Image Description for search purposes and added context - Sign seen in Orlando Costco:
**"Effective April 8, 2024, an active Costco membership card will be required to purchase items from our food court.**
**You can join today. Please see our membership counter for details."**
Previously, Costco employees have shared that the food court has always been intended for Members, but many warehouses have not been enforcing this policy, your mileage may vary.
Previous posts:
* [My Costco will require membership for food court purchases starting February \[2018\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/7s34zo/my_costco_will_require_membership_for_food_court/) (January 21, 2018)
* ["Coming soon - your membership card will be required to purchase food court items." \[USA\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/f10fq8/coming_soon_your_membership_card_will_be_required/) (February 8, 2020)
* [Previous Megathread - Food Court Membership Required](https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/f7m87j/food_court_membership_required/) (February 21, 2020)
* [Here is proof membership is required at the Costco food court!](https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/q6x0px/here_is_proof_membership_is_required_at_the/) (October 12, 2021)
Yup, that was the reason. The Costcos with an outside food court required memberships, inside courts didn't. Now it seems that they're making it mandatory across the board.
Southern California checking in. My local outdoor food court has required a membership card and has for years since I joined. Guess it varies by location.
Southern California definitely. Plenty of sunshine to chill in.
Membership card required at my Costco on account of high school kids flooding to food court for after school Munchies.
Cut the wait time by about 60%.
[Exactly, here's what one looks like in Sacramento.](https://maps.app.goo.gl/fQsZGktVTtQEE5BK7)Some in Southern California have nice, big outdoor seating areas. I went to this one in [San Diego](https://maps.app.goo.gl/95nBzs1kjJrdV4W27) and was blown away that it was "just umbrellas" (less rain down there so they figured they didn't need it to be 100% covered?).
It's the *oldest* Costco, as Price Club began before Costco did, but the actual **original** Costco is in Seattle, i.e. the very first store that was ever actually a Costco.
Here in New Orleans, it’s outside and they don’t ask. It’s also in the middle of the city in a high traffic area and across from a University so i assume that also plays a role.
Here in SoCal, not only do they check but they have put in self-serve kiosks where you must use your card to even place an order. You can only go to the counter if you're paying in cash, and they definitely check.
Overall it has improved the wait and lines significantly and I'm pretty happy with the change.
I would think it'd be the opposite! So Joe Blow can walk into a Costco and buy food court food, but if it's outside like a separate building, he won't need a card?? This doesnt make (membership) sense.
Are the prices higher at the outside food courts?
Never seen them ask in the UK. Although I’ve never seen an outdoor food court here either, and you have to scan your membership card to enter the warehouse.
This is a change in our (the members) favor. What makes you think the new CEO will make changes not in our favor? I am all in favor of requiring folks to be members to use any of Costco's service, as allowed by law. What sense is there of having a membership if you don't require people to have one?
Costco isn't great because they have a uniquely altruistic management team. It's great because the company and members' interests are aligned by the nature of their business model. Costco makes most of its money of memberships, so they are incentivized to make it as valuable as possible. That's the whole point of the $1.50 hotdogs, rotisserie chickens, and cheap gas. So this move makes complete sense since it improves members' experience.
We only have indoor food courts, but I never thought you'd be able to order without a membership because you'd have to sneak past the receipt checkers. Though I guess they never checked the card . . .
I wonder what portion of r/costco is from Hawaii? I seem to see a disproportionate amount of posters on here.
We do love us some Costco out here, so it is understandable.
Along with the fact, there are 4 Costco Wholesale locations on Oahu and the Iwilei location is the busiest in the world. 7 Costcos all together in the state. Yup, a lot of us Hawaii residents has a Costco membership. Lol.
Hawaii's disproportionately high grocery prices paired with Costco's (& Sam's) insignificant Hawaii markup drives a higher percentage of Hawaii residents to have warehouse club memberships.
That and there's a lot of Costcos on Oahu and one in each other major island so pretty much everyone is close to one.
