Disgust Over What Shopper Witnessed Woman Doing in Supermarket: ‘Ewww’

A Costco shopper witnessed an unsettling moment when a woman was caught eating a rotisserie chicken directly from the warming display, leaving grease-covered bags behind for unsuspecting customers.

Original poster (OP) Perfessor_Deviant described on Reddit how they noticed the woman standing in front of the warming oven, blocking access to the pre-cooked chickens.

With Her Bare Hands

At first, it seemed like she was just browsing. However, upon a second glance, the OP realized she was digging into a chicken with her bare hands—while it was still in the store’s inventory.

The grease-covered mess left behind forced store employees to inspect the remaining bags to ensure no other food had been tampered with.

Costco, known for its strict membership policies, reportedly took immediate action. A manager told the OP that the woman could lose her membership over the incident.

Though the OP speculated online whether the “older” woman’s odd behavior could be linked to a medical condition such as dementia. They also noted that a rotisserie chicken costs $4.99 so didn’t consider the product an inaccessible luxury for a Costco member.

‘Grazing’

The scene at Costco is part of a larger issue grocery store employees regularly face: customers consuming food before paying. While some argue that eating an item with the intent to pay for it later is harmless, others point out that this habit often crosses a line.

According to Southern Living’s list of rude grocery store behaviors, many shoppers engage in what is commonly referred to as “grazing”—snacking on items while browsing the aisles.

The practice is especially common in produce sections, where customers pluck grapes from a bag, or nibble on a bulk bin snack.

While some may see it as a minor offense, store staff members often deal with situations where products are left half-eaten or discarded before reaching checkout.

A Delish article on the subject notes that store policies on eating before purchasing vary. While technically legal in many cases, it often depends on the type of food.

Prepackaged items with clear pricing, such as bottled drinks or sealed snacks, are more acceptable. However, consuming loose or weighed items—such as bananas, bulk candy, or prepared foods—can create problems, as they become unsellable.

For retail employees, food consumption inside the store is nothing new.

A Reddit user responding to the Costco post recalled witnessing a woman arguing with an employee after her young child ate two applesauce pouches from an unopened box.

When told she needed to pay for the entire package, she refused, insisting that she should only cover the two consumed pouches.

“She said that had nothing to do with her,” the user wrote.

Another user described their experience working at a supermarket, stating, “Whether it’s sneezing on their hands and then inspecting a baguette, having a lobster steamed and then leaving it on a shelf, or leaving their diapers and trash in a shopping cart, people are gross, selfish and abhorrent in public.”

One user agreed, simply declaring: “Ewww, that’s disgusting.”

However, an individual remarked: “Sounds like she was hungry.”

Newsweek has contacted Costco for comment as well as Perfessor_Deviant for comment via Reddit.

Newsweek‘s “What Should I Do?” offers expert advice to readers. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work, and your story could be featured on WSID at Newsweek.

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, click here.