10 Things Costco Employees Know About The Chain That Most Shoppers Don't

Costco was founded in the 1980s, and it's been changing shoppers' lives ever since. Every day, millions of Americans flock to the warehouse chain to take advantage of its low prices, free samples, range of goods, and, of course, its food court. This warehouse store is so beloved, it even has its own league of superfans: There are actually people out there with Costco tattoos. One even has Kirkland Signature inked on his arm.

But, while Costco's most loyal customers know a lot about how the chain works, if you want to really understand Costco, you have to pay attention to the people who work there. Employees have the real insider information on the day-to-day running of this warehouse giant — after all, they literally get paid to have this knowledge.

We scoured Reddit and sourced different information shared by current and former Costco employees to get the scoop on the things only known to those who worked at Costco. We've included everything from why they keep checking your receipts (no, it's not just to be annoying) to the info when to expect the longest wait for pizza. We've even got the lowdown on secret pricing codes that can help you score a bargain and why you shouldn't waste time asking employees to check out the back for the item you want.

You've waited in line, paid for your purchase, and you're ready to load all of your new exciting Costco finds into the car. But wait, there's one more step first: You've got to stop and have your receipt checked. Many customers find this extra step irritating, but there is an important reason for it. And no, the good news is that, for most people, it doesn't mean that you're suspected of shoplifting.

When Costco team members check your receipt, what they're usually looking for is mistakes made by the cashier. According to Costco workers on Reddit, by checking receipts, they can spot items that the cashier forgot to ring up, or catch any products that may have been scanned more than once by mistake (saving you money and the energy of having to make a trip back to Costco to query it). One employee confirmed that if a person is suspected of stealing, they would usually be approached long before they make it to the receipt checking stage.

Another Costco receipt checker noted on Reddit that they also have to hit a certain target when it comes to door audits. So, next time, if you get stopped for a receipt check, take a deep breath and remember that everyone is just doing their job, and that it might even benefit you in the long run.

For some, visiting a new Costco shop when they go on a trip is a must-do activity. For others, checking out a new store is more of a need than a want. If you're out of town and you need to stock up, sometimes only Costco will do. But one thing to bear in mind when you're visiting a new Costco branch is that it might not operate in exactly the same way you're used to.

Even little things, like how much of your cart needs to be loaded on the conveyor belt, or whether you need to scan in when you enter, can be different depending on location. Some are stricter than others. For example, in July 2024, after a membership crackdown, one shopper recalled being stopped multiple times by the staff to check their membership details. Others say that Costco stores near them are more relaxed and let people through without a membership if they say they're interested in buying a membership, or they're just heading to the food court or one of Costco's optical centers.

Sometimes, state rules can dictate who can get into Costco. For example, in several U.S. states, including Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas, and California, customers can enter a store without a membership to buy certain items like alcohol and tobacco.

In some stores, if you can't find a specific item that you're after, you can ask employees to double-check if they have more in the stock room. Sometimes, you're lucky, and an employee will find inventory that just hasn't made it out onto the shop floor yet. This will not happen in Costco, because what you see is what you get. There isn't another space out the back for them to store more items. However, Costco staff can help you by checking to see when the item might come back into stock.

That said, Costco does have some extra space for items that aren't directly on the shelves in front of you. To find it, all you need to do is look up. Extra stock is sometimes kept in steel racks at the top of the warehouse. The stores also have docks where the stock arrives each day, and sometimes these docks get filled with products when there isn't room in the steel racks. However, they are not specifically designed to be stock rooms. It also isn't a daily occurrence, and it doesn't happen in every store.

Some people head to Costco with one thing on their mind: Pizza. This food court classic has a loyal following, largely because it's more affordable than other chains and the portion sizes are generous. Costco food courts are generally incredibly efficient, and Costco pizzas can be assembled in under three minutes, but that doesn't mean that if you arrive on one of the store's busiest days, you won't have to wait a while to get your pie.

According to Costco employees, Thursday through Sunday are the busiest days for pizza in the food court. In fact, one worker said that on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, they expect to make at least 200 pizzas each day, but often it's even more than that. This is why, sometimes, on busy days, customers can wait up to around 45 minutes for a pizza. To avoid standing around, place your order before you do your shopping or just call ahead. And note that if it's a holiday or special occasion, wait times are likely to be longer. One Redditor explained that during Halloween celebration his location made around 850 pizzas, adding the info that other locations sold a whopping 1,500 pies.