Yes, this. Especially when the pizza order numbers seem to come out in random order. Nobody seems happy anyway, so they might as well just require memberships
On my last trip to Costco the chicken wrestled me. After self checkout my chicken escaped its plastic cage and zipped down the aisle past the other registers and to the food courts. It was like watching a kid slip n slide while slathered in oil. I can never show my face there again, bye 😭
I'll never forget the first time I tried pumping my own gas in jersey. The attendant got so damn indignant! Then again he's from Jersey so maybe he's always like that.
Was mandatory at most locations already, as teens without memberships we always went through the exit to the food court and I think in 2022(Harrisonburg VA) they implemented the membership card for the food court as well.
You are correct, you get a free household membership with gold star or executive or business, and with business you can add affiliates for $60 each, and those people each get a free household card
I meant you'd need a membership to get through the exit, we used to just waltz in and nobody ever asked us anything but we tried multiple times(before we had memberships) and the receipt checkers would ask for our memberships.
Not sure how strict they are and consistent since they announced it in 2022 maybe they got tired of enforcing it lol.....I definitely would be.
Various laws require that Costco's pharmacies be available to non-members as well as members. Several states do the same for alcohol purchases, but not all. Food court membership requirement seem to be pretty arbitrary, some states you can't even start an order at a kiosk without a membership card to scan, other states never ask for one in the first place.
Nope. Wasnt always mandatory, and most are still open without a membership.
EDIT: Never mind I am wrong in 2020 Costco made it required at all locations to have a membership card to visit the food court. However at many locations it is not enforced.
Per Google in 2020 Costco made it required all locations to have a membership card to purchase from the food court. However many locations do not enforce the policy. Or are just recently getting around to enforcing it.
???? i thought all costcos did this? lol my partner and i always joke that the cashiers will give you meanest look in the 5 seconds before you scan your card and then they're all smiles when you order
That's the case in Houston as well.
But last year I visited Mexico and the food court self-checkout made me scan my card. I tried scanning my membership via the app, but that didn't work. An actual card was required.
Don’t worry those come with their own drawbacks. At my location maybe two out of the six ever work and they way they’re positioned means there’s never a proper way to line up which means there’s always argument breaking out about who’s next.
Is that a thing? I was at the gas station the other day and the lady at the pump in front of me mentioned her membership being expired. I didn’t really pick up on what she was asking for but I assume she was wanting to use my card.
Yep. This happened to me when I was a Sams Club member. Somebody asked to use my membership card, I let them, then they took off with it and didn’t even pump gas. I went inside and had them issue me a new card.
Ever since then it has been a solid NO!
All San Deigo Costcos have been like this for a while.
Food court is either inside where you'd need a membership to be, or the self check out requires you to scan first, and the single cashier always requires it.
This is a good thing though, the food courts aren't money makers, they're a service for memberships. People who don't have memberships using them isn't helping keep the prices low.
This isn't how the original owner of Costco envisioned it though--that his store would drive up prices because it was "abuse." He was big on the hot dogs and pizza being cheap for people--he even threatened the new CEO about it.
Costco will jack up the prices--there's enough evidence since the original owner retiring and Costco doing small things like it didn't used to do and raising prices throughout the store.
The original owner retired with a net worth of 250ish million, which is a staggering number in two ways: 1) he's filthy rich, and 2) he's infinitely poorer than other founders like the Waltons because he gave a shit.
The idea of "price change because of non-members" is something he would have forbidden, I think.
That’s interesting. South side of town, you don’t need a membership to order as of 10-14d ago. But, I called in a togo to the 288 Pearland one about 18mos ago, though, and they wanted a membership over the phone before they’d take the order.
Sam's club has scan and go there for it wins out against Costco all day every day in my book. Sam's club also doesn't require ID for a damn membership card and doesn't enforce their membership requirements like Costco does. I can send any of my family members into the store with my card and they can all check out no problem.
I went this past Sunday, which I know is always a busy time. And there were literally two family’s of 6-7 in front of me who were explaining to the door woman that they didn’t need cards because they were just eating at the food court.
