Costco Ettiquette...Samples?

[JEmaryland]

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.

I just always thought politeness was a two-way street.

 

[TheGoofster]

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.

Oh man, you'd love our Costco here in Mexico City. Basically it's a free-for-all and whoever gets there first usually takes most of what's available (You'll see small children with 5 or 6 of the samples crammed into their grubby little hands while the parents just look on smiling).

But, as to the topic, I always say thank you (when I can actually get one of the samples before the rugrats get them all), and make sure that my kids say thank you as well. I don't know if it's considered proper etiquette or not to thank someone who is just trying to get me to buy something, but for us it's the right thing to do.

 

[monkeyboy]

I was getting a sample once of wontons and a woman had a broom in her cart and it hit me!

It could have taken out an eye!

 

[Ciao Mickey]

I just always thought politeness was a two-way street.

Whenever a worker thanks me for my patronage, I always respond "your welcome."

Seriously, what are you suppose to say to people--"thank you for doing your job?"

You missed my point.

Years ago, politeness was part of business. Customers were appreciated and thanked for their patronage. That is no longer the case in most establishments. Around here the stinking cashiers take it for granted that you'll bag your own groceries (except in some supermarkets that are set up so the groceries go directly into a bag in front of the cashier) and cop an attitude when you don't.

I do most of my food shopping at Costco. Our Costco has great workers and I always thank the cashiers there. There is a difference in some department stores too. I know at Lord and Taylor they go out of their way to be polite. It's the same for Talbots. It's all about customer appreciation. If you don't appreciate my business, there is always somewhere else I can shop.

 

[MM27]

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!

The vultures do that at my Costco when the put out the new rotissere chickens and they are not free. I was standing there waiting for the chickens and swarms of people started hovering around, I guess the smell brought them over. A lady came from behind me, clipped me in the heels with her cart just to grab a chicken

Secret is, BJ chickens are better.

 

[DaksKid]

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.

Well, I'll continue saying "please" and "thank you" to people who provide services to me. It makes people feel appreciated and appreciated people have greater self-esteem and higher morale and people with better self-esteem and higher morale are more productive and provide better service. It makes the world a kinder place.

Good manners go a long way. Well, that is what my mom taught me anyway. Since it doesn't hurt me at all to say, "thank you" I'll go on doing it!

 

[disykat]

I don't think it's rude not to thank people just doing their customer service job. However, it is polite to do so.

For example: I always try to interupt my conversation and thank someone for pouring me a glass of water, etc. However, sometimes I look up and realize someone poured me water when I wasn't looking. I wasn't rude, I wasn't polite, I was simply busy doing what customers do.

I've worked customer service and didn't expect thank yous for everything I did. I was just doing my job. In general I was treated politely, but I can't really even imagine what it would have been like if every customer thanked me for every little transaction.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

That used to be my job at the grocery store where I work. I quickly changed departments because of how rude people were and how boring that job is.

The majority of your time is spent standing there staring off into space because the store isn't busy (at least where I was). I can't read a book or anything, so I really have nothing occupy me. There were times when I might see one person in 15 minutes.

The other part is that people are just rude! I didn't worry about people saying thank you, but people would come up and take multiple samples without even making eye contact. My job was boring as all get out, I just wanted a simple hello. I always wore a smile and said hello, and people would just pretend that they didn't hear me. I'm not asking you to have a long drawn out conversation, but please acknowledge me, especially when you are taking half of my samples! I do agree that what the lady did was even worse.

I get a kick out of everybody calling us servers! I guess I never thought of it in that way- does that mean I should get tipped? In my store my official title was "demo girl" or "demo person", but I wouldn't expect the average person to know that.

 

[CPT Tripss]

I just hate it when stores mess up the aisles with that kind of stuff. it's a big enough pain shopping wih out jammed up aisles.

 

[mikehn]

I think we can all be happy the servers dont have a tip jar out.

 

[Todd&Copper]

I think we can all be happy the servers dont have a tip jar out.

Shhhhh! Don't give them any ideas.

