One woman’s complaints about families who bring their kids shopping sparked unexpected backlash.
In a viral TikTok stitch with 4.1 million views and over 185,000 likes, TikToker Antonia Commack (@alaska.mmip) responded to Tori’s (@thatmomtori) since-deleted video and offered her take on taking tantrum-throwing children shopping.
“I will never understand why families bring kids who do nothing but scream to Costco, or any shopping experience,” text overlaid on Tori’s clip read. “Let one parent stay home with the kids and you enjoy the free samples and dollar pizza.”
In the video, Tori ate a slice of pizza while she appeared to be sitting in the wholesaler’s dining area.
“You leave your kids with dad, and you come by yourself,” she offered between bites of her slice. “You don’t come to Costco as a family when your kids scream.”
Commack then hopped onto the screen and provided her response.
“I just went to Costco, and now I’m sitting in my parking lot waiting for my son to wake up from his nap back there,” she began.
She then offered up a story she thought was relevant to the situation.
“My son is well-behaved, usually, because he’s been shopping with me since he was an infant,” she said.
However, she said her three-year-old son had a tantrum while they were shopping one day, and she still had to finish up her errand. Despite the noise, she said a worker and other shoppers supported her during the meltdown.
“We got to the checkout aisle when I was done with my shopping,” she continued. “The lady checking me out and then the other women behind me, they’re like, ‘You’re doing a good job, mom.'”
She said she never had anyone treat her the way Tori decided to treat the Costco parents with screaming children.
“And if I did, I probably would, like, beat them up,” she said. “No, probably not, but I would not be very nice.”
@alaska.mmip Go eat your pizza in your car. Byeeee! #costco #costcolady #costcopizzalady #costcokids #costcodeals ♬ original sound – Unaqsiq
In the comments section, viewers agreed that no one should police who can or can’t shop at Costco.
“Ahh yes Costco, famously known for being a child free public store,” user ToriKing wrote.
“I brought my kids to Costco and we all screamed together,” user Loyla said.
“She’s confusing Costco with the library,” another added.
Another viewer pointed out that not all families have more than one available parent.
“I was a single mom,” they wrote. “No family. I didn’t have the option to leave my baby with ‘Dad.'”
However, some viewers agreed parents should be mindful of their children’s behavior in public places.
“No I agree with the pizza lady,” user Erin wrote. “Wherever you go with your kids be considerate of their behavior & don’t let them be obnoxious.”
Another TikToker, @thunderb4lightnin, shared recordings of since-deleted update videos posted by Tori, whom TikTok has dubbed “Costco Karen.”
“Do I owe you an explanation?” Tori asked viewers in the video. “I don’t. But I feel better addressing it.”
In the first part, she said she is grateful to know who she is as a person because she has been inundated by negative comments on her video. The clip then cut to a follow-up video, in which she said she put the videos about the situation on private mode because “the comments went too far.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Commack via email, Costco by contact form, and Tori by TikTok direct message for comment.