Last year, Costco shocked and delighted shoppers when they switched from Pepsi back to Coca-Cola products in their beverage fountains. Well, it was a big deal in my household, at least. I’m not a big soda drinker at all, but I will grab a 79-cent fountain Diet Coke on my way out as a little treat. It’s a good blend!
More changes are coming to the Costco food court this year, only this time, it’s not a menu change, it’s a procedural one. Two years after they began testing it out in certain locations, Costco has announced that it will be implementing a system requiring proof of membership to order food. Up until now, anyone could walk into the food court and place an order without scanning or showing their membership cards.
So… I have to swipe my membership card before buying a hot dog now?
Maybe not now—it’s unclear how fast this policy is going to roll out and whether all locations are following it. Some locations already have scanners in place; others don’t yet. Even where scanners exist, how strictly they’re being used seems to vary by location.Is this a good business decision?
I’m so glad you asked me, Ariana Losch, business expert. I don’t know! Costco claims this will encourage more people to get memberships while simultaneously making peak shopping times less crowded. I don’t fully understand that strategy myself; I am not buying a Costco membership for a $1.50 hot dog (no matter how good the hot dog is). Now I just won’t buy the hot dog when I’m tagging along with my fam to Costco. Don’t you want my money, Costco?! Feels like a lose-lose situation here. But what do I know? I’m just an English major.Are we mad at Costco now?
I have a hard time staying mad at Costco. They’re suing the United States Federal Government over tariffs, and that’s exactly the kind of change I want to see in the world. I can let this slide…for now. If it really does save them money and prevent prices in the food court from going up, good for them. If not, I trust they will roll this back in a reasonable time frame. And rarely do I trust a corporation to do anything other than exploit me for my last dime. That’s how much I appreciate Costco. I won’t speak for you, though.
Requiring membership proof to order from the food court makes sense to me. I’m pretty sure other wholesale clubs like BJ’s and Sam’s Club already do that. The $1.50 hot dog combo is a steal, but the rest of their food is also really well-priced and tasty. Costco makes its money by selling memberships. I don’t know how many extra members they’ll get, but I appreciate that they’re looking at ways to increase membership numbers rather than just raising food court prices. I just hope whatever they do is efficient, like when you scan your card to enter the store or get gas. Often times, I’ll send my older son to order with my credit card while we’re in line so the food is closer to being ready when we are done checking out. Hopefully, the system is easy enough that he can still do that.
While we’re talking about Costco food, have you seen this clever contraption that a man in California invented that allows you to shop while eating? It’s called the Buck Fifty, which I freaking love. He 3D prints them out of his home. It fits into the top of your shopping cart and acts as a tray and drink holder. I always hit up the food court on my way out, but I can see how it can come in handy when you’re trying to multi-task and appreciate that it doesn’t actually touch any part of the cart.
It’s interesting to me how some people just LOOOOOOOOOOOVE Costco. I don’t get it. I’ve been with my sister a few times (she loves it) and it just seems like a chore. It’s a gigantic space with too many temptations and just a mob of people. I’ve never understood paying a membership fee to go shopping, but I do appreciate that they are good to their employees!
Re the food court: I agree with Ariana Losch, seems counterintuitive!!! Were some stores having to deal with loiterers? Like, do people really go to costco just for the food court?
Yes, people absolutely go to Costco just for the food court. It’s fast, affordable, and yes, a bit of a cult thing too. If I happen to be at Costco at lunchtime it’s a lot of seniors, parents with really young kids, and at my Costco, a lot of construction workers as there are multiple road/building projects in the immediate area.
And I love Costco though not to the point I want to have my birthday party, wedding, etc there, lol!
To answer your last question, yes! And more …
A friend’s father-in-law, a notoriously cheap man, would go to Costco and bypass showing a membership card by saying he was going to the membership counter. Then he’d proceed into the store and make a meal for himself from all the free samples.
As for what’s so great about it in general? Yah, I don’t know, but I’m hooked. There about 15 items that we get there that are products we use regularly. They’re better quality, and even factoring in the membership cost, are much more affordable than at the regular grocery stores.
Yeah, ok, I think that’s probably why I never got into it. They don’t really have the stuff that I want, so I end up buying things I don’t really need just because they’re different or cheap, and all of those things end up being fattening non-essentials.
So part of the appeal of Costco I think is that it actually has quality food and there’s also a treasure hunt aspect to it as well. When we go, we get two rotisserie chickens if they’re ready and will have one for dinner and one I’ll shred up and freeze and then make broth. That’s several meals for 10 dollars. Some of their meat is pricey (like their chicken breasts aren’t cheaper than my local grocery store) but they’re good quality and sometimes for me its about reducing grocery store trips. I also really like their towels and pillow selection lol.
oh and furniture. My couch is from Costco.
