Costco is bringing back free samples, but it won’t be like before the pandemic

Costco’s beloved free samples will be returning to stores next month. But before you get your hands on all of the grocery store’s bite-sized treats, you should know that its sampling process will be different.

The grocery store chain announced in March it was suspending free samples because of coronavirus concerns.

In Costco’s quarterly earnings report Thursday, chief financial officer Richard Galanti said the company is hoping to resume the practice in mid-June, according to USA Today.

“We’re going to start doing some things in mid-June on a slow rollout basis in sampling,” Galanti said, the news outlet reported. “I can’t tell you anymore, but needless to say it’s not going to be where you go and just pick up an open sample with your fingers.”

Costco will “instate new sanitary rules regarding samples,” Galanti said, Business Insider reported. It’s unclear what the exact process will be.

Many of Costco’s servers are contracted by Club Demonstration Services, which temporarily shut down in April, according to Business Insider. As a result, thousands of workers were laid off, Buzzfeed reported.

Costco’s executives did not state if they will be using CDS workers when they bring back food samples.

After suspending its food sample practice in March, Costco later implemented several procedures at their stores, including requiring customers to wear masks and designating hours for older customers to shop.

In its earnings statement, Costco said “April sales were negatively impacted by COVID-19.” Costco’s figures showed a decline due to “limited service” in its food courts, closures of most optical, hearing aid and photo departments and fewer people buying gasoline, the company said.