2026 Cookie Booth Playbook

2026 Girl Scout Cookie Program ® COOKIE BOOTH Playbook

Table of Contents

Cookie Booth Guidelines Cookie Booth Ideas Cookie Booth Essentials “What If?” Scenarios Girl Scout Cookie Booths Individual Girl Scout Cookie Booth Guidelines Cookie Consignment Guidelines Drive-Thru Booths Cookie Booth Resources Cookie Booth Reservations General Booth Guidelines Booth Safety and Incident Procedures Appendix—Resources Resources

3 4 5 7 8 11 13 14 16 17 21

22 27 28 29 30 32 34 35 38 42

Drive-Thru Booth Diagram Cookie Checkout Agreement

2026 Cookie Booth Location Ideas Appendix—Digital Cookie Tipsheets Troop Site Links Troop Booth Pickup Orders Using the Mobile App: A Training Guide for Families at a Cookie Booth

2 Cookie Booth Playbook

Cookie Booth Guidelines

Cookie booths—that is, cookie pop-up sales in areas with lots of foot traffic—are a fun way for Girl Scouts to connect with their community and practice their sales pitch with new customers. Booth locations must be approved by councils, facilitated within council jurisdiction, and participants must follow all council guidelines regarding setting up, running, and taking down a booth to ensure future booth partner relationships.

When running a cookie booth, whether at a business or a school event, your troop is a guest of the facility, they are at the discretion of the facility. Your troop represents all of Girl Scouts during a cookie booth.

Create a great cookie booth experience for your Girl Scouts by:

• Using your best judgment in setting up cookie booths in locations that will be open, accessible, and safe for all Girl Scouts and potential customers.

• Choosing a high traffic area—this could be your local supermarket, mall, or park—where you’ll maximize the number of visitors to your booth.

• Checking out your booth site ahead of the sale. Talk to business owners in the area so they’ll know what to expect. Find out what security measures are in place—these may include lights for evening sales and whether a security camera watches the booth area—and where the nearest bathrooms are located.

• Respecting the surrounding businesses by making sure your booth isn’t blocking a store entrance or exit.

And keep in mind:

• No more than four (4) Girl Scouts and two (2) adult volunteers (two are required) should be at a traditional cookie booth. Up to six (6) girls and four (4) adults can be at drive-thru booths. Larger troops can schedule shifts to give all girls (and adult volunteers) the opportunity to participate. Individual girl pop-up, or lemonade stand-style neighborhood cookie booths require one adult for supervision.

• If your Daisies are still learning how to make correct change, help them handle money as needed. But remember that girls make all sales at the booth!

• Changing your cookie booth hours or location? Keep your customers in the loop and update eBudde with the new details.

• Offer council-approved credit card payment options. The Digital Cookie app is the preferred credit card processing system. The troop can use this feature on the app when the troop has set up its troop Digital Cookie site.

• Troops are responsible for bringing their own table, health supplies, marketing supplies, secure cash/check container and trash bags. They should remove all trash and boxes when they leave.

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In-Person Booth Ideas Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is happy to continue our Council-scheduled booth partnerships hosting traditional in person booths. Council partners should not be contacted by individual troops to schedule. Even if certain partners or locations are not available, our council has larger agreements in place with these partners. Council partners include: Schnucks, Dierbergs, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kaldi’s Coffee, the Magic House, Five Below, and Texas Roadhouse. Please note that cookie booths are not approved at Walgreens this season.

Troops are encouraged to contact locations other than those scheduled by Council and request approval to hold a cookie booth. Ask families in your troop if they have connections in the community that could provide a booth location.

• Consider a donation booth instead of a product booth. These booths are solely focused on customers supporting Project Thank You—a great way for girls to show the community how important service is to them while minimizing touch points in customer transactions. These booths do not require inventory and Girl Scouts only take payment for the donated boxes of cookies.

• Advertise your troop’s booth on social media and let your customers know to expect you. This should only be done if the booth is in a public location. Never share residential addresses publicly.

When finding or signing up for a Cookie Booth, check out the location on Google Maps and consider the needs of your troop: do you have first time booth sellers who might need a quieter booth spot or goal getters who would thrive in a high-traffic area? Are there other businesses nearby that may also have troops with cookie booths, potentially creating a challenge?

Cookie Booth Pickup Digital Cookie offers the option for troops to allow customers to order and pay for cookies in advance and pickup cookies at the booth. Find step-by-step instructions for this option in the Appendix.

4 Cookie Booth Playbook

Cookie Booth Essentials How to maximize your booth experience, interact with customers, and stay safe

Cookie booths are a great place for Girl Scouts to leverage and grow their entrepreneurial skills. This opportunity comes with some important responsibilities.

Use this flyer for helpful tips on how to talk to customers about the cookie program and how to navigate difficult situations that may come up.

Booth Requirements

Remember to follow all guidelines that your council sets, like approved and designated booth locations, as well as requirements for setting up, running, and taking down a booth.

• All booth sales must take place in a designated, council-approved area.

