patron of an establishment. They are supposed to be thanking me for my business, not the other way around.