The Costco Free Sample Rule Parents Should Know About
It's a pretty reasonable ask, considering the many ingredients that populate most foods these days, and the plethora of food allergies that kids can possess. How awful would it be if an employee were handing out samples of fan-favorite Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake, and your child ran up to grab one while your back was turned — and they have a gluten allergy? Sure, it might be inconvenient for you to have to give the "okay" every time your child wants a sample, but it's for the best reason — every child's in-store health and safety — so we think it's worth the hassle.
Read more: Every Costco Price Tag Code, Explained
Another Costco Free Sample Rule That Everyone Should Know About
If you were using your kids to swipe you more samples while you stood with your cart around the corner, and now find that this game plan is no longer feasible, don't fret. The free samples that Costco gives out are actually unlimited, so you're welcome to have as many as you like. However, there is some sample etiquette you can follow to ensure you don't abuse the freebies system.
First, only take one or two each time you're at the front of the line; this ensures that everyone else at least gets to try the food (of course, if there's no one else in line and there are a plethora of samples out, you could perhaps ask for more politely). Second, do get in line and wait patiently to reach the station each time you want to refill on any given samples — there are no frequent flyer perks or fast passes at Costco.
Third, and this is a big one that applies to the samples system overall: Don't stand there and wait while a new batch of samples cooks so that you can swoop in and collect them all. This clogs the aisles with the huge Costco carts (especially on the busiest days and times to shop), inconveniencing pretty much everyone; worse, it might encourage others to stand around and wait, too, exacerbating the issue.
Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time.
Read the original article on Food Republic.
Solve the daily Crossword
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Costco Free Sample Rule Parents Should Know About
Costco is a store that encompasses multitudes, including a number of opposing truths. For example, while the average Costco location is around 146,000 square feet, so it could be stuffed to the gills with items, the big box retailer only carries a mere 4,000 SKUs -- whereas most supermarkets sell in the realm of 30,000. Meanwhile, Costco also sells most items in larger-than-life bulk sizes — while giving away the smallest portions as part of its free sample program, which is a genius money-maker for the company. But, recently, Costco has had to crack down on who exactly it gives out samples to, and parents should be aware of this ongoing rule: No kids can receive samples without an adult present. It's a pretty reasonable ask, considering the many ingredients that populate most foods these days, and the plethora of food allergies that kids can possess. How awful would it be if an employee were handing out samples of fan-favorite Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake, and your child ran up to grab one while your back was turned — and they have a gluten allergy? Sure, it might be inconvenient for you to have to give the "okay" every time your child wants a sample, but it's for the best reason — every child's in-store health and safety — so we think it's worth the hassle. Read more: Every Costco Price Tag Code, Explained Another Costco Free Sample Rule That Everyone Should Know About If you were using your kids to swipe you more samples while you stood with your cart around the corner, and now find that this game plan is no longer feasible, don't fret. The free samples that Costco gives out are actually unlimited, so you're welcome to have as many as you like. However, there is some sample etiquette you can follow to ensure you don't abuse the freebies system. First, only take one or two each time you're at the front of the line; this ensures that everyone else at least gets to try the food (of course, if there's no one else in line and there are a plethora of samples out, you could perhaps ask for more politely). Second, do get in line and wait patiently to reach the station each time you want to refill on any given samples — there are no frequent flyer perks or fast passes at Costco. Third, and this is a big one that applies to the samples system overall: Don't stand there and wait while a new batch of samples cooks so that you can swoop in and collect them all. This clogs the aisles with the huge Costco carts (especially on the busiest days and times to shop), inconveniencing pretty much everyone; worse, it might encourage others to stand around and wait, too, exacerbating the issue. Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. Read the original article on Food Republic. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jim Cramer on Costco: 'I Think They're Doing Everything Right'
Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer shared his views on. When a caller expressed worry over the stock price action, Cramer remarked: 'Well, you know what, I am glad you called me on Costco. I was just, I was actually kind of mulling over this one with Jeff Marks, my colleague on the club, and I have to tell you, I am sick and tired of the stock going down. People feel 51 times earnings is too expensive. I think that's wrong. I think they're doing everything right. Every check indicates to me that it's time to start buying some if you don't have any, and if you have some, perhaps you should buy some more.' omar-abascal-9Um7Huux0as-unsplash Costco (NASDAQ:COST) operates membership-based warehouse stores that provide branded and private-label goods across grocery, general merchandise, and specialty services. In addition, the company offers e-commerce, fuel, pharmacy, and travel services under the Costco brand. When a caller inquired about the company stock on July 17, Cramer responded: 'No, look, here's the problem with Costco: It is a victim of its own success. All it really does is ever go up and then has these periods where it languishes. We're in the languish period. That's when you buy Costco. Do I think Costco's in trouble at 50 times earnings? Are you kidding me? I think Costco's, I still think Costco may be… one of the top five companies of all time. That is no slight to Jensen Huang because he's number one.' While we acknowledge the potential of COST as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Uncertain economic times? That means it's gold's time to shine
What's it worth: From Costco gold bars to pots of gold That's enough for more than 1 billion Olympic gold medals, which are actually primarily made of silver, and about 750,000 pots of gold waiting at the end of every rainbow. Or you'd have to spend $694 billion at Costco on its 1-ounce gold bars, although the $3,410 bar is out of stock. Value of reserves rises and falls with price of gold The price of gold fluctuates, but as of July 2025, the market value of all the gold stored in the New York Federal Reserve vault could be estimated somewhere between $470 billion and $680 billion, depending on the market price of gold, which hit a record high this year. Who owns all the gold in the Fed's stockpile? But none of that gold belongs to the Fed, and most of it isn't American. In 2021, the U.S. Treasury Department reported it only stores about 13.4 million fine troy ounces – about 416 metric tons – there. The rest belongs to foreign governments, other central banks, and official international organizations, who trust the Fed to keep it locked away 80 feet below street level. Golden opportunity for a heist movie? Where is the world's gold stored? The United States stores gold in other places, too. The largest American-owned gold stockpile is at Fort Knox in Kentucky, which houses about 147.3 million fine troy ounces of gold – about 4,583 metric tons. Other countries, including Germany, Italy, and France, also have large gold reserves. More: Trump wants lower interest rates. Will the Fed make cuts? Live updates Why people still like gold Beyond its shine, some investors, central banks, and governments view gold as an attractive asset that inspires confidence, even in uncertain times. 'It's historical money. It goes back several millennia as original money,' said Aakash Doshi, the global head of gold strategy at State Street Investment Management. 'It goes back to biblical times. It was one of the gifts from the three wise men.' While today gold isn't used as a large-scale payment method, it's a highly liquid asset with no particular credit risk and is not directly controlled by any central bank, according to Joe Cavatoni, the senior market strategist for the Americas for the World Gold Council. Some investors still view it as 'real' money – something that can't be printed – and a hedge against market and economic volatility. 'Gold performs in good times as well as in the bad times,' Cavatoni said. Why gold demand surged While the dollar or the euro isn't going away anytime soon, Doshi said the demand for real hard assets that complement fiat currency rose over the last few decades as global debt and governments' share of that debt has increased. In 2024, gold overtook the euro as the second-largest global reserve asset after the U.S. dollar, according to a June European Central Bank report. Doshi listed the 2008 financial crisis, the U.S.-China trade war, shifting trade alliances like the rearrangement of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and expanded sanctions as forces driving some central banks' increased interest in gold, as they seek stability amid economic shocks and geopolitical tension. Cavatoni said that rating agencies' recent downgrades to the U.S. government's creditworthiness and the risks that come with holding treasuries are also likely on people's minds, adding that a lot of the increased demand is coming from emerging market central banks. Gold price jumped since the start of 2024 He said gold is valued higher when market risk is unclear and uncertainty is high, adding, 'that's kind of the world we're living in now.' 'When you think about their absolute level of holdings, they are still very low relative to the percentage of total reserves. And I think that there's still an opportunity for them to continue to grow,' Cavatoni said. 'But I think we're seeing in our second quarter data and other sound bites that they're definitely paying close attention to what the performance is going to look like.'