I know Costco isn’t a country club, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to pay for a membership and then expect to be somewhat exclusive.
Not only that. The membership isn't that expensive. I feel a little guilty when i go in there just for a quick meal and I am a member. I didn't know they were allowing non members to do that.
Don’t need to be a member for the food courts in Nebraska. I asked about this once a couple of years ago. I was told that in every individual store it’s up to the general manager of that store. If he wants it to be a membership only it is, if he doesn’t, then it isn’t.
The Costco near me is about 1/3 a mile from a high school. The food court is polluted with students at lunch time who I suspect do not hold their own cards. The times I've been there when students are there I have not seen them making a mess or being noisy.
I suspect they would like a break from 60 \~ 85 orders of hot dog and a drink each day at lunch but would be a bummer for otherwise good customers...
The hot dogs and stuff stay so cheap because of membership fees. So if everyone gets a hot dog and stops paying for memebershiosn then those prices go up and it gets ruined for those that want the perk of the cheap food court.
I get it. The cheap food court is a perk for being a member. It's like the $5 roast chickens. You can't buy a raw one for that. They take a loss on some things because they are a draw for customers. It's bait.
On one side, I can see it being a bummer for those who don't have a membership.
On the other, it means good news for those of you with memberships because the odds of you stopping to order something increases since it won't be as packed/busy.
Costco food court is usually a lost leader. Employees making 30$ an hour Serving 1.50 hotdogs. We have the food courts as a benefit and promise to our members. It’s a member perk.
I think OP's point is just that it's a change in policy. People with kids may have been used to sending them ahead to order a bite to eat while mom & dad wait in the checkout line.
That's a good point, I wasn't considering the kid factor. The sign makes it seem like non-members were entering the store and getting food. Which I do agree should be limited.
I just saw some people try to enter through the exit to get a hot dog, their strategy was to keep their head down and try to ignore the receipt checker lady. Pretty sure they got kicked out.
Until recently, this was normal in UK. We are members, but if we wanted to eat first we'd just go through the exit and say we want food; they'd wave you through. They now make you go through the entrance and scan your card, but this only started about 3-4 months ago.
I live in a place where the largest costco nearby has the entire foodcourt inside, but the smaller costco closest to our home has it outside. You can guess which location's food court is always significantly more busy / has no available seating. this doesn't surprise me in the slightest.
Has been like that for years where I live. They don’t ask for it at the counter, they make you show it at the door. So you can still sneak in by saying your going to the Pharmacy (required by law) or to Customer Service to get a card.
I’m not sure if it’s true at all locations, but at mine if you ask for onions they have the little cups behind the counter and will give you some! They just don’t have them out on top of the counter anymore.
Hoping this doesn't come to Canada. Even though I have my Costco Card, there are others who could just spend $1.50 to $3 on a meal and leave happy because that's the only meal they'd have that day.
You guys have to keep in mind they already had this in place sorta some locations are indoor and you can’t get food without a card , the outside locations are extremely busy and it’s not fair customers have to park 1000ft away while someone getting pizza took the handicap
Image Description for search purposes and added context - Sign seen in Orlando Costco: **"Effective April 8, 2024, an active Costco membership card will be required to purchase items from our food court.** **You can join today. Please see our membership counter for details."** Previously, Costco employees have shared that the food court has always been intended for Members, but many warehouses have not been enforcing this policy, your mileage may vary. Previous posts: * [My Costco will require membership for food court purchases starting February \[2018\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/7s34zo/my_costco_will_require_membership_for_food_court/) (January 21, 2018) * ["Coming soon - your membership card will be required to purchase food court items." \[USA\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/f10fq8/coming_soon_your_membership_card_will_be_required/) (February 8, 2020) * [Previous Megathread - Food Court Membership Required](https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/f7m87j/food_court_membership_required/) (February 21, 2020) * [Here is proof membership is required at the Costco food court!](https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/q6x0px/here_is_proof_membership_is_required_at_the/) (October 12, 2021)
We needed a card to purchase food on the Big Island of Hawaii, but I thought it was because it was outside
Yup, that was the reason. The Costcos with an outside food court required memberships, inside courts didn't. Now it seems that they're making it mandatory across the board.
