Tasting Grapes Before Buying

[PollyannaMom]

Do you taste a grape before you buy a bag? I don’t. I feel like it’s stealing.

No, I don't - for the same reason as you and because they're not washed yet.

 

[bcla]

I’ve never done that. I worked in a supermarket and we were taught that it is stealing. (If everyone does it, costs add up.) I do like my grapes crunchy and even tart, so I won’t buy ones that look soft. I can tell just by looking which are the ones I like.

Depends on who's selling. I've certainly been to farmers markets where there were samples, although they weren't specifically to test one piece of fruit in a bunch. I've been to one where there were rumors that people have been banned for taking samples. One specific person (a reporter) was banned from the store for reporting about it. I was at that store once when I asked an employee about some avocado variety I was unfamiliar with, where he pulled out his knife and cut one right there for me to try out.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Depends on who's selling. I've certainly been to farmers markets where there were samples, although they weren't specifically to test one piece of fruit in a bunch. I've been to one where there were rumors that people have been banned for taking samples. One specific person (a reporter) was banned from the store for reporting about it. I was at that store once when I asked an employee about some avocado variety I was unfamiliar with, where he pulled out his knife and cut one right there for me to try out.

I could see that at a farmer’s market. Samples are a different story.

I was thinking after I posted the other day, not only were we taught it was stealing, there were actually incentives for us to try to stop people from sampling. Because, for some people, it’s not just one grape - it’s a handful, and back for seconds and thirds, or a handful of cherries, or a peach, or handing the kid in the cart a banana, etc. (Before weighing.) Obviously this can become a very costly problem across a large chain of supermarkets when you think of how many shoppers there are day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. I’d be curious to know how it’s handled today, given that confronting people in supermarkets (or elsewhere) can now fairly easily result in unwarranted violence. Maybe that’s what’s driving some of this being more acceptable today - grocers probably don’t like it, but are reluctant to have their employees say anything. Something to think about while shopping. I wouldn’t want to be that shopper that employees are watching and talking about eating and squeezing the grapes!

 

[bcla]

I could see that at a farmer’s market. Samples are a different story.

I was thinking after I posted the other day, not only were we taught it was stealing, there were actually incentives for us to try to stop people from sampling. Because, for some people, it’s not just one grape - it’s a handful, and back for seconds and thirds, or a handful of cherries, or a peach, or handing the kid in the cart a banana, etc. (Before weighing.) Obviously this can become a very costly problem across a large chain of supermarkets when you think of how many shoppers there are day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. I’d be curious to know how it’s handled today, given that confronting people in supermarkets (or elsewhere) can now fairly easily result in unwarranted violence. Maybe that’s what’s driving some of this being more acceptable today - grocers probably don’t like it, but are reluctant to have their employees say anything. Something to think about while shopping. I wouldn’t want to be that shopper that employees are watching and talking about eating and squeezing the grapes!

I'm thinking about it today since Memorial Day is generally the busiest day for U-pick cherries around here. There's an unwritten rule that one can sample cherries. Some say don't go overboard, although the general rule is to do it while in the orchard and don't just pocket cherries without paying A lot of posted rules say no eating any fruit unless it's paid for, but I've never seen anyone even get a warning.

I've seen a few concessions to sampling. It was years ago, but there used to be bulk Brach's candy sold at most supermarkets around here. I saw sampling going on, but after a while they put in a small locked box with a slot for coins. It might have said 5 or 10 cents.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm thinking about it today since Memorial Day is generally the busiest day for U-pick cherries around here. There's an unwritten rule that one can sample cherries. Some say don't go overboard, although the general rule is to do it while in the orchard and don't just pocket cherries without paying A lot of posted rules say no eating any fruit unless it's paid for, but I've never seen anyone even get a warning.

I've seen a few concessions to sampling. It was years ago, but there used to be bulk Brach's candy sold at most supermarkets around here. I saw sampling going on, but after a while they put in a small locked box with a slot for coins. It might have said 5 or 10 cents.

I’m thinking of a lady I knew, slightly nuts, who used to go into Whole Foods and ”sample” all the hot and cold foods at the buffets. For her, it was more of a “free lunch”; she did it all the time as she lived nearby - she’d even help herself to the soups! She was told repeatedly not to do it, but she did it for years, until they eventually brought the hammer down. They‘d see her coming. She was mad when she couldn’t do it anymore, but to her it was sort of a joke, to see how far she could get. One grape probably isn’t going to set off any alarms, but you realize when you work in a supermarket that there are some people - well, quite a few, actually - who like to push the envelope farther than that.

 

[bcla]

I’m thinking of a lady I knew, slightly nuts, who used to go into Whole Foods and ”sample” all the hot and cold foods at the buffets. For her, it was more of a “free lunch”; she did it all the time as she lived nearby - she’d even help herself to the soups! She was told repeatedly not to do it, but she did it for years, until they eventually brought the hammer down. They‘d see her coming. She was mad when she couldn’t do it anymore, but to her it was sort of a joke, to see how far she could get. One grape probably isn’t going to set off any alarms, but you realize when you work in a supermarket that there are some people - well, quite a few, actually - who like to push the envelope farther than that.

I've certainly seen this at olive bars where they would have toothpicks and a trash can.

Trader Joe's takes this to a different level, although I'm pretty sure that's on hold for now. Not just the standard sample bar, but supposedly that anyone can ask to sample foods or other items. Not sure what they do with the rest of the package though. I've never asked to sample anything at TJ's other than at the sample bar or the coffee.

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

I don’t sample grapes, but I do touch six or seven per bag to make sure they are all firm, and I repeat this for as many bags as necessary. So for all you people who are tasting the grapes… my fingers have been all over them

 

[Micca]

Well if you ask me this whole thread is just about sour grapes.