 

[Sherrypooh]

I work at bj's part time as a demo girl. I have to tell you, we are there to do a job.. that is to push whatever the home office wants us to push. It works much to my amazement. I wonder sometimes what people are thinking... as for the original question, I have some people go out of their way to chat cuz they are getting a free sample and others come back 6 to 8 times to get a snack. On a saturday, we have customers that make the rounds a few times over with their whole family getting lunch. I also will admit, some of our "regular" demo girls are not so nice. We also have one who "your welcomes" the customer if they don't thank them. Life is too short to put that much effort into people. I try to always say have a nice day etc whether people take a sample or not. Thats just me. Sorry, I did jump to the bottom without reading all responses so if this has been said... sorry.

 

[Jennasis]

I always thank the sample folks.

I thank the cashier for ringing me up (and wish her a continued nice day).

I thank my server EVERY TIME she brings me something, or after taking my order.

And I ***gasp*** thank my employees EVERYDAY at the end of their shift.

 

[LotsOfQuestions]

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.

While I usually say thank you to everybody, I have to disagree that the sample hawkers are performing a service for the customer.

They are there for one purpose only, to get people to try their product samples and then buy them. In no way is it a "service" to the store customer, it is an advertisement, a marketing strategy for the company.

When I go to a restaurant, it is my choice to go and the server is indeed performing a service for me.

But a food hawker? - their motive is to sell their product. There is no service to the customer. In fact, the customer is the one doing the service to the product company. They are tasting the product sample and commenting on it by purchasing it or not. The company is getting feedback on their product.

The sample demonstrater should be thanking each and every customer that takes a sample.

I do thank them, but it really should be the other way around. The demonstrater should be the one saying "thank you for trying our product."

 

[daisax]

Frankly, when I want to try the latest version of Costco apple pie, the last thing I'm concerned about is the declining work ethic of modern American society.

When I take a sample from the tray, I don't say anything, usually (maybe a self conscious "that looks good"). On the other hand, I was raised that when somebody hands you something, you say thank you. So when they HAND it to me, I say thank you. It would be weird for THEM to hand ME something and say "thank you." And usually they're bragging that it's 100% hormone free, or it only takes 3 minutes in the oven or whatever. And it would be rude of me to take something handed to me and say nothing.

I say thanks in a restaurant by leaving a tip.

So when the waiter comes and puts down your drinks or dinner dishes, you ignore him? I work in an office but my boss still manages to say "thank you" when I hand him stuff -- and he pays me each week on top of it!

 

[Jillpie]

OP, you have hit on one of my biggest pet peeves when we go to Costco!! I honestly cannot stand when people can't say the words thank you. I say it over and over again, how does it hurt to say those words? So what if that is there job, so what? Can't you just be nice, as they spent the time to prepare the food and put it out for you? Oh, this irks me. I have three teenage sons, and they have been going there for years now with us, and each one of them is in a nice habit of always saying thank you. I still get compliments about how polite they are, but really, shouldn't it be expected to be that way.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Jillpie: I get the same thing! I used to eat at the Macaroni Grill on 535 (near WDW) on a regular basis. I would be by myself with a book. The waitstaff was always very nice, would ask me what I was reading, etc. I always say thank you, sometimes multiple times for the same thing. One day one of the waitresses told me that they like serving me because I was so polite. It was nice to hear, although it saddens me that somebody who is polite is the one who sticks out, not the rude one. I wish it was the other way around because then it would mean it is the norm.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

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. I always say "thank you" and I make sure my kids say it, too. It is also a good way to "close the deal" and walk away..without having to say how good it is, or where can I buy them...etc. The man was rude, but the employee was ruder for pointing out his rudeness.

It seems to me that these days, I say "thank you" more often than the cashier/employee. Of course I get a "have a nice day", or something like that, but it always seems to be backwards. I have said "thank you" after purchasing something, and the cashier said, "You're Welcome."

 

[minniecarousel]

We were at Costco today. I don't know what they were giving aaway at this one table, but we couldn't get by! People just abandoned their carts to get the sample. I find that ruder than not saying "thank you".

I'm a "thanker". I thank the sample person; I thank the water-refiller at a restuarant, etc.

 

[Kath2003]

And I ***gasp*** thank my employees EVERYDAY at the end of their shift.

I worked for 5 years in retail in 3 different places under 12 different managers before I switched to a job where my boss did this. It makes ALL the difference.