A viral video on TikTok is proving that not all childlike wonder is lost in the drudgery of shopping and taxes.
Posted by @tampafoodgirl, the video shows the woman’s husband’s bewildered reaction to the prices of waffles during his first-ever visit to Costco, sparking a wave of amusement and relatable stories from viewers. The video has received 1.8 million views and upwards of 95,000 likes.
In the video, the husband can be seen standing in an aisle of the warehouse store, visibly shocked by the cost of the bulk-packaged waffles. “The normal store Eggo waffles are like 35 cents each, these are 10 cents each … that’s insane,” he said.
The clip quickly gained traction, with viewers chiming in with their own Costco experiences and reactions. For many, the allure of the warehouse retail chain’s bulk discounts and savings potential is irresistible.
“I need a second freezer to explore the full potential of my Costco membership,” @nikkirey84 wrote, echoing other Costco devotees in the comments.
“One time, we bought waffles from Costco and it took our entire freezer,” @zebley_23 said. “We got so sick of waffles after like 3 days. It felt like the waffles never ended. We call it the waffle debacle of 2020.”
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Some encouraged the creator by saying that her husband was a keeper for his commitment to savings—and willingness to do the math.
“A man with a calculator pricing out the cost of each waffle—hold on to that one he’s gold,” @daisytheflower3000 commented.
However, not everyone in the comments was convinced of Costco’s savings promises. One user, @animalcommunicatorkara, wrote that she’s tried to shop at Costco three times: “[It] never financially pans out for me compared to just doing smart shopping at two local grocery stores.”
Keen observers and fans of the ABC sitcom Modern Family pointed out parallels to an episode in which character Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) is taken by his partner Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) to Costco. Despite initially thinking he will not like it, he ends up getting excited by the wholesale pricing, and the pair leave with several shopping carts of food and other items.
“Cam from Modern Family experience,” @bhack3tt commented under the video.
The original poster’s husband is certainly not alone in his experience—in popular culture nor real life. Last month, a video on TikTok went viral of a woman who left her husband alone at Costco for just five minutes to return to him feeding their Labrador retriever a Costco hot dog through the car window.
Whether it’s the promise of savings or the scale of its warehouses, the antics Costco inspires make for popular videos. As for @tampafoodgirl’s husband, his introduction to the retailer may change his breakfast routine for months to come.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.