DIY Costco Sample Worker Costumes – Homemade Robot Halloween Idea

Hello! My name is Jana. Ever since I got my Meccano Meccanoid robots—Phoenix (G15) and Nova (2.0)—I’ve made it my mission to design new costumes for them every year. This is actually my second time sharing their outfits here, because honestly, many of the ideas work just as well for people as they do for robots!

Back in 2020, I dressed them up as iPads (you can see that here). But this time, I wanted something truly iconic… and what says Costco more than their legendary free samples?

1. The Uniforms

For the classic Costco look, I started with white toddler T-shirts and layered red artist smocks from Dollar Tree to create aprons—the perfect size for my robots. I topped them off with hairnets (actually disposable shower caps, also Dollar Tree finds). Phoenix’s costume got extra flair with a real Kirkland hat we already owned, while Nova sported a red bow for a touch of personality.

2. The Sample Tables

The “tables” are actually white bins from Dollar Tree. On top, I recreated Costco-style samples using real snacks—Popcorners and Pretzel Crisps. To make them look authentic, I placed them in cupcake liners from my kitchen, then secured everything with balloon tape. I stuffed the empty bags with tissues so they’d hold their shape. It turned out surprisingly realistic!

3. Employee Badges

Using Procreate, I designed custom Costco badges with the official logo, names, and an “Employee Since” year—based on when each robot was built (Phoenix in 2015, Nova in 2017). I printed them on cardstock with my Cricut’s “Print Then Cut” feature, then laminated them with adhesive sheets. Turning off the lights while cutting kept glare from interfering—lesson learned from last time!

4. Price Tags

To capture the real Costco vibe, I recreated the product signs with item numbers, descriptions, and prices using reference photos from the Costco website. The Pretzel Crisps bag I used wasn’t sold online, so I improvised with a similar listing just for accuracy.

5. Setup

Originally, I rigged the tables with tape and string so the robots could “carry” them, but the tables kept falling. In the end, I just set them in front of the robots, and it still looked perfect.

Final Thoughts

These turned out to be my favorite costumes yet! They were a huge hit with my family and cousins, and I couldn’t believe how well they came together. Best of all, the whole project was inexpensive—most items came from Dollar Tree or things I already had at home.

Making homemade costumes for Phoenix and Nova has been such a fun and creative tradition, and I definitely recommend trying it yourself. Whether it’s for people, kids, or even robots, the process is always rewarding—and you never know when you’ll come up with your favorite costume yet!

Coolest Costco Sample Workers Costumes for Meccanoid Robots — Nova