For those who relish the thought of indulging in Costco’s famous $1.50 hot dog and soda combo but lack a membership, obtaining this beloved treat may soon prove challenging.
Presently, the accessibility of purchasing items from Costco’s food court menu without a membership card appears to vary by location. However, recent indications suggest that the warehouse giant may tighten its policy on this front.
A recent Reddit post featured a photo of an ominous sign spotted at a Costco in Orlando. The announcement forewarned food court patrons that soon, a membership card would be required for purchases.
“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 read.
While some Reddit users noted that membership cards have always been theoretically necessary for food court purchases, enforcement of this policy has historically been lax.
“I’m pretty sure it was mandatory but just not enforced before,” one person wrote.
Additionally, Washington D.C.’s Fox 5 recently reported on the impending food court policy change. According to the segment, the food court will be “off-limits to people who would just come in to eat and not do any actual shopping in the store.”
This shift in Costco’s membership policies adds to a series of recent changes. Notably, the warehouse stirred up controversy among customers when reports surfaced that they would begin testing a new policy requiring shoppers to scan their membership cards for entry.