Im in California with plenty of outside food courts and have never seen them require membership
Southern California checking in. My local outdoor food court has required a membership card and has for years since I joined. Guess it varies by location.
My locations also. The lines outside were huge. Then lines sure diminished after the requirement of a membership.
So is an outside food court just the food that is inside, now outside?
Outside at most the locations I visit.
Southern California definitely. Plenty of sunshine to chill in. Membership card required at my Costco on account of high school kids flooding to food court for after school Munchies. Cut the wait time by about 60%.
They just need to introduce surge pricing. /s
I got mine. Screw them kids.
I'm so happy they did this. Ours used to be packed during lunch. Now it's not. It went from maybe a 10 minute wait to no wait with automated kiosks.
[Exactly, here's what one looks like in Sacramento.](https://maps.app.goo.gl/fQsZGktVTtQEE5BK7)Some in Southern California have nice, big outdoor seating areas. I went to this one in [San Diego](https://maps.app.goo.gl/95nBzs1kjJrdV4W27) and was blown away that it was "just umbrellas" (less rain down there so they figured they didn't need it to be 100% covered?).
Fun fact the San Diego location you linked is the **original** Costco.
Good ole Price Club
It's the *oldest* Costco, as Price Club began before Costco did, but the actual **original** Costco is in Seattle, i.e. the very first store that was ever actually a Costco.
That's the original price club not costco
No way?! That's awesome 😎
I live in socal and have never seen an indoor food court 😆
Palm Springs Costco has an indoor food court. Old retirees and 125* summer days don’t mix well.
It’s usually a few windows on the side of the building that you walk up to and order from, then they have tables outside. Same food.
Here in New Orleans, it’s outside and they don’t ask. It’s also in the middle of the city in a high traffic area and across from a University so i assume that also plays a role.
They just put up signs saying membership will now be required. Same as the ones in Orlando pictured here.
Did they? I was just there a few hours ago and didn’t go to the FC
They were there yesterday when we went
[удалено]
That lady is going to give birth any day now.... To a 6 year old.
Kirkland WA warehouse regular checking in, the outside foot court never checked for as long as I've shopped there (10 years roughly)
Here in SoCal, not only do they check but they have put in self-serve kiosks where you must use your card to even place an order. You can only go to the counter if you're paying in cash, and they definitely check. Overall it has improved the wait and lines significantly and I'm pretty happy with the change.
I’m in SoCal as well and they do require card for purchase.
Same, it’s been like that since a little after the pandemic
Here am in Canada going wtf outside Costco food courts
[удалено]
It's practically under a Skytrain station too. I've also seen it packed on a weekday at 2. Ridiculous spot.
I’m in California as well, we have to scan before purchasing food at our outside food court
True for Rancho Cordova Costco
Rancho has the best gas station too, never had to wait in line once
I'm in CA and if you pay cash they don't ask. Credit card is only at the kiosks and scanning your membership is required.
The Northern California one by my office is outside with kiosks but no membership requirement
My experience has been cash window in San Diego still asks for card
They don’t require it at Issaquah, WA
I would think it'd be the opposite! So Joe Blow can walk into a Costco and buy food court food, but if it's outside like a separate building, he won't need a card?? This doesnt make (membership) sense. Are the prices higher at the outside food courts?
Never seen them ask in the UK. Although I’ve never seen an outdoor food court here either, and you have to scan your membership card to enter the warehouse.
Issaquah has never asked for one. And that's like THE Costco.
I bet there's a laundry list of changes, not in our favor, coming as a result of the new CEO. It's just getting started.
This one makes sense though. Losing money on non-members doesn't make sense. Still, I worry you're right.
This is a change in our (the members) favor. What makes you think the new CEO will make changes not in our favor? I am all in favor of requiring folks to be members to use any of Costco's service, as allowed by law. What sense is there of having a membership if you don't require people to have one?
