Costco’s $1.50 hot dog combo may soon be an exclusive treat.
Costco has announced it will start limiting access to its food courts to cardholders — a move that furthers its crackdown on nonmembers using the company’s services.
According to The Hill, the company’s food court policy has always been in place, but it hasn’t been consistently enforced at all Costco locations.
Multiple representatives confirmed to The Hill that locations do have warning signs hung up — and one representative said that all 18 outdoor Costco food courts now ask for membership IDs.
The Motley Fool reports that the company’s move to begin enforcing the existing policy is aimed primarily at preventing overcrowding of food courts during peak eating periods.
Costco food court warning
Reddit user GoldAssociation7261 shared a picture from a Costco in Orlando showing a warning sign by the food court.
“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,” the sign reads.
Does the policy change count for Shop Cards?
It’s not yet clear whether Shop Cards, or Costco gift cards usable by nonmembers, can be used at Costco food courts moving forward.
The Hill reported that a California representative said that Shop Cards will work for nonmembers in food courts, while a Florida representative denied it — although the Florida representative admitted the policy could be updated.
Costco’s nonmember crackdowns
The coming change to Costco food courts is one of many adjustments the company has made in recent years regarding nonmembers, as the Deseret News has reported.
Axios reported that employees covering the self-service machines began asking shoppers in June 2023 for ID confirmation. This policy came amid a rise in reports of shoppers “using membership cards that do not belong to them.”
And then the Deseret News reported in January about several Washington locations implementing scanning systems and requiring Costco members to scan their IDs before entering the store
“We don’t feel it’s right that non-members receive the same benefits and pricing as our members,” a Costco statement shared with USA Today last January said. “Costco is able to keep our prices as low as possible because our membership fees help offset our operational expenses, making our membership fees and structure important to us.”
As of November 2023, Costco had more than 129 million cardholders, according to The Motley Fool.
If I don’t have a Costco membership, should I now get one?
The Motley Fool looked into whether nonmembers who will be affected by the food court signs should join Costco and found that it depends on how they’ll use the membership.
Whether you get the basic membership ($60 a year) or an Executive membership ($120 a year), it’s not financially sound to only use it for a couple food court meals a month, especially if you favor higher-priced items, The Motley Fool reported.
Joining could be worth it if you’re willing to research and then take advantage of the deals Costco offers, including on gas and household offers. Plus, it’s good that you can cancel your membership at any time and potentially receive a refund if you’re not satisfied, The Motley Fool reported.
When it comes to the food court specifically, you have to weigh whether the cost of a Costco membership corresponds to how much you enjoy $1.50 hot dog combos and giant pizzas costing around $10.
