Spotlight POPULAR CULTURE | COSTCO Free samples with a side of serotonin: Welcome to the Costco feeding frenzy Jessica Guynn USA Today Jul 26, 2026 7 hrs ago 0 × USA Today - Vertical Costco free samples draw crowds, members love the bites, but stations can block aisles and leave a mess. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Caitlin Johnson has a motto she swears by. "I don’t tell Costco what I need. Costco tells me what I need."kAm!2E:@ D6En Q*@F 42?’E 362E E96 AC:46]Q sJD@? G24FF> @? D2=6n Q$F556?=J[ x ?665 2 ?6H G24FF>]Q (92E’D E92E :? E96 32<65 8@@5Dn Q(9@ 2> x E@ D2J ?@ E@ 42<6nQk^Am Costco on April 7 in Phoenix. Rob Schumacher, The Republic kAmp?@E96C DFC6\7:C6 H2J r@DE4@ C@FE:?6=J H@C<D :ED >@;@ @? E9:D bc\J62C\@=5 25G6CE:D:?8 6I64FE:G6 7C@> {@?8 xD=2?5[ }6H *@C<n $96 =@G6D E96 7C66 D2>A=6D[ 6G6CJE9:?8 7C@> 4:??2>@? C2:D:? 4@@<:6D E@ 32<65 42F=:7=@H6C]k^Am kAm(2:E[ 42F=:7=@H6Cnk^AmkAmQ$E2J H:E9 >6 96C6] x H2=<65 C:89E A2DE :E EH:46] qFE x <6AE H2E49:?8 E96D6 A6@A=6 2?5 E96JVC6 =:<6[ V~9 >J 8@D9[ E9:D :D 2>2K:?8]V $@ 7:?2==J[ xV> =:<6[ V2== C:89E[ E96C6VD D@>6E9:?8 E@ E9:D[VQ D2:5 y@9?D@?[ H9@ 92D EH@ C67C:86C2E@CD E@ 9@FD6 96C r@DE4@ 92F=D] Qx H2=<65 @FE H:E9 EH@ @7 E96>]Qk^Am People are also reading… Pete Buttigieg says NE-02 candidate Denise Powell will deliver ‘a future that is better’ New Crepe House restaurant opening in downtown Lincoln Former Nebraska tight end announces medical retirement from the NFL ESPN predicts the record of Nebraska football in 2026 A 6 a.m. call, a 7:30 commitment: Averi Bridges details her pledge to Penn State Nebraska flag football announces home facilities USA TODAY Sports ranks Big Ten football stadiums Nebraska quarterback ranked middle of the pack in college football Teacher accused of sexual assault, child enticement held on $250K bond Caitlin Clark’s flopping isn’t just annoying – it’s becoming dangerous | Opinion Nebraska tight end Carter Nelson entering 2026 healthy and ready Nebraska extends offer to four-star offensive tackle Nebraska focusing on defense with latest scholarship offer Nebraska pitcher signs contract with the Chicago White Sox Recent real estate transactions in the Lincoln area kAmx? 724E[ D96 E2<6D 9@>6 6:89E @FE @7 `_ D2>A=6D D96 EC:6D] Q(@H[Q y@9?D@? D2:5[ QE92EVD E96 7:CDE E:>6 xVG6 25>:EE65 E92E @FE =@F5]Qk^Am People taste samples at Costco as it opens June 25 in Pensacola, Fla. Gregg Pachkowski, USA TODAY NETWORK k9am}@ DF49 E9:?8 2D 2 7C66 =F?49n s@?’E E6== r@DE4@k^9amkAm!6@A=6 =@G6 7C66 7@@5 2?5 D@ 5@6D r@DE4@] xE >2<6D 2 7@CEF?6 7C@> :E]k^Am kAmr@DE4@ H@?’E D2J 9@H >F49 W@C 2?JE9:?8 6=D6 @? E96 DF3;64EX 3FE ?