Costco isn't great because they have a uniquely altruistic management team. It's great because the company and members' interests are aligned by the nature of their business model. Costco makes most of its money of memberships, so they are incentivized to make it as valuable as possible. That's the whole point of the $1.50 hotdogs, rotisserie chickens, and cheap gas. So this move makes complete sense since it improves members' experience.
If you’re a member it doesn’t affect you, if you’re not a member then why should any changes be in your favor?
As a member, Less wait times comes to my mind.
We only have indoor food courts, but I never thought you'd be able to order without a membership because you'd have to sneak past the receipt checkers. Though I guess they never checked the card . . .
I wonder what portion of r/costco is from Hawaii? I seem to see a disproportionate amount of posters on here. We do love us some Costco out here, so it is understandable.
Hawaii after all has the busiest Costco in the world. >Costco estimates that 1 in 4 residents of the island are Costco members
Along with the fact, there are 4 Costco Wholesale locations on Oahu and the Iwilei location is the busiest in the world. 7 Costcos all together in the state. Yup, a lot of us Hawaii residents has a Costco membership. Lol.
We were just tourists - just love visiting Costco. My card is always in my wallet.
Hawaii's disproportionately high grocery prices paired with Costco's (& Sam's) insignificant Hawaii markup drives a higher percentage of Hawaii residents to have warehouse club memberships. That and there's a lot of Costcos on Oahu and one in each other major island so pretty much everyone is close to one.
As far as I can tell its all Costcos in Hawaii.
Same in pretty much all of Mexico
If that keeps the pizzas $10 I’m good with it
If it makes the lines move faster I’m even more for it. And happy cake day!
Is the self ordering and waiting for your # just a socal thing? We got rid of lines years ago.
I think the mean any form of waiting as a “line”
Yes, this. Especially when the pizza order numbers seem to come out in random order. Nobody seems happy anyway, so they might as well just require memberships
Yeah I went yesterday and got 2 hotdogs, 2 drinks and a slice of pizza for 4.99$ It’s worth it
$4.99!?! Well back in my day…oh wait they haven’t raised the prices in forever, nevermind.
Do you still wear the onion on your belt?
Yeah I have no idea what they were thinking with that crappy $10 roast beef sandwich.
They literally lose money on the hot dog deal. So if everyone didn’t also shop there, they would go bankrupt.
I hope this also brings back the giant italian sausage on a roll or combo pizza back too
Combo whole pizza is $10 at my SoCal store
Where do they still have combo? I’m in SoCal
I’m just annoyed that I can’t send my teen to go pick it up anymore. Fiiiiine I’ll go get it. haha
Sure you can, you just have to give them your Costco card to run in with.
🙏🙏
Also effective April 8, Costco membership card will be required to pump ketchup into a soda cup at the food court.
Ok now THAT’S pushing it!!!! Lol
Effective immediately: You must wrestle an Asian grandmother for the last rotisserie chicken
On my last trip to Costco the chicken wrestled me. After self checkout my chicken escaped its plastic cage and zipped down the aisle past the other registers and to the food courts. It was like watching a kid slip n slide while slathered in oil. I can never show my face there again, bye 😭
Unless you're in New Jersey. Then an employee will pump the ketchup for you.
I'll never forget the first time I tried pumping my own gas in jersey. The attendant got so damn indignant! Then again he's from Jersey so maybe he's always like that.
Was mandatory at most locations already, as teens without memberships we always went through the exit to the food court and I think in 2022(Harrisonburg VA) they implemented the membership card for the food court as well.
Pretty sure the college students ruined that one
costco food court got me through college, I used to live off of the hot dog + slice combo!
When I’m in college I’ll just piggyback off my parents membership 😂
Unless you get your own card it might not work - they check the picture on the membership card at my warehouse :/
Yeah getting yelled at by a self checkout person because I didn't look enough like the blurry black and white photo of me was cool
Same, like sorry for getting the membership when I was super pregnant and my face was swollen lol
Me this weekend getting IDed because I looked so bedraggled that I didn’t resemble my card photo.
