A Walmart customer claims to have fired up one of the store’s display grills in store. Then, he placed some barbecue staples on it to cook himself up a meal.
Corbin (@badstopcorbin) says he was able to do this because the store was completely empty. Moreover, it didn’t seem like there was anyone working at the store who particularly cared about his temporary role as retail grillmaster.
He posted about his experience in a viral TikTok clip that’s garnered over 34,000 views as of Friday. However, numerous commenters thought that he was spinning a yarn.
He says, “I went into Walmart’s garden center, fired up the grill.”
Next, he shows off a plate with a hamburger and a hot dog on it. “I didn’t even pay for this yet. Ain’t nobody ask no questions. Didn’t nobody come here,” he says while holding up his phone and showing off an empty-looking store.
“It is…there ain’t nobody here! What?” the TikToker remarks in an excited whisper.
In case you were wondering what method he used to prepare his meal, Corbin explains in the video’s caption: “Cleaning burning propane, btw.”
Delayed reaction?
Numerous commenters who replied to Corbin’s video stated they didn’t think he’d get away with it. According to them, he can expect to be accosted by the authorities at a later time.
“They’re watching you,” one person ominously warned.
Another stated, “Fun and games till the Popo meet you at the front door.”
But some TikTok users speculated the hamburger and hot dog had other origins. Like this one individual who thought Corbin was an employee of the chain. “Shut the [expletive] up, you worked there and decided. It was a good idea and I would too.”
Someone else thought that the reason he got away with it was due to collective worker apathy. They wrote, “Most of the workers don’t give a [expletive] bro.”
Whereas someone else speculated there was some type of food fundraiser going on in the parking lot. “Fire department probably at the front door raising money,” one said.
Eating food in stores
Corbin does indeed state on his TikTok profile page that all of his videos are in fact satire. Also, he confirms that he is a worker for the chain.
But some other folks on social media have claimed to eat food while in the store before paying. One family filmed themselves sitting on a Walmart floor and eating food. The children in the clip munch on chocolate-coated ice cream cone bars. A man in the same clip pours potato chips into a pile on the ground that he grabs to eat. Additionally, he cracks open a jar of dip in which he places chips before consuming.
In another clip, one TikTok user uploaded footage of them lying down on their stomach in a Walmart “hiding spot.” It appears that they are tucked away in a store shelf as they eat directly from a container of cold macaroni salad.
One social media user posted a video of herself frolicking while eating inside of a Walmart. She’s holding a container that looks like sliced apples and caramel sauce. As the video progresses, she dances and sticks her tongue out to the camera while dipping the fruit into the sauce. All the while, a sped-up version of “Dancin” plays throughout the clip.
Are you allowed to eat inside stores?
There are varying legalities when it comes to eating food prior to paying in grocery stores. Consensus states that different stores have different policies when it comes to cracking open a package or container of food and chowing down in the middle of an aisle.
Find Law states that the practice isn’t “necessarily” considered shoplifting. However, the type of food, and how payment is processed for it can matter. For instance, if you’re opening a bag of chips, gummies, a pack of bread, etc.. Basically, anything with a UPC code that can be scanned and paid for at a register with a set price, you’re in the clear.
Of course, if a store contains signage that explicitly states this practice isn’t allowed, you could be prosecuted. However, if you’re drinking a soda while shopping in a store, you can scan that bottle at the register and pay for it.
Weighted food items, the legal resource states, are a different story. If you’re munching on a bunch of strawberries from a bag that’s sold by the pound, this is problematic. That’s because there’s no way for the employee to determine what the weight of the food you ate was.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Walmart via email and Corbin via TikTok comment for further information.
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