We compared Costco's and Sam's Club's free samples – and the winner was clear by Mary Hanbury on Apr 25, 2018, 2:46 PM Advertisement
 - Costco and Sam's Club are known for their generous sample policy.
- Members frequently brag on Twitter about heading to these stores for a free lunch.
- We taste tested samples from both locations and found that Costco was the clear winner.
On paper, Sam's Club and Costco are almost identical – both are membership-based warehouse stores that offer customers discounted prices on products bought in bulk and other services such as eye and ear exams, a pharmacy, one-hour photo printing, and a food court. In March, Business Insider's Jessica Tyler compared the experience of shopping at these two chains and found that the only major difference was the price of memberships – Sam's Club costs $15 less annually than Costco. But it all comes down to the details. Costco was the undisputed winner in a series of food-based comparisons done by Business Insider's Hollis Johnson – it won best food court overall was the clear leader on individual food items such as hot dogs and pizza slices. With this in mind, we decided to put one of their best-known perks to the test: the free samples. Both chains are known for their generous sample policy and customers frequently brag on Twitter about heading to the stores for a free meal. 
There is a method to their madness, however. By offering free samples these stores improve the shopping experience for the customer and make them more loyal. It's also a way for customers to try new products and spur them into buying more. "What started as a fun idea more than 30 years ago is now a core experience that our members love. Sharing samples is a great way to highlight cool, new items and showcase the quality and value offered by our curated assortment," a spokesperson for Sam's Club told Business Insider. Both stores were mum on how much this marketing ploy actually boosts sales. Find out what happened when we visited the two chains below: SEE ALSO: People are obsessed with Costco's free samples — but it's actually a brilliant business strategy We headed to a Sam's Club store in Secaucus, New Jersey on a grey Tuesday afternoon. The store is located next to a Walmart and conveniently accessed by a direct bus from Manhattan. 
When we arrived at the store we made a beeline to the grocery section to test the samples. On approach, we started to hear the dulcet tones of some steel drums. 
Unfortunately, there weren't any live steel drummers, just a speaker. However, sandwiched between the grocery and alcohol sections we came across our first sample station. 
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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