What Happens When You Reach 40 Years As A Costco Member

Modern life in Middle America is punctuated by two gilded milestones: a 50th wedding anniversary and a 40-year Costco membership. It's no surprise that the discount warehouse, where even individual Costco locations celebrate store anniversaries with special cakes, doesn't let 40 years of Costco membership go unnoticed. For the more than 145 million cardholders, four decades of loyalty comes with a commemorative, ultra-exclusive card. 

In a Reddit thread, posters shared that they received gold cards with the words "40+ Year Member" in the mail upon reaching the milestone. The shipment may be preceded by a heads-up: One Costco shopper on Reddit said they received an email from Costco letting them know their 40+ Year membership card would be coming in the mail soon. This anniversary card is a little-known Costco membership perk; Gold Star members receive gold-hued cards for reaching 40 years, and Executive members receive black cards. 

Other apparent longtime shoppers shared more or less ceremonious experiences. "Greeter called us out loudly, thanking us for our 41 years," wrote one Redditor. Others also mentioned that after 25 years, they received a fancy-looking seal on their mobile app — a subtle emblem that can pass unnoticed. One shopper said, "I didn't even know we'd been members for 25 years until the door person said, 'Thank you for being members for 25 years.' Makes me feel old!" 

While exact pomp and circumstance seems to vary somewhat from one customer to the next, members won't experience any in-store changes after hitting the 40-year mark. Beyond perhaps an enthusiastic recognition by a cashier, 40-year Costco members get no additional benefits beyond the cosmetically different card and a written acknowledgement. 

Still, judging by the current U.S. renewal rate of more than 90%, many longtime customers might argue that a Costco membership already comes with major savings. Folks need a membership in order to shop at Costco, and by following the Costco membership rules, shoppers can access discounts on bulk groceries, low gas prices, and that food court with the chicken bake. It even comes with reduced prices for travel, automobile care, health and vision insurance, medications, and more.

Also worth noting is the fact that 40 years ago was 1986. Ronald Reagan was president, Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" and Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" dominated radio airwaves, and a gallon of gas cost less than a dollar (even for non-Costco shoppers). The '80s were also when Costco first began selling products to individuals, not just to small businesses, making today's 40-year members the first wave of customers to step into this actualized tier.