Top Fort Wayne, IN Free Samples With No Purchase Necessary: Safe Entry Guide

Fort Wayne shoppers have exactly one verified, no-purchase, no-membership sample stop right now: Trader Joe's at Jefferson Pointe. Costco, Sam's Club, and DeBrand Fine Chocolates all offer samples too, but each attaches a membership, companion, or admission condition that keeps it from meeting a strict "no purchase necessary" standard. This guide separates the free-and-open options from the ones that only look free from the outside, so a reader can walk in prepared rather than get turned away at the door.

Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on October 15, 2026.

Trader Joe's at Jefferson Pointe — the one clean "no purchase" stop

Trader Joe's opened its first Fort Wayne store inside Jefferson Pointe at 4110 W. Jefferson Blvd., according to WOWO Radio's report on the new location. The store is confirmed open and was hiring locally ahead of launch.

Trader Joe's nationwide restored in-store product sampling in fall 2022, after suspending it in 2020, with individual stores deciding when to run tables, according to Fox 13 News. A company spokesperson said the demos are meant to highlight new items. This is a walk-in perk: no membership card, no purchase, and no sign-up required at any open Trader Joe's, including the Fort Wayne location.

One limit worth knowing before a visit: the free hot-coffee station is not coming back. An employee told press that "the coffee stations won't ever come back," according to Eat This, Not That. Expect a food or snack sample table highlighting new products, not a beverage bar.

Costco — free samples, but membership (or a member escort) is required

Costco operates a Fort Wayne warehouse at 5110 Value Drive (store #1161), listed on the company's official warehouse locator. In-store food sampling has long been a member perk there, and according to Reader's Digest, staff are reportedly told not to enforce a strict per-person limit on how many samples a shopper takes. That generosity doesn't make it a no-purchase stop, though.

Costco now requires scanning a valid membership card — physical or digital, with photo ID — at the entrance, and a non-member can only get in accompanied by a cardholder, according to NBC News. A reader without a membership and without a member willing to bring them along cannot walk in to sample anything.

• What you need: an active Costco membership, or a companion who has one.
• What's free once inside: the sample itself — no extra charge, no purchase required at the table.
• What's not "no purchase necessary": the door. Entry itself is gated.

Sam's Club — the cafe is open to everyone, the sample carts are not

Sam's Club's in-store "Taste & Tips" sampling program is a member benefit, not a general-public offer, according to KMPH/Fox coverage of the program's return. A non-member browsing a Fort Wayne Sam's Club aisle isn't guaranteed access to the sample carts. There is one carve-out worth knowing: the attached Sam's Club Cafe counter is open to the general public without a membership.

That means a reader can buy a hot dog or a drink at the cafe without joining, but that's a purchase, not a free sample, and it's a separate area from the in-aisle "Taste & Tips" program.

DeBrand Fine Chocolates — tasting is tied to a paid tour

DeBrand Fine Chocolates runs public factory tours with chocolate tasting at its Fort Wayne headquarters, 10105 Auburn Park Dr., on a published Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday schedule with no reservation required, according to DeBrand's official tours page. That open scheduling makes it easy to show up, but it is not a free-sample stop in the strict sense. The tour itself carries a per-person admission fee.

DeBrand credits that fee toward an in-store purchase of $20 or more, per the same official tours page. In practice, the chocolate tasting is bundled with paid admission rather than offered with no purchase necessary, even though local coverage sometimes frames the tour as a free-sample activity.

Ulta Beauty at Jefferson Pointe — a rewards-program perk, not a walk-in sample

Ulta Beauty operates a store at Jefferson Pointe, the same shopping center as Fort Wayne's Trader Joe's, according to the Jefferson Pointe tenant directory on Malls.com. Joining Ulta's Ultamate Rewards program is free and requires no purchase, and that membership has historically unlocked a birthday-month sample gift redeemable in-store with ID and rewards-card verification. That's a different shape of offer than a walk-in sample table: it requires signing up for a rewards account ahead of time and verifying identity at redemption, and no single current Ulta policy page confirms today's exact birthday-gift terms.

A reader interested in it should check directly with the Jefferson Pointe store before counting on a specific gift or date.

How to compare these options before you go

Of these, Trader Joe's is the only stop where a reader can walk in cold, take a sample, and leave — no card, no app, no companion, and no money spent.

• **Trader Joe's (Jefferson Pointe):** Free sample table, no membership, no purchase. Food/snack items only — no coffee station.
• **Costco (5110 Value Drive):** Free samples once inside, but entry requires a membership card or a member escort.
• **Sam's Club:** Cafe is open to the public (pay for food); in-aisle "Taste & Tips" samples are a member benefit.
• **DeBrand (10105 Auburn Park Dr.):** Open tour schedule, but tasting rides on a paid admission credited toward a $20+ purchase.
• **Ulta (Jefferson Pointe):** Free to join Ultamate Rewards, but the sample perk is a birthday-month gift tied to an account, not a walk-in sample.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sample at Costco in Fort Wayne without a membership?

Only if a cardholder brings you in — the warehouse scans a valid membership card or digital ID at the door, so you can't enter alone to sample.

Does Trader Joe's in Fort Wayne still offer free coffee samples?

No. An employee told reporters the coffee stations "won't ever come back," so expect food and snack samples only.

Is the DeBrand chocolate tour actually free?

No. It carries a per-person admission fee, though that fee is credited toward an in-store purchase of $20 or more.