Sampling at Sams/Costco

[disney junky]

Inspired by the big family show the other night....they go to Sam's club with 12 kids and then descend on the samples for lunch after eating a cheap pizza. I think that's tacky but they were blatantly honest about it. How many of you go to Sams/Costco for a lunch of samples? Some Saturdays, I swear people are there for nothing more....and the aisles get so congested. Am I the only one who this annoys?

 

[sunlver]

We do , didnt know anything was wrong with that

Ok,seriously we normally go on Sundays, not just for the samples. Though we do time it, because if you go too early they are not out yet My husband always buys a hotdog and drink first. I just normally snack on the samples for my Sunday lunch. My kids are hit or miss on what they have. So no we dont have our family meals there, but we do like to go at the right time to get those samples

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

My in-laws do that.

 

[cardaway]

No, you are not the only one. We are rarely there during the real busy sample times specifically because we want to avoid the folks who treat it like a free buffet. Not worth fighting the crowds.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Guilty!


But we are shopping when we go which I would have assumed teh family of 12 was doing. Our express purpose isn't just for a free buffet.

 

[mickeyboat]

I am ashamed to admit that my FIL does this. He can afford to feed himself, believe me. He is just the cheapest person I know. He goes to the cafe at the grocery store on the weekends to meet his brother. He will buy a cup of coffee, but bring his own doughnuts sp he doesn't have to buy anything.

Denae

 

[wendy46001]

we do a but never make a special trip for it....just our standard weekend shopping trip....always thought lunch was a bonus and a way to make us go their instead of the regular grocery….

as long as your buying items i dont think its that bad

 

[Frantasmic]

If Costco only had valet parking...

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Forgot to mention--we haven't been to Sam's in over a year---but our local Publix samples frequently (Especially the apron meals) and we do take advantage of it.

When the store had a grand opening--they did sample enough for it to be considered a meal....main course, dessert, beverage.

 

[barkley]

one of our local costcos quit doing so many samples because so many large families were doing this. it made the store unbarable to shop in on weekends. kid's running around unattended-throwing napkins and toothpicks on the floor-getting into shouting matches with the sample ladies when they followed the policy of not giving to a child without a parent next to them giving permission. it honestly ended up being like a street party-the parents who all knew each other by virtue of being 'regulars' every sat/sun noshing on their samples-the kids comandeering one of the bounce house displays, i swear one day someone brought their own boom box in and started blasting music while they were lounging on the patio furniture display the store ended up cutting way back on weekend samples-and did more during school hours on weekdays (but also cut way back during school vacations ).

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

We don't sample at all. I didn't know people actually made meals of them.

 

[dizneenut]

We love to get the samples, but we don't go just to get samples. We go to Sam's once a week to stock up on milk and such.

 

[LisaNJ25]

a note to samplers.. not that any of you do this but.. THERE ARE GARBAGE CANS ON THE END OF ALMOST EVERY AISLE......


I am a flower vendor at costco... i cant tell you how many nasty dirty little white cups I fish out of my flower cooler a week... its nasty..

Also.. I sometimes have a metal rack of vases... all it takes is one lazy person to set their cup in the rack and 20 more appear.. I am waiting to catch someone one day. lol

 

[minnieandme]

If I'm there when they have samples, sure why not. They do that so that if you like it, you'll buy it. Another great place to sample is at the food court in the mall.

 

[Planogirl]

I try things and I've discovered some tasty food items I buy now because of sampling. I guess that I'm the type of shopper they're after!

 

[Steffi]

I've never been to Sam's or Costco, but that was before I knew they had free buffet lunches! I'll be packing my family up this weekend for some free lunch, lounging, and entertainment.

ETA: I'm just kidding; I won't be treating my family to a lunch of free samples!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

If we happen to go at sampling time...we eat. I would never go there to eat a buffet of samples specifically though.
Haven't run across that yet...

 

[Jennasis]

I didn't think the sample sizes were enough to be considered a meal. One would have to repeatedly hit up that sample stand to get enough to fill them up, no? And more than one helping or visit at the same stand is tacky (IMO of course)...you either liked it and will buy it...or you didn't like and will not buy it.

I would be mortified to treat the sample sarts like a free buffet. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever tried a sample from a grocery store. God only knows how it was cooked or how many people have coghed or sneezed over it while it sat there.

Note; I DO have cousins who do this. They also go to Buffet restaurants where you are supposed to pay for drinks and coffee at the beginning at the cashier, and then they get a table and ask the waitress to bring them coffee...this way they don't have to pay for it. They also found a couple of hotels near the hospital where their dad was last year, that served complimentary coffee to guests in the lobby and would go there for "free coffee" every morning before visiting him or work (sign above coffee said for guests only).

 

[jen0610]

My one girlfriend is queen of the Friday lunch grazing at Sams Club. I have gone with her a couple of times and have ended up getting some of the items we tried. I usually only take one sample, unless they have several different varities to try - garlic, bbq, plain - then I will try each one. You just never know when one style will taste a whole lot better than the others.

If they happen to be doing samples at the grocery when the kids are with me, they are limited to 1 at each station. And they know that they have to throw the cup, napkin, toothpick or what ever the sample came in in the trash can by the display or hold on to it until we get to the front of the store and then throw it in the trash there.

And if you take it to try, once it's in your mouth, you will finish chewing and swallow it. It is so nasty to see kids (especially bigger kids) spit half chewed food out on the floor or into their hand then carry it to mom, because they didn't like it.

 

[MushyMushy]

I love samples! We certainly don't go specifically for the samples, but we like getting them and 9 times out of 10, we end up with things in our car that we didn't come for.

As for it being a meal -- that's just weird.