 

[mrodgers]

I do not taste test. I have found that if the grapes pull off easily from the stems, they are usually sweet. So I just try a few that way. I was in Costco a long time back and my husband took a grape off a bunch to taste it. A young employee loudly informed us that we were stealing and could be arrested. I was flabbergasted.

The young employee was not wrong.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I've certainly seen this at olive bars where they would have toothpicks and a trash can.

Trader Joe's takes this to a different level, although I'm pretty sure that's on hold for now. Not just the standard sample bar, but supposedly that anyone can ask to sample foods or other items. Not sure what they do with the rest of the package though. I've never asked to sample anything at TJ's other than at the sample bar or the coffee.

They actually out the rest of the item out on their sample bar in the back for anyone to try...

Had that happen once - asked my spouse what he thought a new product might compare to as we were reading the ingredients, and the employee heard me and said "why don't I open it and you can try it"...but that's a company policy and the employees are still the ones who handle all the sampling and how it happens...

 

[anniemae]

I don’t sample grapes, but I do touch six or seven per bag to make sure they are all firm, and I repeat this for as many bags as necessary. So for all you people who are tasting the grapes… my fingers have been all over them

I do this too. I have wasted money buying bags that are too soft and squishy and almost rotten. Seriously why do the stores keep them on the shelf like that? I like a firm grape.

 

[DisLiss]

Well if you ask me this whole thread is just about sour grapes.

LOL! You want to talk sour grapes--let's talk about those silly cotton candy grapes that cost the same amount as a house payment! Good grief, someone at school introduced those to one of my kids and I almost dies when I realized what those puppies cost. If I saw someone sampling one of those first, I might feel differently about things, since a single one of those probably cost a dollar and a half.

 

[leahgoogle]

I bought red and green grapes yesterday and tried both before I bought them. I will forever think about this thread when I buy grapes

 

[aprilgail]

I don’t - I order my produce online from a local distributor and they deliver the next day. My favorite is cotton candy grapes and they run around 8.00 a pound but have never gotten a bad one!

 

[leahgoogle]

I don’t - I order my produce online from a local distributor and they deliver the next day. My favorite is cotton candy grapes and they run around 8.00 a pound but have never gotten a bad one!

I thought $4.00/lb was bad! That’s why I try them. I bought $15 worth of grapes and I want to make sure they are good. Glad you have never gotten bad ones I like the cotton candy ones too.

 

[MrsPete]

Do you taste a grape before you buy a bag? I don’t. I feel like it’s stealing. But so often I’ll buy a bag and they are so sour. We end up throwing most of them away. ☹ I’m so tempted to start tasting.

I don't think one grape would add more than a penny to the total cost, so -- yes -- while it's technically stealing, I wouldn't worry over it.

BUT I wouldn't do it because the grapes aren't washed. That's plenty of reason not to taste them.

I do not taste test. I have found that if the grapes pull off easily from the stems, they are usually sweet. So I just try a few that way. I was in Costco a long time back and my husband took a grape off a bunch to taste it. A young employee loudly informed us that we were stealing and could be arrested. I was flabbergasted.

Let's think that through ... this employee was suggesting that he'd call the police in and have you hauled away with a report of "theft of two grapes". The police would laugh their butts off, and it could possibly haul them away from where they're really needed.

When grapes are pre-bagged but priced by the pound rather than the package, I have no qualms about taking a bunch or two out of a large bag and putting them in a produce bag. No cashier has ever blinked an eye and why should I buy more than I need?

I think we all do that -- if we want more (or less) grapes, peaches, whatever. I don't necessarily want the amount they've pre-packaged.

I thought $4.00/lb was bad! That’s why I try them. I bought $15 worth of grapes and I want to make sure they are good. Glad you have never gotten bad ones I like the cotton candy ones too.

I've not tried the cotton candy grapes -- what're they like?

I did try the Sapphire Grapes some time back. They're so dark that they're almost black, and they're long/narrow -- almost finger shaped. You get 2-3 bites out of one. They were super sweet, and we liked them, but they were quite expensive. They seemed to go bad really fast. We mostly stick to our favorite reds.

 

[bookgirl]

Yes I have and it hasn't killed me yet and I haven't been arrested either.

Sometimes if someone is close by they'll ask me if they should buy them or not.

I also eat raw cookie dough..... I was born in the 60's, I'm a rebel by generation.

 

[gopher101]

At my store, if we catch someone tasting grapes, or any produce. It gets tossed (this was before covid also). Our store also offers a 100% money back if you don't like. Also we do not weigh, it is all prepackaged and priced.

So my funny grape story. This lady came up with grapes. Tasted one, than one turned into about 10 (she could not decide if she liked them) by the time I was finished ringing up her food. She decided against the grapes because it was just to many for her. I politely asked her not to eat the food before she bought it. She bought the grapes.

Another time a lady came up to me and tried to had me a mango she ate that was just the pit and a bit of fruit left, and asked me to charge her. I told her it came in a 8 lb case. They got one from the back, a full one, grumbling about having to buy a whole case. I took a mango out, they asked me why I did that, I said because you have already eaten one. They were quiet after that.

Similar story we a peach. Lady gave her two kid a peach each. Had a full case (spots for 9). I took out 2 peaches. She complained and wanted a manager. Manager went to the back got the case she grabbed the two eaten peaches from. Said she could buy that case. She got real quiet also.

I just find produce stories a little funny.

 

[yeahdisney]

I saw our store had a sign up said no taste testing.

 

[leahgoogle]

Yes I have and it hasn't killed me yet and I haven't been arrested either.

Sometimes if someone is close by they'll ask me if they should buy them or not.

I also eat raw cookie dough..... I was born in the 60's, I'm a rebel by generation.

I’m gen-x. I totally eat raw cookie dough