• Check with your troop cookie volunteer to determine who is authorized to approach locations to request permission to hold a booth and how to sign up for expanded cookie booths opportunities if offered by your council. • Girl Scouts should not sell in or in front of establishments that they themselves cannot legally patronize.

• Girl Scouts must be present at cookie booths.

• A minimum of two supervising adults is always recommended. Booths where any Girl Scout is not accompanied by their own parent/caregiver require two registered, background-checked Girl Scout volunteers.

• Always have a first aid kit and caregiver contact information available at the booth.

• Only Girl Scout Cookies may be sold at booths.

• Girl Scouts may not engage in any direct solicitation for money; however, Girl Scouts may promote their cookie donation program at cookie booth locations.

Preparing for Cookie Booths •

Determine if your Girl Scout is ready to booth. Consider things like the length of time for the booth shift, if they will be okay standing in the same area for the duration of the booth, and how they will react if rejected or ignored by customers. • Work with your troop cookie volunteer to schedule the booth, and consider volunteering to help supervise at the booth.

• Encourage Girl Scouts to unleash their creativity to make signs and decorations to attract customers.

• Check your council shop or girlscoutshop.com for tablecloths, booth kits, and other cookie gear.

• Have Girl Scouts practice their sales pitch and replies to potential customer responses.

• Check with the troop cookie volunteer to determine if you will use troop cookies or an individual Girl Scout’s cookies at the booth. If using troop cookies, determine who will deliver them to the booth location and who will return any unsold cookies back to the troop cookie volunteer.

• Determine how much change to take to the booth and whether it will be supplied by the troop.

• Check with the troop cookie volunteer to verify the troop’s Digital Cookie troop link is set up to allow for electronic payment processing; verify your access and review any instructions for use to ensure smooth payment acceptance from customers.

Booth Etiquette • While at a cookie booth, make sure Girl Scouts wear their

uniforms, other Girl Scout–branded clothing, or their membership pin to clearly identify themselves as Girl Scouts. It’s a great way to show your Girl Scout pride!

• Booths should not block a store entrance or exit.

• Make sure there is enough room for both the cookie display table and the participating Girl Scouts. Ensure that pedestrians, bikes, and cars can safely pass by. • Arrive early enough to set up, but do not encroach on the time of troops selling before you. • Begin packing up before the end of your shift so troops following you can start on time.

• Be sure to clean up after your shift, taking empty cases with you.

• Set up—and remain—in the designated area.

• Always be courteous and polite; avoid yelling at customers.

• With adult supervision, Girl Scouts should do the selling.

Cookie Booth Finances • Reduce cash transactions by offering council-approved electronic payment options whenever possible.

• Follow council and troop rules for accepting large bills or checks.

• After receiving cash and making change, Girl Scouts should hand the money to a volunteer for safekeeping and to deposit into the cash box as soon as possible. • Keep the cash box in a safe place or behind a barrier of cookie packages; consider using a money belt or apron in place of a cash box.

• Use an inventory worksheet to reconcile sales at the end of the booth.

• Turn booth funds over to the troop cookie volunteer promptly and avoid keeping money at home or at school.

6 Cookie Booth Playbook

Have an amazing cookie season and get ready to reach your goals!

“What if?” Scenarios

What if someone asks you, “what’s the difference between Girl Scouts and Scouting America?” • Girl Scouts and Scouting America are two completely different organizations. • Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world! And research shows there’s no better place to discover their full potential. • Talk to cookie customers about what the Girl Scout experience has been like for you and your troop. PRO TIP: Stay positive. Don’t put other organizations down. Just lift Girl Scouts up! What if someone asks about a cookie we don’t sell anymore? • Thank them for loving Girl Scout Cookies! • Ask them what they loved about that cookie, was it chocolate? Was it fruit flavored? Based on their response, recommend a different cookie. • Some cookies come and go based on their popularity/ food trends and to make room for new and exciting flavors. PRO TIP: If you have a Digital Cookie page, share it with customers. Explain that purchasing cookies either at a booth or online helps you reach your goals. What if someone steals money or cookies from the booth? • Try to get a good look at the offender so you can describe them to security or the police. • Call 911, and alert security (if applicable). • Report any incidents to your council according to its guidelines. PRO TIP: Never attempt to physically recover stolen items or confront a suspect. What if you’re approached by an angry customer or someone makes you uncomfortable? • Try to get a good look at the offender so you can describe them to security or the police. • If the situation calls for it, call 911 and alert security. • If it feels safe to do so, we want you to feel empowered to capture the person with your smartphone’s video, photo, or audio recording to provide evidence to police. PRO TIP: Never argue or negatively engage with a customer. Try to stay calm.