The prices at the food court are heavily subsidized, so yes, it’s an incredibly popular loss leader for Costco. As for not getting why people love Costco, it’s fine. You don’t have to get it. If their products aren’t your cup of tea, or don’t fit into your lifestyle, don’t shop there. I don’t personally enjoy beer or college football, but I don’t say “I don’t get why beer or college football are popular.” Not everything is for everybody.
I used to live in So Cal when I was working (now retired). The Costcos there have outside food courts. The folks from the neighboring business parks work go for a quick, cheap bite and some fresh air. Didn’t need a membership. I guess I can see why Costco is doing it, but it’s sad for the workerbees trying to eek by.
They aren’t scanning cards at Costco food courts in my area yet but do have a person stationed at the exit checking cards (this is also the entrance to the returns/membership desk). People without memberships would go in this way to get to the food court because the people checking receipts weren’t checking membership cards & you could walk directly to the food court. I’ve seen a few people try to sneak in saying they are going to buy a membership then keep going to the food court and they will watch/stop them.
Anyway, implementing this doesn’t phase me. I do feel bad as there is a ton of construction going on near my usual Costco, because of the Costco, and aside from a McDonald’s there’s nothing else around that is fast/affordable so the workers would all hit Costco at lunch (and to use the restroom).
You can’t enter without showing a membership card so this seems unnecessary and annoying to me. How many times do I need my card checked? To get inside. To check out. To get food. To get out the door. It becomes ridiculous.
You can enter without a membership card if you’re going to the member counter and I think for the eyeglasses? So there are a few workarounds for it and I think people take advantage of that.
The pharmacy you can use without a membership too
I posted earlier too, but they are now checking membership cards at the exit if you try to enter that way, at least at the 2 Costcos I was in recently. And in one, someone said they were going to get a membership and then bypassed the desk. Store staff politely stopped him to “redirect” him back, and he left as he was trying to go to the food court.
I’ve never been to a Costco where the food court was inside the store. All of the stores I’ve been to have the food court outside, where anyone can walk up.
That’s funny, because it’s the exact opposite for me. I’ve lived/shopped in IL, MN, CA, AZ and all have had indoor food courts.
I’ve never seen one outside. In that case, it makes sense that they’d check, but it isn’t every store or even the majority.
Interesting! Los Angeles and San Diego locations (at least the ones I’ve been to) are outside. I don’t recall where the one in Portland, OR was.
Plenty of warm weather communities have the Costco food counter outside of the store. So getting your slice of pizza or hot dog doesn’t involve getting past the card scan at all. One assumes the food order card scans will start there.
I dont know, the Costco hot dog never sounds that appealing to me but I’ve never had it; maybe once I do my life will be forever changed, lol.
I do like that they are exploring this rather than just raising the price though.
It’s not the taste (it’s just a hot dog, lol), but the price. Personally, I don’t like all beef dogs, but their pizza is pretty good.
When my kids were young, going to Costco was an event. First, they would split a hot dog and piece of pizza (I drank the free pop). Went shopping, ate samples if any were available, split a frozen yogurt three ways on the way out!
The food court is also a frequent meeting place for Seniors to grab lunch.
Their hotdogs are really good and I normally prefer bbq hot dogs, but they steam them just right and they are all huge! $1.50 for a hotdog that is actually super filling. When my kids were little, I actually have to split one between them.
I hate going to costco. Worst shoping experience ever. I got fear and anxiety in my body jyst thinking about having to go there: parking hell, packed isles, nervous to see beautiful stuff I wanna buy that will leave me with a scary amount to pay. The hotdogs are great but the wait has been crazy to get your food, so I guess with inflation and it’s now well known that u dont need a card to buy food, they’ve been getting a lot of non members which makes the experience even worst – that food court is sooo small- and having to wait 30min for 1.50hotdog is madness, with no place to sit ever, it makes sense to have to be a member.
Our costco has the restaurant on the way out, it makes no logistical sense to shop with the hotdog – youre going backwards against all the crazy cart traffic – it would be even more stressful.
The appeal for me is less trips to the store and things running out less frequently. I get household items like dishwasher liquid, powdered laundry detergent, trash bags, toilet paper, paper towels, oatmeal, quinoa, seed crackers, olive oil, vinegar, flour, bar soap, toothpaste, hand soap refill, Lysol wipes, tissues, fabuloso. It’s a relief to do one trip, thankfully I have a garage to keep things stored in and can just get fresh fruit and veggies, bread and milk as needed although I sometimes get bread and cheese there and store extra in the freezer.
We go once about every 3 months or so for what we call our “grand meat restock”. Takes us about an hour all together to get in, shop, get out. Then another hour to repackage it at home into 2-person meals and seal it all up with the vacuum sealer (that we also bought there ages ago). It’s the dead space in the deep freezer that indicates when it’s time to gird our loins for another Costco parking lot adventure.
It’s silly of them to have started this so I swipe my card for anyone for any reason now. Used to allow people to use my card but they check faces now!