In some stores, you'll find products with a variety of expiration dates on the same shelf. But this isn't usually the case at Costco. This is because Costco shelves are usually restocked every day, and everything that comes off of one pallet is going to have the same date. So if you're pulling off items from shelves, trying to find hidden ones at the back with a different expiration date, it's probably going to be a fruitless task. Side note: Costco employees are really fed up with customers who make a mess and don't clean up after themselves.

The same goes for Costco bakery items, though you might find some variety in this section. As one Costco employee noted on Reddit, you could find different dates on bread — one from that day and the other from the previous day. Apparently, this happens because the bread from the day before is still on sale.

Much like the pizza station, Costco's bakery has some loyal fans. Customers love everything from the cakes to the cookies (although some cookie flavors are better than others). But while some bakeries will serve your favorite baked goods hot, that's not the case at Costco.

This is because Costco packages its freshly baked items into enclosed boxes. To reduce the risk of mold, the temperature of the food must get below 80 degrees Fahrenheit before it makes it to the shelf for you to buy. If food was packaged hot and then enclosed, the condensation wouldn't have anywhere to go. It would get stuck inside the container that would become humid and moist, creating ideal conditions for mold to grow.

That said, if you're after warm bread, you might find it at Costco. This is because the bread packaging has holes in it for the condensation to escape. So, if you've been wasting your time and hanging around waiting for a warm, fresh batch of croissants or bagels to appear on the shelves at Costco, you can now get on with your shopping. It's never going to happen, and that's a good thing.

If you're a Costco regular, you'll know that the warehouse store isn't afraid of running a sale or two. In fact, some customers have been watching and observing Costco's pattern, and they patiently wait until their go-to items are discounted before they pick them up. Apparently, things that regularly go on sale include detergents, cleaning wipes, protein powder, potstickers, sausages, and Gatorade.

But what customers may not know is that, actually, most items in the store will be discounted at some point. According to an employee, if you're not desperate for a particular item, it's always worth waiting a few weeks before you purchase to see if the price will be reduced. Apparently, the warehouse chain tends to rotate the brands that go on sale on a monthly basis.

Want another handy sale-related tip? It seems that the best discounts usually appear after the holiday season in January. This is because the store often gets an influx of returns after the holidays. As long as they're in good condition, these returned items will go back to the shelves at a heavily discounted price.

Let's be honest, we're not all patient people. While some may be able to hang around to see if their favorite item gets discounted, others need more information. If only there was a secret code that could help them figure it out. Oh wait, that is actually a thing.

According to former Costco employees, the key is to look very closely at Costco price tags. If a price ends in .99 cents, this apparently indicates that it's a regular wholesale price, and there is a chance that the item will be reduced. If it ends in .97 cents, it's time to either buy or cut your losses, as this means the product has already been discounted, and the price will not be slashed again.

There's more. If the price ends in .00, this usually means that the manager of that specific Costco store has decided to reduce the price of a specific product for clearance purposes. Basically, don't expect to find that same product discounted at another location. We're not done yet. If an item ends in the number nine (not .99 cents, but say .89 cents or .79 cents), this means it's a special offer directly from the brand.

Aside from numbers, there's another thing you need to look out for on Costco's price tags. Former employees say that if Costco's price tag has an asterisk, this means the product is about to be discontinued. Usually, this star, nicknamed the as the death star, is located in the upper-right corner. 

But, if you see this star on your favorite item, it's not always totally bad news. The product is being discontinued, sure, but it may just be a temporary situation, and the item could come back in stock at some point in the future. If you want more information on a product with a star, you can always ask the staff for more details, and they may be able to share if it's being permanently discontinued or not. If it is, maybe consider bulk buying as soon as possible.

Like many retailers, Costco tends to place some of its most expensive items at the entrance. There is a very simple reason for this: You haven't bought anything yet, so you're more likely to put a more expensive product in your cart. That's why, if you came to Costco to save money, the best thing to do is to walk right past those temptation items, and just straight to the aisles.

However, you will most likely have to browse through many aisles until you get to the item you want. This is because the aisles are arranged in such a way to encourage customers to browse more. After all, the chain wants you to spend more time in its stores, picking up more items and spending more money. The best way how not to fall into the trap is to research where the items you want are located. If you're not there to browse, go straight to the items you need, grab those, and then leave. Mission accomplished.