12 Reasons People No Longer Love Costco, According to Reddit

Costco is a great stop for savvy shoppers trying to save money on groceries or picking up home goods or clothes at affordable prices.

But not everyone is enamored of the warehouse retailer, and some former fans have decided that Costco isn’t what they want anymore.

So, what made folks fall out of love with Costco? Here are a few of the top reasons — can you relate?

Over the last few years, it's been hard to fight inflated grocery prices, but some Costco members don’t think the higher prices at Costco don’t necessarily mean you’re getting a great product.

One Redditor lamented that even though prices have gone up, they’ve found that the quality of things like food and household goods has gone down. “[P]roduce [and] meats are no longer the same quality,” they wrote. “And I can buy the same at local ethnic supermarkets cheaper value for the same quality, or better quality for the same price.”

Costco has a variety of items but limited shelf space for bulk purchases. So it can be frustrating “when I find something I want to keep purchasing only to see it no longer offered,” one Redditor said.

Some Redditors lamented the loss of drinks, clothing items, or frozen products they can no longer get from Costco to restock in their freezers.

Shoppers have found Costco’s app to be less than stellar when it comes to shopping and long for a few options that similar retailers offer.

One of the options Reddit shoppers said they wished they had was scan-and-go in the app, giving users the choice to scan items in the store as they shop to get an easy checkout.

Meanwhile, retailers like Sam’s Club and BJ’s do offer a scan-and-go option that Redditors like to use.

Costco used to allow non-members to stop by for lunch or grab a quick bite from the ever-popular food court.

Unfortunately, the retailer is cracking down on non-members snagging the $1.50 hot-dog-and-drink deal or a slice of pizza, so some Redditors have decided to skip the food court rather than shell out the cash for a membership.

“I don’t think non-members would be willing to pay for a membership just to keep getting a $1.50 hotdog/drink combo,” one Redditor said.

Costco is a popular destination for shoppers, but that also means it could be a little too crowded for some folks.

One Redditor called their local Costco a “miserable experience every time” and said they preferred their local Sam’s Club because it’s easier to shop there, and customers can get in and out quicker.

You might wander the aisles only to have someone step up and try and sell you a new cell phone contract or home upgrade.

It may not be a big deal if it only happens once or twice, but some Redditors are annoyed by constantly being approached by third-party vendors when they’re not interested in those services.

Costco has taken some items off its food court menu over the years, but none may be as missed as the combo pizza.

The pizza, packed with pepperoni, sausage, and veggies, was such a fan favorite that a Redditor who joked about its return as an April Fool’s prank was met with sadness and disdain from other posters who wanted it to be true.

Costco’s bulk buys may seem like a great option for saving a few extra bucks on the grocery bill, but then you have to find a place to store mountains of toilet paper and soda when you bring them home.

Some Redditors have lamented that they don’t shop at Costco anymore because they don’t have the room to store bulk items in their homes, like toilet paper and items that don’t fit in the pantry.

Costco is a great advantage when you’re buying items to feed a family of four, but it can be harder when you’re buying items just for yourself.

It may be fine if you’re buying non-perishables, but some Redditors said they can get similar deals at other stores when they’re shopping just for themselves.

Costco shoppers at different locations seem to have the same complaint: the parking lot.

Some shoppers complain about dangerous conditions for pedestrians or the time it takes to get into the lot and find a spot. “Why are Costco lots notoriously bad across the board?” one Redditor asked.

Check the aisles on your next visit, and you may notice that Costco doesn’t have the same product variety for different items as your local grocery stores. There just aren’t many options for staples like pasta sauce, yogurt, and drinks.

One Redditor simply said, “The variety isn’t there.”

You may be loyal to Costco, but compare the costs on your next visit with other stores to see if you get items for less money per unit.

Some Redditors even suggested switching to other retailers like Sam’s Club, where they found better deals than at their local Costco.

Costco may have some great options, but there are also reasons to ditch it if you aren’t in love with the retailer anymore.

It’s a good idea to check your budget and do some comparison shopping to find out if you actually save money at Costco or if the membership cost is even worth it.