What if a customer complains about where the cookie proceeds go? • You can say, “Girl Scout Cookie proceeds stay local to power amazing adventures and life-changing opportunities for girls, such as STEM activities, trips, community projects, and charitable donations. The more cookies you buy, the more you help troops and Girl Scouts gain the skills needed to take on the world!” PRO TIP: Always practice good listening skills before replying. Do not engage with someone if the situation escalates. What if you’re asked to leave by store management or security? • If a problem arises with property/store management or security guards, follow their instructions. • Report the request to your troop cookie volunteer so they can work with the Girl Scout Neighborhood or the council to resolve the matter. PRO TIP: Bring a copy of the authorization if it’s available from your council. What if someone asks about the ingredients used in cookies? • You can assure them that Girl Scout Cookies are baked by licensed bakers who meet all applicable requirements for safety and quality. • Remind them we take product safety very seriously and apologize for any misleading or confusing reports. • Use resources wisely. Refer to the Palm Oil Toolkit to learn more about palm oil and the Meet the Cookies Page for information on ingredients and allergens. PRO TIP: If someone does not want to buy for themselves, you can pivot to donating. Either way, remember to lead with kindness. What if another troop shows up at the same time? • Contact troop cookie volunteers to verify sign-ups in case someone has arrived at the wrong location. • Work together to find a solution. Consider splitting the time or having one troop per door. • Do not involve store management with troop conflicts. PRO TIP: Girl Scouts and their adult volunteers should always behave in a manner appropriate to a public setting.

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Girl Scout Cookie Booths

Types of Cookie Booths Cookie booths are stationary locations where troops and Girl Scouts can set up a table outside retail, restaurant, and business locations. Councils and volunteers should use their best judgment in setting up cookie booths at locations that will be open, accessible, and safe for all Girl Scouts and potential customers. GSUSA does not require councils to purchase additional insurance for cookie booths. This should be covered under the council’s general liability insurance policy. (See GSUSA Risk Management Guide .) Below are examples of the types of cookie booths that a Girl Scout may work. Regardless of booth type or location: • Adults must always oversee Girl Scouts’ interactions with customers. • Locations where minors are not legally allowed to patronize are not appropriate for booths. Cookie Stand • A small, lemonade-stand-style booth run by a Girl Scout (or Girl Scouts from one household), supervised by their parent/caregiver(s). For safety reasons 2 adults are still recommended.

Drive-Thru • Set up in a parking lot or open area where customers stay in their vehicles. • Troops should create a safe lane and keep Girl Scouts away from traffic. • Typically run by a larger group of Girl Scouts with appropriate adult supervision. Standard Cookie Booth • Set up at the entrance or exit of a business or retailer. • Usually run by 2-4 girls with the appropriate adult supervision. • These may be a combination of council-secured and troop-secured locations

Certain locations may be inappropriate for Girl Scouts, they may negatively impact the cookie program experience for participants, and may negatively impact the Girl Scout brand in your community, consider not only the policies but the standards of your local community/government. For clarity, Girl Scouts should not sell in or in front of establishments that they themselves cannot legally patronize . Examples being bars, casinos, and dispensaries. As it relates to locations that serve alcohol the following should be considered. • Is this a location that would be considered family appropriate? Examples include a restaurant that also has a bar or a brewery/tasting room that houses a kitchen. • Is there space away from the alcohol where girls can set up their space? • Members should never in any way promote the purchase of alcohol, examples being promoting a drink that pairs well with Thin Mints or the partner offering a coupon on a drink for purchasing a package of cookies. • The adults present with the Girl Scouts should not participate in drinking, see Safety Activity Checkpoints . • Are there any additional state regulations that may prevent boothing?

If all bullets can be met, then it could be a cookie booth location. If they cannot be met, then the partner could consider purchasing cookies in support of Girl Scouts, but Girl Scouts should not booth.

8 Cookie Booth Playbook

With respect to marijuana dispensaries, GSUSA has been steadfastly combating the unauthorized uses of the Girl Scout trademark by the cannabis community, which has been marketing—without GSUSA’s authorization— certain cannabis products under our youth-appealing brand. We are continuing to aggressively fight these unauthorized uses of the Girl Scout brand and hope that our councils and volunteers will join Girl Scouts of the USA’s efforts by discouraging cookie booth locations at such locations.

Securing/approving cookie booths Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri requires troops reserve council-secured booth slots through eBudde. There is a timeline of when these slots become available in your Troop Cookie Manager Playbook. This is especially important where there is heavy competition for prime booth locations. By focusing on booth locations that all troops have equal access to you can remove invisible barriers to participation. Troops may not have the time or connections to secure their own sites.

Troops may also choose to secure their own booths. All booths should be entered into eBudde for approval, except for booths taking place at a person’s residence. Once approved all booths are added to the national cookie finder.

Cookie Booth Playbook 9

Booth Requirements Girl Scouts should wear a tunic, vest, or sash while at cookie booths. In inclement weather, Girl Scouts should clearly identify themselves as Girl Scouts and their affiliation to the Girl Scout Movement by wearing their membership pin when a tunic, vest or sash cannot be seen due to outerwear.

All cookie booths must take place in a designated, council-approved area. Booths should not block a store entrance or exit. Make sure there is adequate space for a table for cookie displays, participating Girl Scouts, and their adult volunteers.

Adult supervision is required for all cookie booths.

