12 Stores That Gave Out Free Samples You Actually Wanted
These stores turned ordinary shopping trips into full-on snack and swag adventures with samples you didn’t want to miss.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Before everything went digital and self-checkout, shopping in certain stores meant walking out with a full stomach—or a bag of surprise goodies. From gourmet bites to generous beauty testers, these shops mastered the art of the free sample. Here are 12 stores where the free stuff was actually the best part of the visit.
1. Costco
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The undisputed king of sample culture, Costco turned grocery shopping into a buffet. You could walk every aisle and basically eat lunch by the time you left.
2. See’s Candies
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Walking into See’s meant being handed a free chocolate with zero pressure to buy. The white-uniformed staff offered seasonal treats or let you pick your own.
3. Trader Joe’s
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Before the pandemic hit, Trader Joe’s had a cozy sample counter that served warm mini-meals daily. Sometimes soup, sometimes cookies, always something tasty.
4. Bath & Body Works
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Try before you buy was the name of the game—lotions, sprays, scrubs, and more. You’d walk out smelling like a fruit salad and somehow still want more.
5. Sam’s Club
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Costco’s sample-savvy cousin, Sam’s Club, also knew how to serve good food. It cooked up hot snacks, drinks, and even frozen foods for your tasting pleasure.
6. The Body Shop
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This skincare haven always offered testers for every product, from body butters to exfoliating masks. The staff encouraged you to slather, sniff, and sample your heart out.
7. Hickory Farms (Seasonal Kiosks)
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These mall pop-ups during the holidays were famous for their cheese and sausage cubes. One toothpick could lead to three different sample bites.
8. LUSH Cosmetics
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LUSH didn’t just let you sample; they packed tiny take-home pots of soaps, masks, and creams. You’d go in for one thing and leave with five freebies to “test at home.”
9. Mall Food Courts
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Teriyaki chicken on a toothpick? Iconic. You’d loop around pretending to be “still deciding,” just to get another bite. It was an unofficial game: how many samples could you score before actually buying lunch? There was no shame in the food court hustle.
10. Origins Skincare Counters
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This department store brand was sample-friendly and proud of it. Their tiny green jars of moisturizer or face masks were often enough for a weekend getaway.
11. Williams Sonoma
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If you were lucky, this kitchenware store served hot cider, soup, or even full dessert samples in tiny cups. It was gourmet-level, not your average freebie.
12. Sephora
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No beauty lover forgot the day they learned Sephora gave free samples of anything. Ask nicely, and you’d get custom-picked portions of foundation, perfume, or serums.