Person bragged about living off Costco samples thinking no one noticed — until staff revealed the truth
For the person, it was a hidden survival tactic, but for those who’ve worked behind the counter, it was no secret at all.
When an unemployed youth thought they were sneaking under the radar by living off Costco samples, service employees online set the record straight. As it turns out, the staff not only noticed but also many chose to help. The story came from Reddit user u/OkFinance8171, who admitted they once survived for three months by looping Costco aisles, pretending to shop while really just waiting for the next tray of food to come out. Shared on August 19th, the post got 20,000 upvotes and over 800 comments in just two days.
"I lost my job a couple of years ago and didn’t want to tell anyone I was broke," they shared, "My 'solution?' Costco. Every day, I’d walk in like a regular shopper and just loop the aisles for samples. Meatballs, pizza rolls, trail mix, mini cheesecakes. I got so good at timing it that I knew which aisles refilled every 20 minutes." To avoid suspicion, they would fake phone calls while circling back to grab another round. "I legit survived three months on Costco calories," they wrote, adding that they still can’t look at frozen taquitos without remembering those days. For the person, it was a hidden survival tactic, but for those who’ve worked behind the counter, it was no secret at all.
Researchers have found that empathy from service employees actively shapes how people experience moments like this. A 2023 paper, which analyzed "20 years of empirical studies," showed that when frontline workers respond with empathy, it can turn difficult or vulnerable situations into ones that feel safe and supportive. Researchers mention that it even "mitigates the likelihood of adverse behaviors" on the shopping floor. That’s exactly what many readers pointed out, and the comment section turned into an eye-opening conversation about how service employees often extend compassion in subtle ways.
u/jay0lee wrote, "'No one knew'... the store employees absolutely knew and either didn't care or decided to show some compassion." u/msackeygh agreed, adding, "I think you're right. Many store employees themselves are not highly paid, and many of them will likely have known how financially struggling feels like. So it's likely they don't bat an eye. The samples are from well-resourced companies. Who cares. Feed the poor soul!" u/the_xandypants shared a personal connection, "My mom was a Costco sample lady for a few years, and she had her favorite 'regulars' whom she speculated might not be getting enough at home. Never said a word of it to anyone besides family, and if you were a regular, you got even more 'ample samples' if she could time it right."
u/NitrokoffTheGhost said, "Hourly employee here. We dgaf. Well, like 90% of us. There's like 10% that think it's coming out of their personal pockets." u/AlternativeTruths1 recounted a much more serious incident: "I’ll believe it. I’ve entered Costco hungry and left sated after eating their samples. I’m diabetic. One afternoon, my blood sugar crashed, and an observant woman giving samples of an energy drink figured out what was happening and had me drink several samples. The pharmacy came by and tested my blood glucose: it was 57. They wouldn’t let me leave until it was 120. For you non-diabetics: a blood glucose reading of 57 is HARSH. I was seeing things in grayscale, and sound was badly distorted. I think they probably saved my life."
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