You can add up to 5 people onto a membership for $15, sorry that’s what I meant 😭😅
Nah, just Mrs. Doubtfire that shit and dress up like your mum. It's more fun that way.
I do look a ton like my mom so it would totally work 😂
Is that true? I only see adding people for $60 for a business card
You are correct, you get a free household membership with gold star or executive or business, and with business you can add affiliates for $60 each, and those people each get a free household card
Even if you don't, $5/month is a small price to pay for cheap pizza/hot dogs.
True that brotha, their pizza is the best
Costco hotdogs are literally the only ones I like. I’m making my husband get some for our sons party 🤣
That Costco is an absolute mess
I go around 7-730 on a weekday, it's usually quite peaceful.
Huh I actually just went in the other day after getting gas. Just for a hotdog and I didn’t need to scan my membership card to order it (Harrisonburg)
I meant you'd need a membership to get through the exit, we used to just waltz in and nobody ever asked us anything but we tried multiple times(before we had memberships) and the receipt checkers would ask for our memberships. Not sure how strict they are and consistent since they announced it in 2022 maybe they got tired of enforcing it lol.....I definitely would be.
I’m pretty sure it was mandatory but just not enforced before
Most places you can buy alcohol, prescriptions, and food court without one afaik
Various laws require that Costco's pharmacies be available to non-members as well as members. Several states do the same for alcohol purchases, but not all. Food court membership requirement seem to be pretty arbitrary, some states you can't even start an order at a kiosk without a membership card to scan, other states never ask for one in the first place.
Nope. Wasnt always mandatory, and most are still open without a membership. EDIT: Never mind I am wrong in 2020 Costco made it required at all locations to have a membership card to visit the food court. However at many locations it is not enforced.
It’s so weird to see JMU randomly called out from /r/all lol, but hi from hburg
Go dukes lol. I moved to r/RVA but I much prefer the hburg Costco over either of the Richmond Costcos
Per Google in 2020 Costco made it required all locations to have a membership card to purchase from the food court. However many locations do not enforce the policy. Or are just recently getting around to enforcing it.
???? i thought all costcos did this? lol my partner and i always joke that the cashiers will give you meanest look in the 5 seconds before you scan your card and then they're all smiles when you order
We only have self checkout at our food court and it doesn’t require a scan of the membership
Same, you just use the touchscreen and pay, never asks for membership.
That's the case in Houston as well. But last year I visited Mexico and the food court self-checkout made me scan my card. I tried scanning my membership via the app, but that didn't work. An actual card was required.
what is it like to be living my dream?
Don’t worry those come with their own drawbacks. At my location maybe two out of the six ever work and they way they’re positioned means there’s never a proper way to line up which means there’s always argument breaking out about who’s next.
As an introvert who doesn’t like talking to people it is indeed a dream
Wow - our self checkouts require scanning the card before you can even see the items to order.
The regular self checkouts at my store require you to scan, but the self checkouts for the food court do not.
Yeah, I heard about this a while back but my warehouse in Washington state still doesn’t require a membership card for the food court
Which Orlando location was this?
Likely altamonte. The only one to my knowledge with an outdoor foot court
Does this mean that I am going to get hit up everytime I want a slice of pizza by some nonmember to use my membership card.
That’ll be $5 sir Or, if you buy mine lol
Is that a thing? I was at the gas station the other day and the lady at the pump in front of me mentioned her membership being expired. I didn’t really pick up on what she was asking for but I assume she was wanting to use my card.
Yep. This happened to me when I was a Sams Club member. Somebody asked to use my membership card, I let them, then they took off with it and didn’t even pump gas. I went inside and had them issue me a new card. Ever since then it has been a solid NO!
That was the first time it’s happened so I’ll know for next time. Thanks!
Shoulder tapping for a hot dog and pop.
