Here's How Trader Joe's Scavenger Hunt Works

Shopping at Trader Joe's can feel like a scavenger hunt — after all, we're always on the lookout for tasty new snacks and seasonal flavors. It's truly a great feeling to get your hands on the first peppermint or pumpkin-flavored treats of the season! While you might be too busy trying to secure new products, there's an actual scavenger hunt going on in the store that you might not be aware of.

While you're filling your cart with TJ's favorites, the kids who tag along might get a little bored or fussy. That's why most Trader Joe's locations offer an actual scavenger hunt — specifically for children. The challenge is straightforward: Every day, store employees place a stuffed animal somewhere in the store for the kids to search for. Those who spot the stuffed animal can tell an employee, and be rewarded with something like a lollipop or sticker, hand-delivered in a treasure chest.

While this scavenger hunt might be something you wish you knew about Trader Joe's sooner, it's actually been around for over a decade. If you've never noticed a stuffed animal lurking next to a chalkboard sign, you might want to confirm with an employee that the store participates. There doesn't seem to be a set age limit for the scavenger hunt, so if you're a child (at heart), it seems that you can still participate. Parking can be a pain at the grocer, so it's not worth it to go for the search alone, but rather, it functions as a nice little perk when you need to shop anyways. 

The stuffed animal could be on top shelves, in between products, or incorporated into displays. Normally, the animals are placed higher up and out of reach, so the kids aren't tempted to grab them or move them around. That's the only hint you'll likely get from employees!

The type of animal changes at each store, too. For example, users on Reddit report that their local stores have Gary the Lemur, Quilliam the porcupine, and Calyspo the Octopus. So keep in mind, if you go to a different store location, you probably won't be looking for the same animal. Once you find it the first time and know what you're looking for, it will be easier on the following trips; however, sometimes the animals are switched out seasonally. It seems that most animals wear a name tag like the ones that employees have on, and some even get dressed up.

While one stuffed animal is the norm, it appears that some have two. Bonus: In addition to a furry animal, many locations also hide a plastic lobster as part of the hunt!