@ C6E2:=6C :D >@C6 72>@FD 7@C :ED D2>A=6 D>@C82D3@C5]k^AmkAm%96 D2G@CJ 3:E6D 2?5 DH66E >:?:\EC62ED 92G6 DA2H?65 =68:@?D @7 G:C2= D<6E496D 2?5 9@E E2<6D] x?E6C?6E A6CD@?2=:E:6D E2<6 =2AD 2C@F?5 E96 2:D=6D E@ C6EFC? 7@C D64@?5D 2?5 E9:C5D[ @7E6? :? 5:D8F:D6] %96J 7@C286 7@C 4=:4<D 3J 4@?DF>:?8 ?@E9:?8 3FE r@DE4@ D2>A=6 42=@C:6D 7@C 2 52J @C E9C66[ 9:EE:?8 6G6CJ D:?8=6 D2>A=6 DE2E:@? 2?5 3J A:4<:?8 G6?5@CDV EC2JD 4=62? @7 D@FA 5F>A=:?8D 2?5 DEC2H36CCJ 4966D642<6 367@C6 2?J@?6 6=D6 42? ECJ E96>]k^Am A variety of samples awaited customers during Costco's grand opening of a location May 21 in Visalia, Calif. Ron Holman, USA TODAY NETWORK kAm%96? E96C6 2C6 A6@A=6’D @55 C624E:@?D E@ 2? @C5:?2CJ D=:46 @7 D2=2>: @C 4FA @7 49@4@=2E6 >:=<]k^AmkAmQ(96?6G6C xV> AC6D6?E65 H:E9 2 D2>A=6 @7 7@@5 E92E xVG6 2=C625J 925 367@C6[ 2?5 x <?@H x =:<6 :E[ x AC6E6?5 =:<6 xVG6 ?6G6C 925 :E] x 5@?VE <?@H H9J[Q DE2?5FA 4@>65:2? y@D9 $?665 C646?E=J ;@<65] QxV> ;FDE =:<6[ H92E :D E9:Dn r966D6n p> x D2J:?8 E92E C:89En r966D6n ~9[ E92EVD 8@@5]Qk^AmkAm$?665[ ch[ 5@6D?’E ;FDE 86E 9:D >2E6C:2= 7C@> r@DE4@] w6 86ED 6G6CJE9:?8 E96C6] w6 FD65 E@ 5C:G6 2? 9@FC E@ 2 r@DE4@ @? E96 @E96C D:56 @7 r:?4:??2E: F?E:= 2 H2C69@FD6 @A6?65 `_ >:?FE6D 7C@> 9:D 9@FD6]k^Am kAm~?6 @7 E96 E@A D6==:?8 A@:?ED @7 r@DE4@n u62DE:?8 @? E96 D2>A=6D[ @7 4@FCD6]k^Am kAmQ%9:D :D 9@H 8=FEE@?@FD x 2>] xV== E2DE6 D@>6E9:?8 2?5 =:<6 :E 2?5 xV== <?@H E92E >J D@? 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Mike Lang, USA TODAY NETWORK k9amVuC66V D2>A=6D 2C6?VE C62==J 7C66k^9am kAm$EF5:6D D9@H E96D6 E2DEJ 92?5@FED E9C:== D9@AA6CD 2?5 <66A E96> 4@>:?8 324< 7@C >@C6] uC66 D2>A=6D 2C6 DF49 2 DE2A=6 @7 E96 42C59@=56C 6IA6C:6?46 E92E D9@AA6CD 8C:6G65 H96? r@DE4@ E6>A@C2C:=J DFDA6?565 E96> 5FC:?8 E96 r~'xs\`h A2?56>:4]k^Am kAmQ%96C6 :D 2 C62= 4@>>6C4:2= :>A6EFD 369:?5 D2>A=6D 3FE E96J 2C6 2=D@ A2CE @7 E96 2AA62= @7 r@DE4@ 2?5 92G6 2 92=@ 67764E @7 D9@H:?8 r@DE4@ =@@<D 27E6C :ED 4FDE@>6CD[Q }6:= $2F?56CD[ >2?28:?8 5:C64E@C @7 v=@32=s2E2 #6E2:=[ E@=5 &$p %@52J]k^Am People shop at Costco as it opens June 25 in Pensacola, Fla. Gregg Pachkowski, Pensacola News Journal kAm~7 4@FCD6[ Q7C66Q D2>A=6D 2C6 ?@E C62==J 7C66] %96J D6?5 2 DF3=:>:?2= >6DD286i qFJ >6] p?5 @7E6? 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Megan Mendoza, The Republic kAm%92E :?:E:2= E2DE6 @7 2 ?6H 7@@5 42? 