Retail Sales and Cookie Booths Without Girl Scouts Present Any sale by a retail business without Girl Scouts present is not approved by GSUSA. Councils, troops, and Girl Scouts may not sell cookies in a retail space where Girl Scouts cannot be present to market, manage inventory, collect, and process payments for cookies. Store employees and/or adults cannot sell cookies on behalf of a Girl Scout or troop. Troops and Girl Scouts can continue to host cookie booths at retail locations following council procedures. They can market their cookie platform by using their QR code on posters, flyers, business cards or yard signs following council guidance. As Girl Scouts monitor their incoming sales, this ensures their involvement in the program. Girl Scout Cookie Finder The Girl Scout Cookie Finder is the zip code search feature for consumers to locate cookie booths and troop sales links. Booths that have a troop registered and have been approved will automatically sync to the cookie finder. If a booth is missing confirm the full address is correct and an active troop is signed up for the location. Millions of customers use the cookie finder each year, with media and socials all directing customers to the search. Be sure to keep booths up to date and ask troops to release a booth they can no longer attend. This will help ensure the cookie finder is a useful tool for customers looking to support Girl Scouts. • Booths where any Girl Scout is not accompanied by their own parent/caregiver require 2 registered, background checked Girl Scout volunteers. • Cookie booths that have all members under the direct supervision of their own parent/caregiver do not require adults to be registered, background-checked Girl Scout volunteers. • Best practice would be to still have 2 adults present in case of accidents or necessary breaks. • Parents/caregivers are still encouraged to register as a volunteer to help support the full troop experience. Example—if Girl Scouts Keisha and Tina attend a Walmart booth and they both are chaperoned by their own caregiver, neither caregiver needs to be a registered or background checked volunteer. If a third Girl Scout, Rory, joins then either Rory’s caregiver must stay to chaperone or 2 registered and background checked volunteers must supervise the booth. In all instances, councils should defer to any state regulations that may have more stringent background check policies in place.

10 Cookie Booth Playbook

individual girl scout cookie booth guidelines There may be times that a Girl Scout has strong Cookie goals, but the troop may not want to participate in Cookie Booths or the Girl Scout wants to do more Cookie Booths than what the troop has scheduled. Or, there may be Girl Scouts in the same family that want to do a Cookie Booth together.

These guidelines ensure that Girl Scouts hosting an individual booth are supported, safe, and representing the Girl Scout brand appropriately. They also provide directions for Troop Cookie Managers on how to handle cookie inventory.

Note: These guidelines are for public Cookie Booths, not lemonade-style Cookie stands at a residence or neighborhood.

• A Girl Scout who wants to do a Cookie Booth on their own must still participate in any Cookie Booths their troop hosts. An individual Cookie Booth should be in addition to troop activities, not instead of. • A Girl Scout should be ready and prepared to host a Cookie Booth, i.e. can speak to customers and confidently share their goals and Cookie information; is able to handle the Cookie and payment transaction with minimal adult assistance. Their adult should NOT be running the Cookie Booth. • Any Cookies a Girl Scout takes for an individual Cookie Booth become their financial responsibility. • A Cookie Booth where the Girl Scout is NOT accompanied by their own parent/caregiver requires two registered, background-checked Girl Scout volunteers. • A Cookie Booth where the Girl Scout IS under the direct supervision of their own parent/caregiver doesn’t require the adult(s) to be registered, background-checked Girl Scout volunteers. • All Cookie Booth sales must be within the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri council service area. • Check with your troop Cookie volunteer to determine who is authorized to approach locations to request permission to hold a Cookie Booth. • Individual cookie booth reservations in eBudde may not be reserved until after February 16 to ensure troops can sign up first. Open slots the week of a booth taking place may be reserved at approved locations for an individual Girl Scout. • Council-scheduled Cookie Booth partners include the following businesses. These businesses cannot be approached for a Cookie Booth directly by a Girl Scout or volunteer. Council-scheduled Cookie Booths may only be reserved through the eBudde system, which only volunteers can access, so be sure to work with your troop’s Cookie manager to reserve one. 1. Novel Neighbor 2. Latte Lounge 3. Kaldi’s 4. Five Below • Due to agreements with these Cookie Booth partners, they may not be reserved for individual Cookie Booths:

1. Schnucks 2. Walmart 3. Sam’s Club 4. Dierbergs

Cookie Booth Playbook 11

• Product Programs will share a weekly list of open Cookie Booth slots with troops. Troop Cookie volunteers can forward this list to their troop, and a Girl Scout can let their troop Cookie volunteer know if there is a slot they want to reserve. The troop Cookie volunteer must then go into eBudde to reserve it. A list of booth openings will be posted at girlscoutsem.org/forcookiesellers each week. • If a Girl Scout requests a Cookie Booth reservation, then they must cancel, they must let the troop Cookie volunteer know so the Cookie Booth can be released in eBudde. • Only Girl Scout Cookies may be sold at Cookie Booths and may only be sold at the council’s retail price of $6. • Review the Cookie Booth Essentials document for additional Cookie Booth information, including preparing for the Cookie Booth, Cookie Booth etiquette, finances and inventory. Handling Cookie Inventory for Individual Booths at the Troop Level • Our general recommendation is that troops give, not lend, cookies to a Girl Scout for an individual booth. The Cookies then become the Girl Scout’s responsibility to sell and pay the troop. • It is at the troop’s discretion to allow more inventory flexibility, such as using the troop’s Cookies and returning what isn’t sold by a certain date so the troop can use the Cookies for other Cookie Booths or orders. • For your convenience, we’ve included a sample Troop Cookie Checkout Agreement, which you can customize to your situation, in the Appendix. Recording Individual Booth Cookies: • If the booth was scheduled through eBudde: Click the Record Sale button next to the booth in the Booths section, then put in the number of cookies the troop gave to the Girl Scout for the booth, Distribute to just that Girl Scout. • If the booth isn’t in eBudde: Do a +Order on the Girl Orders tab to move the cookie inventory to the Girl Scout from the troop’s inventory. • If the booth included Girl Scouts in more than one troop, be sure to work with the other troop’s volunteer to appropriately transfer any packages as needed so all troops have the inventory to assign to each Girl Scout.

12 Cookie Booth Playbook

Cookie consignment guidelines

• Consignment is only available for cookies taken from a cupboard between March 9-15. The cookies may be for booths or direct sales by a Girl Scout, i.e. in their neighborhood. Troops should still order for their booths wisely.

• Troops may only return full, unopened cases

• Troops may return up to the number of cases they picked up between March 9-15

• Cases must not be wet or otherwise damaged

• Cookies may be returned to nearest open cupboard during their open hours on March 16-17 only

• Product Programs will provide cupboard managers with a list of troops and cookies they picked up between March 9-15 so they can cross-check eligibility • Cupboard manager, once return is verified, must do a return transaction in eBudde so the cookies are removed from the troop’s responsibility

Cookie Booth Playbook 13

Drive-thru booths

Drive-thru Booths allow easy pick up for customers without ever leaving their cars while maintaining the programmatic importance of people skills and money management for girls.

Drive-thru Cookie Booths require:

• A safe area of a parking lot with plenty of room for cars to not impede traffic and to keep girls away from cars. Does your community have an unused parking lot? You could reach out to the property owner and see if they would donate the space for your troop or Neighborhood to share for drive-thru booths this season.

• Permission from the business or parking lot owner to use their lot and any necessary local permits.

• Two required adults, up to four adults allowed and a maximum of six girls

• Once booth is secured, request your location approval through eBudde as a Troop-Scheduled Booth. Enter “Drive Thru” in the contact field.

Your drive-thru booth supply recommendations:

• Orange cones and arrow markers showing which way to enter and exit. Two entrances are recommended so drivers can enter and exit without backing up.

• Lawn signs and other marketing pieces to bring attention to your booth.

• Menu cards for customers to select cookies.

• A table to display cookies, store your supplies, take payments and make change.

• A pop-up tent to protect you (and your cookies) from the weather.

• Trays or bins that can be easily cleaned for safe money transactions.

14 Cookie Booth Playbook

Get ready for your drive-thru:

• Have girls create marketing signs to encourage customers and relay information between stations.

• Review vehicle safety with your troop and remind girls never to approach vehicles alone.

• Create a plan for designated duties and make sure everyone knows how to participate on booth day.

Drive-thru day:

• Create a “safety zone” to help girls and customers stay a safe distance from any moving cars.

• Consider the roles girls and adults will take on for the booth. Have girls switch during the shift so they get experience in more than one role. Below are some suggestions.

1. Girls to listen for and prepare a bag for customer’s order.

2. Girls to make correct change or process transactions.

3. Designate an adult to take payment and make sure correct change is made (if girls are younger).

4. Girls to advertise the drive-thru or advertise cookie varieties to waiting customers.

5. An adult designated to direct traffic and hand order cards to customers as they enter the drive-thru lanes.

Cookie Booth Playbook 15

Cookie booth resources

The Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri Shop sells a variety of cookie merchandise, including tablecloths and signs. Ask the shop staff how to create your own booth kit your troop can use year after year!

Troops may also wish to check out a cookie booth kit. A limited number of kits may be available through your District materials closet, your Neighborhood Cookie Manager, or a local cookie cupboard. Kits include cookie costume, yard sign, and a tablecloth. Kits are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

Want to print or get inspiration for your own both marketing materials? Visit your eBudde Help Center and click on Cookie Booth. Additional resources can be found at girlscoutsem.org/volunteercookieresources .

After you’ve completed your Cookie Booth, remember to thank your partners at the business location! Your troop could get together to decorate and write thank you cards or record a short video message to share with your partners. There are resources and templates for thank you cards among the Little Brownie resources as well.

Getting Extra Cookies For Your Cookie Booth When your troop places their pre-order on Feb. 2, you can add additional packages of cookies as Booth Extras. This is a good practice, especially if your troop intends to host a cookie booth the first weekend or two. We do not recommend using your troop’s initial girl-ordered cookies for your early booths. This is especially important so that customers can get their cookies in a more timely manner, but it also ensures your troop has the cookies they need, should there be inventory issues, to fulfill those pre-orders. If your troop did not order troop extras, you’ll need to secure additional inventory for your booths. Our Cookie Cupboards are here to serve your needs! Cookie Cupboards are primarily volunteer-run cookie “stores” around the council. The cookies you pick up are included in eBudde and will be accounted for in your final ACH payment.

