Free Costco Samples Are Back, Baby

"After a difficult 14-month hiatus, this membership-only warehouse is bringing back free samples — from miniature hot dogs and Ritz crackers with the chain’s proprietary cheese spread to tiny wedges of pie — beginning with about 170 stores this week and aiming to restore sampling at all 548 locations by the end of the month. Company CFO Richard Galanti said the initial wave will determine rollout speed and restrictions; for safety the chain will make smaller sample batches, prepare them behind plexiglass, and distribute them one at a time rather than allowing open, self-serve sampling. The return of samples follows pandemic-era cutbacks like discontinuing sheet cakes and is being marketed as a way to reintroduce an in-store experience for members." - Rachel Sugar