4C62E6 2 =2DE:?8 7:CDE :>AC6DD:@? – 2 E2DE6 >6>@CJ – E92E H96ED E96 2AA6E:E6 7@C E92E 7@@5 2?5 @E96C 7@@5D =:<6 :E[ %2= D2:5] uC66 D2>A=6D 2=D@ E2<6 E96 8F6DDH@C< @FE @7 2 AFC492D6] k^Am kAm$@ r@DE4@[ E9C@F89 E96 4@>A2?J r=F3 s6>@?DEC2E:@? $6CG:46D E92E >2?286D E96 :?\DE@C6 D2>A=6D[ E2<6D 8C62E 42C6 E@ 6?8:?66C 2? 6IA6CE=J 7=2G@C7F= 3:E6[ D2:5 s2? pC:6=J[ 2 AC@76DD@C @7 ADJ49@=@8J 2?5 3692G:@C2= 64@?@>:4D 2E sF<6 &?:G6CD:EJ]k^Am kAm%92E D:?8=6 >@CD6= AC:>6D A6@A=6 E@ G:6H E96 D2>A=6 2D 2 F?:BF6 2?5 DA64:2= EC62E] (9:=6 E96 7=2G@C >2J ?@E 36 >@C6 :?E6?D6 E92? 2?J @E96C 3:E6 @7 7@@5[ :E 766=D E92E H2J 3642FD6 @7 E96 :?E6?D:EJ @7 @FC 2EE6?E:@? E@ :E :? 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D2JD D2>A=6D 8@E 96C 9@@<65 @? r@DE4@ 4C@:DD2?ED] w6C 8C2?5D@?[ H9@ >2:?=J DF3D:DED @? 2 5:6E @7 A:KK2 2?5 49:4<6? ?F886ED[ 5:D4@G6C65 2 962=E9:6C 2=E6C?2E:G6[ >25C2D =6?E:=D[ E92?<D E@ r@DE4@]k^Am Business The problem with shopping at Costco? It's 'Mad Max' with shopping carts Jessica Guynn USA Today k9am~FC =@G6\92E6 C6=2E:@?D9:A H:E9 r@DE4@ D2>A=6Dk^9amkAm(6==[ >2J36 ?@E 6G6CJ3@5J]k^AmkAmy6DD6 u6C?2?56K[ 2 c`\J62C\@=5 4@>65:2? 2?5 D6=7\AC@4=2:>65 r@DE4@ DFA6C 72? 7C@> $2? |2E6@[ r2=:7@C?:2[ >@DE=J D<:AD E96 D2>A=6 =:?6D[ >2<:?8 6I46AE:@?D @?=J 7@C 4@>7@CE 7@@5D =:<6 A:KK2 2?5 >242C@?: 2?5 4966D6] qFE 96 C2C6=J 3FJD H92E 96 E2DE6D]k^Am kAmQ%96 36DE D2>A=6D 2C6 E96 E9:?8D E92E 2C6 E96 H@CDE 7@C >6[Q 96 D2:5] $@ 27E6C E92E @?6 564256?E 3:E6[ Qx ;FDE D2J E92?< J@F[ r@DE4@[ 7@C E9:D =:EE=6 EC62E] %96? x 8@ 3FJ >J G6CJ 3@C:?8 =@H\D@5:F>[ =@H\49@=6DE6C@=[ =@H\2?JE9:?8 7@@5]Qk^Am kAmuC66 7@@5 42? 2=D@ 3C:?8 @FE E96 H@CDE :? A6@A=6] $@>6 36==J FA E@ E96 D2>A=6 DE2E:@? E@ 8C2K6 @? 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FA 27E6C E96>]k^AmkAmQ|6>36CD[Q @?6 2?@?J>@FD H@C<6C 49:565 D9@AA6CD @? #655:E[ QH6 2C6 ?@E J@FC >2:5D]Qk^Am Business Costco wants you to check out in 8 seconds with new pay stations Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton The Seattle Times 0 Comments Satisfy your cravings With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Costco samples fuel shopper frenzy Costco free samples draw crowds, members love the bites, but stations can block aisles and leave a mess.
Business The problem with shopping at Costco? It's 'Mad Max' with shopping carts Jessica Guynn USA Today
Business Costco wants you to check out in 8 seconds with new pay stations Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton The Seattle Times
Costco samples fuel shopper frenzy Costco free samples draw crowds, members love the bites, but stations can block aisles and leave a mess.