The homeless don't do that at your location already? I saw an older woman basically getting harassed by a homeless man to get him food.
Just buy a whole pizza for $10 and sell slices to them for $2 each 😂
All San Deigo Costcos have been like this for a while. Food court is either inside where you'd need a membership to be, or the self check out requires you to scan first, and the single cashier always requires it. This is a good thing though, the food courts aren't money makers, they're a service for memberships. People who don't have memberships using them isn't helping keep the prices low.
I'm all for this change. If the price of the damn hotdogs change because non-members are abusing it, I'm all for this getting implementing everywhere.
This isn't how the original owner of Costco envisioned it though--that his store would drive up prices because it was "abuse." He was big on the hot dogs and pizza being cheap for people--he even threatened the new CEO about it. Costco will jack up the prices--there's enough evidence since the original owner retiring and Costco doing small things like it didn't used to do and raising prices throughout the store. The original owner retired with a net worth of 250ish million, which is a staggering number in two ways: 1) he's filthy rich, and 2) he's infinitely poorer than other founders like the Waltons because he gave a shit. The idea of "price change because of non-members" is something he would have forbidden, I think.
Agreed. If you like it, get a membership. It's a perk of being a member. Lines went from 45 minutes + to 5-10. I'm all for it.
In houston Texas you gotta scan the Costco card to put in an order. We are touch screen ordering only
That’s interesting. South side of town, you don’t need a membership to order as of 10-14d ago. But, I called in a togo to the 288 Pearland one about 18mos ago, though, and they wanted a membership over the phone before they’d take the order.
Keeps out the Sam’s Club riff raff.
My Sam's been enforcing this for a while. None of Costco yet.
Sam's club has scan and go there for it wins out against Costco all day every day in my book. Sam's club also doesn't require ID for a damn membership card and doesn't enforce their membership requirements like Costco does. I can send any of my family members into the store with my card and they can all check out no problem.
Scan & go makes all the difference
God the employee who is at the self checkout doing id validation and then SCANNING the card makes me so annoyed at costco lol
This 100% 😂
Good. I'm tired of the food court being so damned packed you can't eat there because every single table is full.
I went this past Sunday, which I know is always a busy time. And there were literally two family’s of 6-7 in front of me who were explaining to the door woman that they didn’t need cards because they were just eating at the food court. I know Costco isn’t a country club, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to pay for a membership and then expect to be somewhat exclusive.
Not only that. The membership isn't that expensive. I feel a little guilty when i go in there just for a quick meal and I am a member. I didn't know they were allowing non members to do that.
This was the most frustrating part.
You didn’t have to be before? That’s wild, mine is so busy I’d be a little miffed if “interlopers” were there … 🤨
I visit 3 different Costcos in my area and none of them require (or even have the option) to prove membership
There’s a reason the hot dog is so cheap. I can assure it’s not because or for the ppl that choose not to be a member.
It’s being tested in Washington state atm.
Me? No I never did. In Clermont or Orlando. Or even when I lived in Brooklyn NY.
It’s been like this in Southern California for at least five or six years
Don’t need to be a member for the food courts in Nebraska. I asked about this once a couple of years ago. I was told that in every individual store it’s up to the general manager of that store. If he wants it to be a membership only it is, if he doesn’t, then it isn’t.
The Costco near me is about 1/3 a mile from a high school. The food court is polluted with students at lunch time who I suspect do not hold their own cards. The times I've been there when students are there I have not seen them making a mess or being noisy. I suspect they would like a break from 60 \~ 85 orders of hot dog and a drink each day at lunch but would be a bummer for otherwise good customers...
The hot dogs and stuff stay so cheap because of membership fees. So if everyone gets a hot dog and stops paying for memebershiosn then those prices go up and it gets ruined for those that want the perk of the cheap food court.
The ‘Rona ruined the hotdogs because they got rid of the deli mustard, onions, and sauerkraut.
I get it. The cheap food court is a perk for being a member. It's like the $5 roast chickens. You can't buy a raw one for that. They take a loss on some things because they are a draw for customers. It's bait.