I find the idea of shopping while eating really unappealing. It also seems so very american. Why would people want to do this? I’m a busy person, as most are. But still! I don’t want to be eating while walking, or eating and touching products on the shelves. I don’t want to see others eating while rolling their shopping cart through the aisle.
Buying products in bulk is pretty American too because of the amount of storage space American homes often have, basements, attics, extra rooms , etc. Plus large cars with which to transport bulk items.
The American food industry wants people to be eating all the time and everywhere. Eating while shopping seems unsanitary to me, too, but I’m the exact opposite of a Costco customer – live alone in a downtown apartment, no car, it can take me 6 months to use up a small jar of mayonnaise – it’s actually more economical for me to pay more for less product
And the enticements to be eating at all times is part of the food noise we keep hearing about GLP-1 discussions.
I remember an early 2000 Esquire article about the food industry creating containers to fit their (processed junk) food into the beverage consoles in automobiles. The journalist was sounding the alarm that such measures sold as convenience would be linked to T2 diabetes.
I’ve only ever seen people eat the samples (roughly a single bite of food) while shopping. Most people don’t eat the pizza or hot dogs or whatever until they’re leaving or perhaps while another family member shops. There’s even a seating area.
The food court is typically after the checkout and people eat after they shop. Many people shop for a few hours and want a snack before going home. While I’m sure it happens, I’ve never seen anyone browsing while eating hot dogs and pizza.
My comment (about finding the concept of shopping while eating to be unappealing) was in regards to this part of the article:
“While we’re talking about Costco food, have you seen this clever contraption that a man in California invented that allows you to shop while eating? It’s called the Buck Fifty, which I freaking love…It fits into the top of your shopping cart and acts as a tray and drink holder.”
“Now I just won’t buy the hot dog when I’m tagging along with my fam to Costco. Don’t you want my money, Costco?!”
Why wouldn’t you just use said family member’s card to buy the food? And to be clear, I don’t mean pretend to be the family member but if the cardholder is with you, it seems an obvious solution.
I can’t bag on Costco. They pay and treat their employees really well and still have a DEI program. I’m actually happy to give a company like that my money.
This is exactly why I shop at Costco as much as I can. Because they haven’t bowed down. I’ve tried to be way more concerned about where I spend my money these days.
I shop at Costco despite the fact that it’s just me and my kid, and I live in a tiny condo with minimal storage… Yes it’s a money saving thing, but it’s also the company’s values. Most stuff I was buying from Amazon, I now get at Costco… And feel WAY better about it.
Protip for folks who can’t handle the crowds: go in the evening, the last hour before they close. Minimal crowds, soooooo much easier.
My Costco has had the Food Court scanners for awhile now, it’s mostly all self checkout unless you are paying with cash. You just scan your member card, use the touch screen to pick your items, then pay. Your son should be able to use your card still, there’s no facial verification like when you walk into the store itself. My family gets all our staples at Costco, which saves a ton. We just make a trip once or twice a month so it’s not too bad to brave the crowds. The food is high quality and you can freeze most extras. They treat their employees rights and their other services (pharmacy etc) can’t be beat!
I was just at Sams yesterday
( St Louis Mo)
and no membership check.
The free samples and cheap food court items should only be available to people who pay the membership dues because the freebies/discounts are a major benefit of membership. It is fair to show your membership to get the perk and to keep people not paying dues from exploiting the company. I do not follow magat content, but hasn’t Costco had some issues with the red hats because the company is fighting the horrid tariffs and continuing DEI programs? If showing the card keeps that magat riffraff out of their stores, Costco is doing the lords work.
If Costco has determined it needs to do this, it’s ok by me. I hadn’t realized that the food court wasn’t already limited to members. It’s nice that it was available to the public while it was, but Costco has kept the prices low for years, and I suspect this is part of keeping those prices down for members, which seems reasonable, if unfortunate, as food prices spiral ever upwards. The person writing in the Sporked story was odd—obviously if she’s tagging along with a member on a Costco run, she’ll still be free to get her hot dog on the way out with the member showing the card. At the Costcos near me, there are entire neighborhoods sharing one Costco membership and making it work, cycling through teams that go to the Costco each week, so it’s not like Costco is going out of its way to exclude lower income communities.
Costco is such an honorable company (as much as any capitalistic venture can be) so whatever it needs to do to thrive is fine with me.
We love the rotisserie chickens, the sunscreen, the hand soap and Aveeno body wash, etc. And when my kids were little, my husband used to take them to Costco for samples — he called it the “tapas bar.” It was a good way to get them to try different foods for zero money lol.
It used to be illegal to deny a person the right to buy food. Thats why sams and costco had open food courts. Just like in my state you cant require a membership to use the pharmacy.
Honestly, I’d be fine with having to show an id to get the membership price and having a non subsidized price for everyone else.
At my Costco the food court is at the end of the store, and you can’t enter the store without scanning your card so I guess it’s always been a requirement there?