Costco food court will require showing a membership card now

[bcla]

And why does Costco say they are "wholesale?" Selling things to the consumers who use them is retail.

The origins weren’t as a public membership club where anyone could buy a membership. It was as a wholesale club where one needed to produce a business license to get a membership. There were a few other categories that might get one in.

I remember Costco (and Price Club) in the mid 80s. They were far different. Definitely less crowded because the main customer base was businesses that resold or that bought bulk quantities for restaurants, offices, etc. I remember aisles with multi-packs of candy, gum, chips, etc.

https://www.businessinsider.com/costco-wholesale-warehouse-then-now-opened-1983-membership-2019-4
Costco is going back to those origins with their Costco Business Centers. The first time I went to one was when I just needed gas in Vegas and followed a map app. They had a gas station, but no food court, optical, etc. But they had restaurant supplies and resale packs. There are two in the San Francisco Bay Area. They don’t have the typical optical, photo prints, gas station, etc. However, one does have an outside food court. I rarely see as many customers in those, but some customers tend to buy thousands of dollars worth of stuff at a time.

 

[bcla]

They've sold their hot dog combos as a loss leader for years and they have no plans to adjust their pricing on the combo. They were selling their $4.99 chickens as a loss leader due to several reasons until they decided to create their own facility and are training farmers so they basically cut out their own middle man. They also don't plan on adjusting their pricing of their chickens which is in part what drove them to their decision because they didn't want to raise the pricing.

I believe Costco now makes its own hot dogs. They were buying from Hebrew National for decades before switching to Sinai Kosher. But I guess they wanted to keep the price down so they switched to their own manufacturing. Seems that’s when they discontinued Polish sausage.

I remember Price Club before the merger with Costco. The one I went to had a hot dog cart outside that served Vienna Beef hot dogs.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I’ve read that the food court costs them money, it’s there to encourage membership.

Then I see how it makes sense for it only to be open to members.

I don't think they get many new members willing to pay $60 a year just to eat there, but at least they'll only be taking the loss-leader hit on people who already have a membership because they also shop there.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I believe Costco now makes its own hot dogs. They were buying from Hebrew National for decades before switching to Sinai Kosher. But I guess they wanted to keep the price down so they switched to their own manufacturing. Seems that’s when they discontinued Polish sausage.

I remember Price Club before the merger with Costco. The one I went to had a hot dog cart outside that served Vienna Beef hot dogs.

Yeah I believe they do and it helped their costs but I'm sure it still costs more than $1.50 for both the drinks (even if just talking about the supplies for the drinks like cups, lids, straws,etc) and the hot dogs and the buns and especially when you consider labor.

Their hot dog combo and chicken deals are legendary (which is funny when you think about it lol) though so they know they'll sell a ton of those along with all the other items in the store.

 

[Christine]

We have a Costco Executive membership, which I think costs us $100 per year.

Next month, I will get my Rewards voucher for almost $900 for 2019 purchases. I'll take it to the store, exchange it for a check, and deposit it in the bank.

Our big savings is gas and bulk items. Our Costco gas is typically at least 15 cents per gallon less than other stations, plus we get an additional 4% rebate. So if Costco's gas price is $2.50 per gallon, I'm saving $0.15 + $0.10 rebate = $0.25 per gallon.

Our liquor store has a separate entrance, but I've never been in it so I don't know if a card is required or not.

I see a LOT of wholesale shoppers (restaurants, bowling alleys, skating rinks, etc) with several huge carts buying bulk items, and I know that many things are sold at much lower prices than grocery stores.

But you have to price check. Beer, for example, is always several dollars more expensive at my store than Publix.

I get the Executive Membership also. I didn't always but one time when I was in the store, an employee scanned my card and told me that I could spend the $60 each year, but that my historical spending within the store was enough to get the in-house rewards check that would cover the price of an Executive Membership. That's worked for me now for several years. Now that my kids are out of the house, I don't spend nearly as much at Costco so my rebate check last year was only $95. So last year I guess I ended up paying $25 for the membership.

Now my Costco Citibank Rewards Visa is another matter. Getting back $1200 on that one this year.

 

[JimMIA]

Now my Costco Citibank Rewards Visa is another matter. Getting back $1200 on that one this year.

