#costco

#costco

Every time you walk out of Costco with that perfectly golden $4.99 rotisserie chicken, you've just helped them lose money. That's right - Costco's CFO stated in 2015 that Costco loses between $30 to $40 million annually on their famous rotisserie chickens. Yet somehow, this wholesale giant continues to thrive, with net sales reaching $249.6 billion in fiscal 2024. What's going on here?

There's the planning of the trip - figuring out what you're doing, how you'll get there, and where you'll stay - and then there's packing for it. From tracking down travel-size toiletries to figuring out which clothes you're actually going to wear, there's a lot to figure out, but even the perfect packing list won't be useful if you don't have a good bag to put it all in.

I've shopped at Costco for over 10 years, so I know a lot of the rookie mistakes to avoid. Knowing how to read the chain's price tags can help you make smarter purchasing decisions. Costco often has great deals on restaurant gift-card packs and its house-label products.

Costco Wholesale Corp ( NASDAQ:COST) just reported something remarkable: a 92.3% renewal rate in the US and Canada, with 89.8% worldwide. That's not just a metric. It's the entire business model distilled into two numbers. Most retailers live and die by comparable sales or margin expansion. Costco's stickiness lives in membership renewal. When nine out of ten customers voluntarily write another check each year, you've built something Amazon.com Inc ( NASDAQ:AMZN) and Walmart Inc ( NYSE:WMT) can't easily replicate.

Frank G's Hole in the Wall Meatballs & Marinara Sauce retail for $13.99 for a package of about nine meatballs, while the Kirkland Signature Italian Meatballs are around $25 for a six-pound bag. Frank G's are made with beef and veal for a richer, more complex flavor, and they don't contain preservatives or any artificial ingredients or flavors. The marinara sauce is homemade from Italian tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, onions, garlic, and basil.

It's always a good day when a new Costco bakery item makes its way onto store shelves, and fans of Costco's semi-recent, first-of-its-kind mini chocolate hazelnut-filled beignets are in luck. A mini caramel-filled beignet was quietly released this week, and shoppers are already obsessed and running to their local stores. These sweet dough balls were a hit from the start.

Costco sells over 100 million of these $4.99 chickens every year, a fact which is kind of self-explanatory. You can't buy an uncooked chicken for that price, let alone a tasty, rotisserie one that's ready to eat. Costco sells these as a loss leader to get customers in the door, but they are advertised as being free from certain additives.

The warehouse retailer won't accept returns on beer, wine, or spirits "where prohibited by law," according to their official policy. This catches plenty of shoppers by surprise, especially those buying in bulk for occasions like weddings or big parties, only to realize a bit too late that they bought more than they needed. Reddit is full of stories from frustrated couples who discovered this too late. One California bride bought cases of beer and wine for her wedding, only to have staff turn her husband away at returns when guests drank less than expected.

One of Costco's biggest ways to save doesn't involve setting foot inside a warehouse. The wholesale club has been selling gasoline since 1995, and many US warehouses now have pumps for members to top up. The company is even set to open its first-ever stand-alone gas station in California this year. The savings make gasoline one of the biggest ways shoppers say their annual membership fee basically pays for itself.

There are many reasons to love Costco. Their bakery is always pumping out new, delicious treats - like this new ridiculously delicious triple chocolate loaf - you can always try plenty of yummy samples, and their bulk pricing system seriously cannot be beat. But one complaint many Costco shoppers agree on is the warehouse's signage, or lack thereof. Someone else wrote that this design takes you on "a magical mystery tour of things you don't need but suddenly want." Many agreed.

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.

Whether you're feeding a large family, prefer the cost savings of buying in bulk, or are just super into kitchen organization, there's a good chance you're part of the coveted Costco cardholder club. And, while your first ever trip into the warehouse might have you feeling like a kid in a candy store, that glee may evaporate once you ask the inevitable question that plagues all Costco customers eventually: "Where the heck am I going to store all this food?"

If you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner option that makes you feel like you've ducked into a proper English pub, Costco's frozen seafood section has a sneaky good option. It's the wild caught Neptune Pub Style Lightly Battered Halibut. This crispy, partially cooked halibut is sold in two-pound boxes and can be oven-baked in 20 minutes or deep-fried in 5 minutes.