You must place a “Pending Order” in eBudde to schedule a Cookie Cupboard appointment. Drop-ins are not accepted. View cupboard information and instructions .

16 Cookie Booth Playbook

Cookie booth Reservations The Product Programs team secures cookie booth partnerships with a handful of regional retailers. This includes Schnucks, Dierbergs, Wal-mart, Sam’s Club, Kaldi’s Coffee, and Five Below. This list is not exhaustive, and others may be added. These booth time slots will be added to eBudde. To ensure fairness in the reservation process, there are dates when booths will open, and troops can secure one booth. They will become available for troop reservation on January 28 at 9 am. At this time, a troop may reserve one booth. On February 3 at 5 pm, troops can select one additional booth. At 9 am on February 5, booths open freely. Please note that a troop may reserve no more than three booths at any one council-scheduled partner through February 9. For example, a troop can reserve no more than three Schnucks booths, regardless of location, until February 9 when limits expire.

Prior to all-council access, troops that earned the Early Cookie Booth Reservation Access incentive during Treats & Reads will be able to reserve one cookie booth.

Troops will be able to preview available booths for the first booth round prior to reservation access.

In some years, much-desired booth partners may be unable to approve the partnership until closer to the reservation dates, or even after the first ones. If we must do an additional reservation round for these partners, troops will be notified via eBudde message.

Cookie Booth Playbook 17

Reserve a Council-Scheduled Cookie Booth: 1. Log into eBudde 2. Click on the Booth tab 3. Click Sign up for a Council Booth 4. Slots are listed by city/town. Click the drop-down menu for the desired location. You’ll then see all sites. 5. Click on the desired business. Dates/times in green are still available 6. Click on the green date/time you want 7. Click on the empty space next to the time, under Troop. Your troop number will show up in green 8. Click Submit

ebudde volunteer training: council booth sales

vr.girlscoutsem.org/CouncilBoothSales

18 Cookie Booth Playbook

Add a Troop-Scheduled Cookie Booth to eBudde (only for locations a troop has scheduled outside of council booth partner locations): 1. Log into eBudde 2. Click on the Booth tab 3. Click Add/Edit a Troop Booth 4. Click +Add 5. Key in the booth information 6. Click Save 7. Your booth will show as Pending until Product Programs staff approves it or rejects it. Requests are reviewed weekly 8. Requests could be rejected if they are at locations that are already council partners, another troop already scheduled a booth at the same location/date/time, or the booth does not meet guidance for appropriate location

Remember, all booth sales should be in girl-appropriate areas. Girl Scout guidance is that booths should not be held at locations a girl cannot legally patronize. This includes dispensaries, liquor stores, bars, etc.

ebudde volunteer training: Troop booth sales

vr.girlscoutsem.org/TroopBoothSales

Cookie Booth Playbook 19

Recording Cookie Booth Packages to Individual Girl Scouts 1. In eBudde, click on the Booth tab 2. If you have reserved a council booth or had a troop-scheduled booth approved, it will show up in a list 3. Click Record Sale next to the booth for which you wish to record packages 4. Enter the total number of packages sold at the booth 5. Click the Go to Distribute button 6. You can select all Girl Scouts if they all participated, or you can select individual Girl Scouts 7. Once Girl Scouts are selected, click the Distribute button. You should see a small number next to the check box for each Girl Scout you selected. 8. New this year, you have the option to hold off on distributing your donation packages. Some troops prefer to distribute all booth donation packages at the end of the season, once full donation totals are calculated. 9. If you want to change the quantity distributed to each Girl Scout, you can click the little arrow next to their name and update the variety quantities. 10. If you realize you added cookies to someone you didn’t mean to, simply deselect the name, and click the Distribute button again 11. Click Save. The cookies will now show up in Girl Orders with the booth name and date next to it.

ebudde volunteer training: Booth Sales recorder vr.girlscoutsem.org/BoothSalesRecorder

20 Cookie Booth Playbook

General Cookie Booth Guidelines

• Please read all eBudde notes in your booth reservation to ensure your troop is following the partner’s guidelines for setting up, etc.

• Conduct of girls and adults should be in accordance with the Girl Scout Promise and Law, remembering they are guests of the location.

• Troops may not accept donations other than Project Thank You and Gift of Caring at cookie booths.

• Retail prices of cookies cannot be changed; all cookies must be sold for $6 each.

•

Expired cookies cannot be sold.

• Troop booths are up to four hours long with a maximum of four girls; minimum of two girls; and two adults working the booth at a time (no tag-a-longs; not pets/animals). One Girl Scout and her guardian are allowed at approved booth locations and guardian does not have to be a background checked volunteer unless another Girl Scout is also at booth.

• Girls should wear their uniform or a Girl Scout T-shirt and must be under adult supervision at all times.