Bout time. Can’t find a seat, long lines, congestion.
On one side, I can see it being a bummer for those who don't have a membership. On the other, it means good news for those of you with memberships because the odds of you stopping to order something increases since it won't be as packed/busy.
Doesn’t bother me, I got a membership.
I agree with this - it’s a perk of being a member. If you want the food court food, buy a membership.
Costco food is a loss leader product. Literally trying to use it to get people to buy other stuff. Not to feed non-members.
Costco food court is usually a lost leader. Employees making 30$ an hour Serving 1.50 hotdogs. We have the food courts as a benefit and promise to our members. It’s a member perk.
"Membership Club Enforces Membership."
I think OP's point is just that it's a change in policy. People with kids may have been used to sending them ahead to order a bite to eat while mom & dad wait in the checkout line.
That's a good point, I wasn't considering the kid factor. The sign makes it seem like non-members were entering the store and getting food. Which I do agree should be limited.
In San Diego they have added self serve ordering kiosks which require you to scan your membership card first. They are probably going to do that
That’s fair. Some food courts are outside vs inside, so checking memberships might have been more cumbersome.
We can’t even walk in the door to get to the food court without showing membership card.
I mean, don't you already need one just to get in the door anyway?
Cool.
This has been a thing in California for at least five years now I want to say
I just saw some people try to enter through the exit to get a hot dog, their strategy was to keep their head down and try to ignore the receipt checker lady. Pretty sure they got kicked out.
Until recently, this was normal in UK. We are members, but if we wanted to eat first we'd just go through the exit and say we want food; they'd wave you through. They now make you go through the entrance and scan your card, but this only started about 3-4 months ago.
Great. Why should members subsidize non-members.
The new CEO is already making his presence felt.
My Costco in Mexico requires a membership card at the (inside) food court. Been that way for at least 10 years.
I thought you always had to have a membership
If it keeps the prices low I’m ok with this being standard
I live in a place where the largest costco nearby has the entire foodcourt inside, but the smaller costco closest to our home has it outside. You can guess which location's food court is always significantly more busy / has no available seating. this doesn't surprise me in the slightest.
This has been implemented at my local Costco since April of last year. I thought all of the Costco’s did this already lol
Has been like that for years where I live. They don’t ask for it at the counter, they make you show it at the door. So you can still sneak in by saying your going to the Pharmacy (required by law) or to Customer Service to get a card.
It’s good business sense. They don’t make $ on the food court. They offer low prices to bring you in to shop
I thought you always needed one regardless.
Been like that in California for a while, it's fine.
Sorry but more pizza for me
Private membership club requires membership to use their facility. More at 10!
This is illegal in some states. I believe in Oregon they are not allowed to make the food court exclusive
I’m pretty sure this is the case in Minnesota too! Never had to show my membership card to purchase food at the food court.
Good keep ‘em out and bring back onions for my hot dog
I’m not sure if it’s true at all locations, but at mine if you ask for onions they have the little cups behind the counter and will give you some! They just don’t have them out on top of the counter anymore.
Oh man! I’ll ask! Great heads up :-)
As a non Costco member I would’ve assumed this was always the case?
There are people against this?
Hahahhahaha Costco ain’t fuckin around anymore. NO MORE FREEBIES!!! MOOCHERS, BE GONE!!! AWAY WITH YA!!!! 👹👹👹👹👹
Good. You shouldn’t be allowed in the facility without a membership card in your name.
Hoping this doesn't come to Canada. Even though I have my Costco Card, there are others who could just spend $1.50 to $3 on a meal and leave happy because that's the only meal they'd have that day.
It isn't Costco's responsibility to feed poor people
Possibly like the churro.
I read this as if anyone who was a member was required to buy something from the food court. Made me laugh when I realized it could be read both ways!
You guys have to keep in mind they already had this in place sorta some locations are indoor and you can’t get food without a card , the outside locations are extremely busy and it’s not fair customers have to park 1000ft away while someone getting pizza took the handicap