Frozen food is always an option during these moments, but sometimes, frozen food tastes, well, frozen. Luckily, there are some frozen foods out there that actually do come close to tasting homemade, and these products are ones that we love to keep stashed in our freezers for the times when we're too busy to make our favorite dishes from scratch.

Working from home has become commonplace, and having the proper equipment around your home workspace can be the difference between an inviting workday and an uncomfortable slog through your daily tasks. Readily available are gadgets that make working from home easier, as well as gadgets to boost productivity when working from home. They range from ergonomic furniture to electronics you can put to use on a daily basis.

The Costco subreddit r/costco has nearly 2 million weekly visitors, and one of the most frequently debated issues among members is Costco's selection of freezers. Devoted shoppers routinely recommend garage and home freezers to others, and customers regularly ask for advice on which size or model to purchase. In fact, among all of the major kitchen appliances you can buy at Costco, the store's chest and upright freezers are often recommended.

Costco rolled out a new prepared food item at the beginning of January 2026, and some members are not impressed. Its pesto pasta salad features Trottole pasta, arugula, mozzarella pearls, and slow-roasted tomatoes dressed with Kirkland Signature basil pesto. Its hefty price tag of $5.99 a pound is leading some Costco shoppers to think this new prepared food is a total ripoff for how bland the salad is.

As a longtime Costco employee, I always look forward to scanning the shelves for new items. This month, the warehouse has lots of great products, from elegant furniture to tasty treats. The Touchland hand sanitizers, Canon Rebel T7 camera, and Tutti Bella pizzas all caught my eye. A new year means new opportunities to find great new items at Costco. And as an employee of 20 years, I love that I'm always able to get a front-row seat to the newest products.

For many of us, organization is the final boss in getting our kitchen set up the way we want. Creating a harmonious flow and ensuring easy access in a clean, organized space can be difficult. Luckily, there are solutions, and one of the best comes from Costco. The iDesign kitchen bins sold by the retailer can be used in the fridge or the pantry. They don't have any bells or whistles. They offer simple, clean organization, and the results are hard to beat.

Costco always has its fair share of incredible desserts that customers love, like the luxuriously layered tuxedo mousse cake or classic seasonal pumpkin pie. So, it's always alluring when the company brings out a new player. You never know if it'll be a hit or a flop. When I saw videos online a couple of days ago announcing that Costco had a new sweet in its arsenal - the chocolate brownie walnut pie - I immediately looked to see if my closest store had it.

With items including a new variety pack from Liquid Death, plant-based Greek style yogurt from Forager Project, crispy edamame snacks, fan-favorite popsicles, and much more, there's no better time to do a little "treasure hunt" style shopping at Costco.

When the doors open, we move toward the entrance in an orderly march. There's a small gasp upon entry-the kind of quiet awe that one feels before the most epic human achievements, as when stepping across the threshold of St. Peter's or the Chartres Cathedral. But in this place, there is no baroque majesty, no stained glass, just abundance bathed in light.

As a dietitian and devoted follower of the Mediterranean diet, my love for Costco runs deep. An eating pattern rooted in fresh, whole foods, and a warehouse store famous for its bulk buys may seem like an odd pairing, but hear me out. The Mediterranean diet is all about nutrient-dense staples like olive oil, nuts, whole grains, legumes, fresh produce, lean proteins, and other heart-healthy fats.

I've worked at Costco for 20 years, and always love browsing the aisles for the best new items. One of the best things I bought there this year was the Odessa lift-top vanity. I'm glad I bought the Shark CryoGlow mask, designer fragrances, and Oikos vanilla protein shakes.

On a Reddit thread on espresso, a poster noted that due to a recent formula change and the removal of an emulsifier, the Kirkland oat milk no longer froths. Several commenters also noted recent difficulties using the oat milk in their coffee, with one noting that "this was my main use of the Kirkland oat milk. Never buying that again, I guess".

Yeast rolls are fairly simple and often overlooked at the dinner table, but the warehouse chain's version remains one discontinued Costco bakery item that fans desperately miss. The convenience of a ready-made roll with just the right taste, texture, and density was invaluable to shoppers. Moreover, at a price point of less than $5 for a 36-count bag, it was easy to make quick use of so much delicious bread.

"Giving away apples is like giving away white bread," they told TheStreet. "It's fine, I guess, but not very interesting. It's certainly not going to get me to do anything different."