Costly Costco, and the like.

Costco. Who doesn't love it?
Plentiful bulk foods down every isle, beckoning your attention. I love it. I really do.
You know what I don't love? The sample folk. They are good at what they do...pushing their samples on you.
One time I remember stopping to get a sample of some sort of chicken pasta and the sample girl in her most monotone trained voice said something like, "You really should buy this pasta. It's my favorite. I know I'm going to buy a bag after I get off work." Really? That is the best you've got?

In my curiosity as to what exactly all your "little" Costco samples are adding up to, I searched around to find others experiences with the same topic. I found THIS blog post from a gentleman who seemed to have the same curiosities that I did. Here was his findings from his one trip through the sample soiree.

(food, estimated calorie count)
Multigrain tortilla 20
Mild Italian Sausage 35
Provolone Cheese 20
Italian Mortadella 20
Beef Brisket with potato salad 82
Veggie patties 43
Seafood salad on rice cracker 32
Smoked salmon with cream cheese on a cracker 50
Honey smoked salmon on a Ritz 30
Tri Tip 20
Hot & spicy wings 63
Chicken Florentine 30
Hansen’s soda with ice cream 50
Kirkland sports Drink 40
Sun dried tomato & pasta 40
Baked beans 20
Bratwurst 43
Four bean salad 30
Rice crackers with nuts 150
Fruit chips 10
Sour patch kids 10
Body choice high fiber drink 45
Body choice weight loss drink 10
Pita 15
Fried Pita Chip 17
Humus 6
Tabouli 6
Tzatziki 6

Grand Total?? 943 calories. YIKES. This of course is if you took one sample from each booth, and that probably doesn't happen. However, the chances that you are taking a few are still pretty high, and those calories can still add up.

Now I realize I'm picking on Costco, and that is just plain mean, BUT I'm only using them as my example because we all know their samples so well. (I am a huge Costco fan. Their produce is phenomenal.) This could be any grocery store, any mega mart, or bulk warehouse. It happens everywhere.