• Troops are responsible for items needed to run their booth and should remove all trash.

• Booths must be held within our council jurisdiction; the state of Illinois is outside of our jurisdiction.

• A permit may be required to hold a cookie booth; check with municipality or booth partner in advance.

• Troops must ask for a certificate of insurance from their troop-scheduled booth partner if the booth will be within the doors of a business.

• Review Product Programs activities in Volunteer Essentials for full booth guidelines.

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Booth Safety and Incident Procedures

During cookie booth season, it’s a good time to make sure your troop volunteers are prepared for potential unexpected occurrences. The safety and security of our members is the highest priority, and we want your booth experience to be a positive one.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program and its visibility in the community can sometimes bring up concerns related to misinformation on Girl Scout’s organizational-wide positions on a variety of social issues.

Here are steps to take if you encounter an issue at your cookie booth:

1. If someone approaches the booth for a reason other than to purchase cookies and is confrontational, please ask that person to disengage and leave the girls alone. 2. If they do not comply, please send a second adult to get the store manager or assistant manager. Make sure your troop members are removed from the situation. 3. Please contact Kelly Daleen at Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, 314.592.2397, to make council aware of the situation. 4. If you feel threatened or unsafe in any way, please contact local law enforcement, making sure to notify both the business where you are located and Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri as soon as possible.

Please see Cookie Booth Essentials to help you interact with customers and stay safe.

We are grateful for your participation in the Girl Scout Cookie Program and appreciate the positive impact it has on your troop and the activities that are made possible by cookie proceeds.

Please reach out to us at answercenter@girlscoutsem.org with any questions or additional assistance.

If you feel the environment or cookie activity setting is unsafe for the girls, please use your best judgment about whether to stay or not. If you are at a cookie booth activity and you opt to close early, please notify the business contact that you are doing so. You can send a follow up message to answercenter@girlscoutsem.org with information about the situation.

Always have girls’ health history/permission forms on hand when conducting troop cookie activities.

If There Is An Accident Although you hope the worst never happens, you must observe Council procedures for handling accidents and fatalities. At the scene of an accident, first provide all possible care for the injured person. Follow established Council procedures for obtaining medical assistance and immediately reporting the emergency. To do this, you must always have on hand the names and telephone numbers of Council staff, parents/caregivers and emergency services such as the police, fire department or hospital.

When an accident occurs:

•

Remain calm

• Do not approach if doing so places you at risk

• Give priority attention to providing all possible care for injured persons. If there is a possibility of a head, neck or back injury, do not move the injured person unless she/he is in immediate physical danger

• Contact emergency medical personnel and law enforcement officials as appropriate

• If medical treatment is required or the accident results in a fatality, first call 911 and a responsible volunteer must

22 Cookie Booth Playbook

remain at the scene

• Then report the incident to Council by calling the 24-hour emergency contact number: 314.592.2300, 314.388.6373 or 1.800.727.4475

• Contact the patient’s emergency contact using the information from their Health History Form

• Direct all media requests to the GSEM Marketing and Communications Department

Council staff will:

• Arrange for additional assistance at the scene, if needed

• Provide assistance in contacting a patient’s emergency contact, if needed

• Handle media inquiries. Council staff is trained to work with the media

Within 24 hours of the accident:

• Complete a Standard Incident Report, available on the Council website and in this playbook on pgs. 25-26

• Document the circumstances and include names and addresses of witnesses. Submit the completed report to the Director, Risk Management, or another Council staff member with whom you are already in contact

Preparing Troops for Emergencies As you know, emergencies can happen. Girls need to receive proper instruction in how to care for themselves and others in emergencies. They also need to learn the importance of reporting to volunteers any accidents, illnesses or unusual behaviors during Girl Scout activities.

You can help girls by keeping in mind the following:

•

Know what to report

• Establish and practice procedures for weather emergencies

• Establish and practice procedures for such circumstances as fire evacuation, lost persons and building-security issues

• Assemble a well-stocked first-aid kit that is always accessible

Cookie Booth Playbook 23

First Aid and CPR Emergencies require prompt action and quick judgment. For many activities, Girl Scouts require that a first-aider (a registered, background checked and approved adult volunteer certified in Adult and Child First Aid/CPR/AED) be present. For that reason, if you or another adult volunteer can take an Adult and Child First Aid/CPR/AED course from a Council approved agency, do it! Safety Activity Checkpoints will always specify when a first-aider is needed. Note : The following healthcare providers may also serve as first aiders: physician, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, paramedic, military medic and emergency medical technicians who have current certification in Adult and Child CPR/AED. First Aid Kits Make sure a general first-aid kit is available during your troop cookie activity. Be aware that you may need to provide this kit if one is not available at your cookie location. You can purchase a Girl Scout first-aid kit, you can buy a commercial kit or you and the girls can assemble a kit. The American Red Cross offers a list of items that can be included in its anatomy of a First Aid Kit, which can be found at redcross.org.

Note : The American Red Cross list includes aspirin, which you will not be at liberty to give to girls without written parent/ caregiver permission. You can also customize a kit to cover your specific needs.

