Costco Just Made a Big Change to Its Food Court That Has Fans Divided

Member or not, it's a change you need to know about.

There are few fandoms more fierce than that of Costco. From repping Kirkland Signature merch to tracking down suppliers to clearing shelves of the snacks they love, Costco customers are in a league of their own. And perhaps the most intense support is expressed for none other than the home of the famous $1.50 hot dog: the Costco food court (which should come as no surprise considering Costco's founder Jim Sinegal once allegedly told a new CEO who suggested raising the price of said hot dog, "If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you.")

Whether they're scoping out new menu items or finding ways to hack the old standbys, it's clear that Costco fans care a lot about the food court. One scroll through the /Costco Reddit forum will confirm that. That's why the latest Reddit post concerning who can patronize the Costco food court is garnering thousands of comments. Here's what you need to know.

Costco Is Changing Who Can Use the Food Court

According to a post on Reddit, the user discovered a sign in their local Costco warehouse that announced new restrictions to the food court and who could patronize it. The sign read, "Effective April 8, 2024, an active Costco membership card will be required to purchase items from our food court."

This is the latest in a string of Costco policy crackdowns that have tried to combat social media trends sharing how to shop the warehouse store without a membership. The most recent policy change shared to Reddit in January saw customers being stopped at the door to "check-in" or scan their membership cards.

With that policy in place, it would make sense to assume that everyone shopping at the food court would be a member. Even so, Costco apparently still feels the need to designate this restriction.

And while the stricter policies have riled up plenty of Costco fans, this one has some fans celebrating for once. Many Reddit commenters were on board if it meant faster lines, more open tables, and the ability to keep the prices low. "If that keeps the pizzas $10 I’m good with it," wrote one. The most frequent comment, though, was people shocked that this wasn't already an official policy.

According to one commenter, at Costco warehouses in Hawaii card-checking at the food court was always the policy since food courts at those locations are typically outside the store. Others claim this wasn't a policy at all before in their states, and is a new (and for some, unwelcome) addition. Either way, it appears that the rule is now officially being extended to all warehouses come April.

Washington's Fox 5 station reported on the story, reiterating the food court will now be "off limits to people who would just come in to eat and not do any actual shopping in the store."

All others seeking a can't-be-beat deal on hot dogs are going to have to take their business to Sam's Club, where the food court is still accessible to both members and non-members.

Read the original article on All Recipes.