Why Your Kids Should Join You On Your Next Costco Outing

People who bring their kids to Costco often face criticism, especially on social media. One customer, for example, recently went viral for complaining about the children screaming in the food court. Comments under another viral TikTok expressed a similar annoyance towards parents who leave their children unattended in their shopping carts at the checkout. But despite what others may think about bringing your children to Costco, there's a good reason you may want to. In addition to there being plenty of kid-friendly items at Costco, the retailer also offers free cookies.

It's no secret that Costco gives away free samples to customers as they shop, but what you might not realize is that kids can actually get cookies for free, too. When you stop by the bakery department, all you have to do is ask one of the bakery associates if they are currently offering complimentary cookies for the children of shoppers. A lot of times they do, which means your kid will be able to enjoy an extra treat during your shopping trip.

When it comes to Costco's samples, you never know what kind will be available and when they'll be out. The same principle also applies to the free cookies. The bakery department will only give away cookies to kids based on availability. You should be able to get one if any cookies have not been packaged yet or perhaps ones that are broken and can no longer be sold. But even if that is the case, it's not necessarily a guarantee.

Giving free cookies to kids is also technically not a companywide policy, so even though it's a common practice, not all Costco locations are guaranteed to do this. Some stores stopped doing so after COVID, according to a Reddit thread. However, employees seem to be pretty generous about handing out free cookies. At the food court, they may even offer you one if you have to wait longer than 20 minutes for your food. So, it definitely doesn't hurt to ask if you stop by the bakery section with your children.

There isn't a standard free cookie that Costco gives out to kids. The flavor you get will depend on what's currently in stock, and you may not have the option to choose a specific type of cookie. The chocolate chunk cookie is perhaps the most popular flavor from the bakery department, but Costco also offers other varieties, including oatmeal raisin, double nut, white chocolate and macadamia nut, orange pecan, and confetti.

Since you never know what flavor you'll get, if your child has nut or dairy allergies, it may be best to stay away from the free cookie offer. Costco's free cookies are handed straight to you unpackaged, so there's no label indicating potential allergens that the employee may not be aware of upfront. However, if you can take advantage of the free cookies, you'll be able to save a couple of extra bucks because Costco's food court cookies normally cost $2.49 each. Even if you never know what type of cookie you'll end up with, who can resist a free treat?