In addition to standard materials, all kits should contain the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s 24-hour emergency number, 314.592.2300, as well as local emergency telephone numbers. Girl Scout activity insurance forms, incident reports and health histories are located on the Council website.

Sexual Abuse, Physical Abuse and Sexual Molestation Policy Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri has zero tolerance for any instances of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and/or molestation of any individual. Any staff member, volunteer, or independent contractor found to have engaged in any such activity will be terminated from their employment, volunteer role, and/or any other affiliation they have with Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri. Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri will also pursue any and all legal actions warranted in the event of an instance of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and/or molestation. For more information about this policy, see the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri web site, or contact the Director, Risk Management. If you have any concerns about, or need to report, an instance of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and/or molestation, contact the Director, Risk Management. If that person is not available, contact another Leadership Team staff member. Also remember that Missouri law states that if any person with the responsibility for the care of children has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been or may be subjected to abuse or neglect or observes a child being subjected to conditions or circumstances which would reasonably result in abuse or neglect, that person shall immediately report to the Missouri Department of Social Services Children’s Division. Mandated reporters include Girl Scout volunteers and staff.

24 Cookie Booth Playbook

Appendix Resources

Visit girlscoutsem.org/forcookiesellers to download and print booth resources or click the links below! resources Flyers • Project Thank You Flyer • Cookies for a Year Contest Flyer • Troop Booth Location Flyer Color • Troop Booth Location Flyer BW • Troop Booth Location Half Page Flyer Color • Troop Booth Location Half Page Flyer BW

Signs •

Credit Card Sign

•

Exploremores™ Table Tents Color

•

Exploremores™ Table Tents BW

•

Cookies for a Year Contest Sign

Forms •

Booth Inventory Sheet

•

Project Thank You Receipt

•

Reward Opt-Out Agreement

Social Media Toolkit •

Canva Toolkit (Coming Soon!)

Tip Sheets •

Safety Tips for Families

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Drive-thru booth diagram

SAFETY ZONE

START HERE

END HERE

STATION 1

STATION 3

V

SAFETY ZONE

• •

Customer drives up to station 3 If paying with cash, customer’s change is returned at this station.

• •

Customer drives up to station 1 Adult volunteer stands 6 feet away from car and takes cookie order Volunteer lets Girl Scout know what cookies to have ready at station 2 Customer utilizes basket at end of table to deposit payment method Volunteer asks customer to roll up window while grabbing basket with payment

•

•

STATION 2

•

Smaller troops may opt for a smaller drive thru with a single table station where cars drive up to the table to pay and purchase.

•

Volunteer processes payment

V

•

Customer drives up to station 2

• Girl Scout will get order ready and place on table • Customer is asked to open back seat or trunk of car • Volunteer takes order from table and deposits into back of vehicle and sends customer to station 3

Cookie Booth Playbook 29

Cookie Checkout Agreement

Girl Scout Name:

Troop:

Caregiver/Legal Guardian Name:

By checking out Cookies from my troop for a Cookie Booth on my own, I agree to the following:

• I am financially responsible for all packages I take.

• I cannot return the Cookies to the troop once I have checked them out.

• I will turn in all money by the troop’s deadline.

• I cannot check out more Cookies until I have paid the troop for packages already checked out.

• I understand that if I do not pay the troop for the Cookies by the troop deadline of _______________________, my debt will be reported to Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s Finance Department for collection.

Girl Scout Caregiver/Legal Guardian Signature

Date

Troop Cookie Volunteer: Be sure to complete a product receipt when giving out the Cookies and accepting payment.

30 Cookie Booth Playbook

Project Thank You Roundup

To help boost Project Thank You donations this season, please encourage your Girl Scouts to ask every customer if they’d like to round up their total to support cookies for the USO of Missouri and Operation Food Search.

A simple, friendly ask, right after sharing the total, can make a big impact: “Your total is $6. Would you like to round up to donate one more package to Project Thank You?” Keeping the explanation short, smiling, and thanking every donor helps create a positive booth experience and inspires more customers to join in.

Cookie Booth Playbook 31

2026 Cookie Booth Location Ideas for Troop-Scheduled Cookie Booths

(As always, with permission from the location manager)

Independent grocery store Independent hardware store Gas station/convenience store School/sporting event Retirement center Fish fry event Office building Neighborhood pop up booth

College campus Movie theatre Pet supply store Bank Parking lot Bowling alley Community Center Flea market/rummage sale

Sporting goods store Farmer’s market Hair salon Place of worship Car wash Pizza carry-out

*Ask other adults in your troop if they have any special connections in the community that could help provide a booth location.

Once you have scheduled your troop booth, be sure to put it in eBudde!

Troops are not permitted to contact the council-scheduled booth partners listed below due to existing agreements. Scheduling is through eBudde and communications must go through the Product Programs staff, answercenter@girlscoutsem.org .

Dierbergs Walmart and Sam’s Club Schnucks Cricket Wireless Five Below

Kaldi’s Latte Lounge Magic House Wendy’s Texas Roadhouse