Costco food court will require showing a membership card now

[bcla]

https://www.kcra.com/article/costco...ating-in-the-food-court-are-members/31046140#
Before, it was possible for people who might be sneaking in to go to the food court and buy something since they never checked for membership. I even went in a few times with an expired membership card just to get a hot dog. Some locations have the food court outside.

Not sure if they’ll check for an active membership or if they just want someone to flash a card. And there are people who bring friends/family along, so they won’t be able to split up where the guest or a child gets something at the food court.

I wonder how they’ll treat the Costco Cash card. I’ve been able to enter with one and buy items with one. As long as there was some value on it, I could make a purchase where I paid the remainder with cash/credit/debit.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Although I've never eaten at a Costco food court, most if not all the Costco's near me require you show your membership card at the front entrance. I bought stuff there when we used to give large parties but gained entrance by shopping with one of my sisters who has a membership. They also wouldn't allow me to use my credit card since the name didn't match so I always paid cash. I suspect that since all her children have flown the coop and she no longer hosts a New year's Day party she may let her membership expire.

 

[amcnj]

Ones I have been to also ask to see a card as you enter the store. But you could go to the membership desk without a card and I guess from there go to the food court.

 

[SteveH]

Interesting. I never even gave it a second thought that you needed a membership to eat there. When they pulled the Polish dogs off the menu my desire to it dropped dramatically.

 

[bcla]

Ones I have been to also ask to see a card as you enter the store. But you could go to the membership desk without a card and I guess from there go to the food court.

They’re supposed to ask. But frankly it’s possible to just look like the guest of someone walking next to someone flashing a membership card. I knew a few nonmembers who said they just snuck in, and when it came time to buy just asked someone in line if they could use their membership. The employees generally didn’t care, but not everyone would oblige allowing their membership to be used.

But there are some Costcos that have a food court separate from the main warehouse - either outdoors or in a separate room where they don’t check for memberships.

 

[kyton]

Our Closest Costco here in Australia has the food court in an open area before you even get to the actual store so it would be impossible to stop people walking in - they would have to ask for a card at the cashier. On Oahu, 2 of the 3 we visit have the food again outside the building with only 1 being an internal food court.

 

[mnrose]

At our Costco, you enter for customer service through the "out" door, where they do not check membership...nor would you want to, since that is the door you enter to purchase a membership. Just past customer service, is the food court. So, if they are checking membership, it would have to be AT the food court. And, our food court now has "self service" kiosks. I wonder how that would work? Is it going to be an extra step? No concern for me as I have zero issue with them making the food court "member only." I'm a member and will be so long as I'm upright and breathing.

 

[HopperFan]

I shop Costco ... I can't imagine driving to Costco and going to the trouble of slinking inside to eat at that food court. There is nothing there that is that appealing or that cheap to make doing all that worth it.

 

[bcla]

Our Closest Costco here in Australia has the food court in an open area before you even get to the actual store so it would be impossible to stop people walking in - they would have to ask for a card at the cashier. On Oahu, 2 of the 3 we visit have the food again outside the building with only 1 being an internal food court.

Even with the inside food courts there will be people sneaking in one way or another, with several methods already mentioned. So yes they’re looking to ask at the cashier. However, I’m thinking it might be considered a purchase for the annual cash back for some membership types.

 

[lifesavacation]

I shop Costco ... I can't imagine driving to Costco and going to the trouble of slinking inside to eat at that food court. There is nothing there that is that appealing or that cheap to make doing all that worth it.

There was a Costco right next to my boys’ high school. A lot of the students went there for lunch for a slice of pizza or a hot dog. Pretty cheap lunch for a teen. I’m thinking the policy is probably due to something like that.

 

[HopperFan]

There was a Costco right next to my boys’ high school. A lot of the students went there for lunch for a slice of pizza or a hot dog. Pretty cheap lunch for a teen. I’m thinking the policy is probably due to something like that.

Okay I'll accept some locations have a walkable customer base and a high school cafeteria comparison. The ones around us are in highly commercial mall/shopping corridors with minimal to no walkability.

 

[amcnj]

As an offshoot to this discussion, does your Costco require you to show the card to purchase gasoline? In my state they can’t limit gasoline sales to members so anyone may purchase it.

 

[dish rag]

The Florida ones are outside. You don’t have to enter the store.

 

[JimMIA]

The Florida ones are outside. You don’t have to enter the store.

But you have to have a Costco membership card to activate the gas pump. You also have to pay with a VISA card -- either Costco's or some other VISA.

 

[bcla]

As an offshoot to this discussion, does your Costco require you to show the card to purchase gasoline? In my state they can’t limit gasoline sales to members so anyone may purchase it.

More or less yes in California. The exception is if one has a Costco Cash card. One can buy gas up to the value remaining on the card. For a time I had a friend buy them for me when our membership lapsed. The other thing about those is that one can enter a Costco by flashing one, and then buy any amount of merchandise as long as there’s some value left on the card. Once I had a $150 purchase but a card with only 9 cents on it. I could pay the remainder with cash, credit, or debit.

The other thing in California is that membership stores have to sell prescription items and alcohol to anyone, so that’s one loophole to use at the entrance to get in the door without sneaking past the greeter.

 

[dish rag]

But you have to have a Costco membership card to activate the gas pump. You also have to pay with a VISA card -- either Costco's or some other VISA.

But you don’t to buy food unless that has changed, that’s what this thread is about.

 

[88jennifer88]

At my Costco they require your membership card to even walk in the door, so you can't get to the food area without showing membership ID.

 

[DLgal]

It has always been policy to have the food court open to everyone. This is a change to that long standing policy.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

At our Costco, you enter for customer service through the "out" door, where they do not check membership...nor would you want to, since that is the door you enter to purchase a membership. Just past customer service, is the food court. So, if they are checking membership, it would have to be AT the food court. And, our food court now has "self service" kiosks. I wonder how that would work? Is it going to be an extra step? No concern for me as I have zero issue with them making the food court "member only." I'm a member and will be so long as I'm upright and breathing.

This is how ours is as well. I was just asking my husband about the self-service kiosks they just installed. Makes me wonder if they'll add an additional step to scan/swipe your membership card prior to beginning your order.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It has always been policy to have the food court open to everyone. This is a change to that long standing policy.

Every article I've read said it was an existing policy that they just never enforced. Now they will be enforcing it.