A Costco executive confirmed earlier this month in an interview with Axios that some of its food courts will no longer be accessible to just anyone, citing overcrowding with non-members.
Richard Galanti, Costco’s chief financial officer, said that starting April 8, Costco locations that have outside food courts will require membership cards to buy a Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie, Chicken Bake or any other menu item.
“One of the challenges is that some of the food courts have gotten so busy, particularly if it’s near some office buildings or construction sites,” Galanti told Axios. “We were getting member complaints.”
Galanti added that this doesn’t apply to Costco locations that have indoor food courts, since membership is already checked at the door.
TODAY.com reached out to Costco for comment but did not immediately hear back.
On social media, Costco customers have been sharing photos of signs at their local stores — in Washington, California, Maryland and more — informing customers of the policy change.
“Effective April 8, 2024, an active Costco membership card will be required to purchase items from our food court,” reads a sign spotted in a Silver Spring, Maryland Costco by a Reddit user. “You can join today. Please see our membership counter for details.”
Costco has recently been cracking down on non-members sneaking into stores using shared membership cards. It also linked the introduction of self-checkout stations to an increase in card-sharing abuse.
The wholesale corporation offers two types of membership: The basic membership costs $60 for access to the store, and the Executive Membership costs $120 for 2% cash back on all purchases.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com