This Rude Costco Behavior Proves Some People Aren't Ready To Be Adults

There's plenty to love about Costco. Few grocery chains can match the warehouse giant when it comes to bulk-buy bargains, the legendary food court, and, who can forget, the endless parade of free samples. But like any retailer, it's not without flaws. Shoppers have long complained about confusing price labels and the inconsistent quality of certain Kirkland Signature items. One issue that's gained attention lately, however, has less to do with Costco itself and more to do with its customers. As much as everyone loves free samples, not everyone seems able to clean up after themselves.

"I hate the samples at Costco," one shopper wrote on Reddit. "But more than anything I am sick of all the little cups and bowls covered in ... saliva all over every cart and [aisle]." This complaint is far from niche, and plenty of shoppers and employees alike have shared similar frustrations about this kind of inconsiderate behavior. It's not just isolated to samples, either; crumpled receipts, half-eaten food court items, and, in one shocking instance, a dirty diaper left behind in a shopping cart have all been reported. This isn't isolated to the store's interior, either, and employees have also complained about the huge amount of garbage dumped in the parking lot.

While most workers are happy to handle the occasional mess, many say the frequency of customers using the store as their personal trash can crosses the line — especially since there's no shortage of convenient ways to dispose of waste. As one employee bluntly put it on Reddit: "Members, we are not your maids. We have trash cans in every [aisle]." Harsh? Maybe. Fair? Absolutely. At that point, it stops being simple carelessness and starts looking a lot like plain selfishness.

It's not just litter and leftover samples frustrating Costco shoppers and employees. Another habit that's quick to earn you some serious side-eye is abandoning random items all over the store. "I saw frozen tiramisu next to the detergent, cream next to shoes, children's clothes on top of beer ... and the list goes on," one shopper wrote on Reddit. "What really gets me is the perishables."

They've got a point. Refrigerated and frozen products are stored at specific temperatures to maintain quality, prolong shelf life, and, most importantly, keep food safe to eat. Once perishable food sits out for too long — usually a maximum of about two hours at room temperature — it becomes unsafe to eat and should always be discarded. Take that frozen tiramisu, for example. If it's been sitting out for a while and a good Samaritan returns it to the freezer, there's a good chance it's already partially thawed, which will affect both its texture and, potentially, its safety. This creates a major risk for the next unwary shopper who buys it.

Aside from being an eyesore, leaving random items around the store can create unnecessary waste, too. Like the vast majority of food items returned to Costco, abandoned perishables end up in the trash rather than back on shelves. "We have to temp everything that comes back, and anything below a certain threshold is garbage," one employee shared on Reddit. So if you've picked up an item and decided it's not for you, please do everybody a favor and return it to where you found it — it's really not that hard!