Yes, that's the one I'm talking about above. We use it as our primary household credit card. We formerly used an American Airlines Citicard, but with airline miles no longer being worthwhile, we canceled those cards.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Big loss leaders at Costco are the 1/4 pound hot dogs and soda for $1.50, the 3 pound roast chickens (grocery stores in our area are always 2 pounds) for $4.99 and the gigantic and super tasting pumpkin pies, starting in the fall and through Christmas and a bit later, for $5.99. I have read many times over the years that those are the prices they started with on those items years ago and have no intention of raising the prices on those items.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Big loss leaders at Costco are the 1/4 pound hot dogs and soda for $1.50, the 3 pound roast chickens (grocery stores in our area are always 2 pounds) for $4.99 and the gigantic and super tasting pumpkin pies, starting in the fall and through Christmas and a bit later, for $5.99. I have read many times over the years that those are the prices they started with on those items years ago and have no intention of raising the prices on those items.

I forgot about the pumpkin pie! That thing is huge

 

[mnrose]

Costco pumpkin pies are not only huge, they are amazingly delicious. They are made exactly the way you would make it at home....just BIGGER. I cannot make that pie on my own for what it cost me at Costco. Impossible.

 

[JimMIA]

Stay away from the Gourmet Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Run, don't walk, away.

 

[mjkacmom]

I get the Executive Membership also. I didn't always but one time when I was in the store, an employee scanned my card and told me that I could spend the $60 each year, but that my historical spending within the store was enough to get the in-house rewards check that would cover the price of an Executive Membership. That's worked for me now for several years. Now that my kids are out of the house, I don't spend nearly as much at Costco so my rebate check last year was only $95. So last year I guess I ended up paying $25 for the membership.

Now my Costco Citibank Rewards Visa is another matter. Getting back $1200 on that one this year.

Same! I was shocked to only get back $65 this year with 3 kids out of the house, but did like the $800 check with my visa.

 

[mnrose]

$129 back from Costco Executive portion...just shy of $1000 from the Visa portion. Really nice. My membership has definitely always paid for itself. And, honestly, you only need $61 back to make it "worth it" vs. a regular membership!

 

[DLgal]

Stay away from the Gourmet Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Run, don't walk, away.

Those are gross, BUT the new mini cookies in the tub are FANTASTIC.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I can’t imagine dealing with the Costco parking lot to get a hot dog. People do this?

We shop at Costco once a month. Run in and get about 10 items that we buy in bulk and leave.
I have never eaten there.
I’ve never understood the Costco love.
My friend loves Costco. I don’t get it.

 

[JimMIA]

I can’t imagine dealing with the Costco parking lot to get a hot dog. People do this?

Oh yes! Go to Costco around 12:30 PM some day!

 

[CdnCarrie]

Oh yes! Go to Costco around 12:30 PM some day!

I work office hours so can’t go it on weekdays.
On weekends you couldn’t pay me to go.
They have cops directing traffic in and out of the parking lot.
Seems like a hassle for a hot dog!

 

[wishesuponastar]

I do like Costco, have Executive membership but buy a lot less now with daughters in college. But it still makes sense to keep the membership which turns out free with my rewards. And it only 15 minutes away.

funny OP posted this topic about showing membership for food court as I was just thinking that yesterday. That we pay for the membership and those who don’t, get to eat at the food court.

 

[skyblue17]

I'm trying to figure out why someone would be sad about losing access to a $1 hotdog and I can't do it! And then I'm trying to imagine being upset someone isn't paying for a membership to get the same access to the $1 hotdog and I can't do that either!

 

[dish rag]

I'm trying to figure out why someone would be sad about losing access to a $1 hotdog and I can't do it! And then I'm trying to imagine being upset someone isn't paying for a membership to get the same access to the $1 hotdog and I can't do that either!

Because people can be very cheap. I don’t like Costco. I don’t like dealing with the parking lot. The people in there seem to be in a trance. Stampedes to get a little bite of free food. It’s crazy.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm trying to figure out why someone would be sad about losing access to a $1 hotdog and I can't do it! And then I'm trying to imagine being upset someone isn't paying for a membership to get the same access to the $1 hotdog and I can't do that either!

Technically it's $1.50+tax