It is the post-lockdown moment Costco enthusiasts have been waiting for, especially by those who lumber through these wide aisles on empty stomachs.
Starting this week, the warehouse retailer will resume doling out free samples throughout its food sections, where for decades we’ve witnessed aggressive feeding frenzies over mini handouts of everything from cheeseburgers and corn dogs to quiche, dips, tacos, desserts and more.
Covid had put the kibosh on the company’s famous sampling stations until now, as health restrictions begin lifting in most states. Shoppers will see the return of their “ladies in hairnets” giving away the edibles at about 200 stores in the coming days. The stations will continue reappearing at the company’s remaining 350 stores over the next two months.
In the meantime, as costs for shipping keep spiking, along with rising prices of meats and other grocery goods, company analysts warn that Costco’s prices on certain food items such as beef, breads, dairy and produce could increase by 5 to 15 percent over the summer.
Costco’s Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti attributes the recent wave of inflation to storms, port delays, container shortages, and overall higher commodity prices. Yet so far the price of Costco’s juicy three-pound rotisserie chickens remains locked at $4.99 per bird—exactly where it has been since 2009. And the company’s food courts still offer quarter-pound hot dogs with 20-ounce sodas for an easy $1.50. But in this changing economy Costco reps have hinted that those steadfast deals might soon change as well.
Not good news because the people doing the sampling tend not to care about blocking the aisles.
I also miss the Polish dog (plus soda) that was once offered for the same price as the hot dog. It has completely disappeared.