Because not everyone can be an expert, we spoke to frequent Costco shoppers to get their best tips
13 Costco Tips Frequent Shoppers Keep to Themselves
Updated on Jun. 04, 2025
Look out for Groupon specials
If you’re not sure you’re ready to commit to a full-priced Costco membership, wait for one to go on sale. The warehouse partners with Groupon about once a year to provide discounted Gold Star memberships. This year’s deal included $20 in Costco Cash and $65 in coupons. The memberships sell quickly though, so set up a Google alert for “Costco” and “Groupon” to make sure you get first dibs.
Choose wisely between memberships
Once you commit to purchasing a Costco membership, you’ll need to decide which tier of membership you’d like to buy: gold star ($60 a year) or executive ($120 a year). The most exciting perk that comes with the executive membership is that it gets you 2% cash back annually. That means you’ll have to spend $3,000 a year to make the card pay for itself, so if you have a smaller family or don’t plan on going that often, the gold star might be the right membership for you.
Ask for a chub of beef
One of the most important things frequent shoppers know about Costco is that it pays to ask for what you want. Often, the butcher and bakery workers are happy to see what they can do. This works for getting cheap ground beef too. “For extra lean (and cheap) ground beef, ask the meat department for a 10-lb. chub,” writes one Reddit user who works at the store. “We sell our regular ground beef (88/12 percent) for $3.49 a pound. The way we make it is we take our fat trimmings from cutting steaks and mix it with the chubs to bring up the fat content and increase our profits. The 10-lb. chubs are probably sitting around 5% to 8% fat and only cost $2.99 a pound! You’ll have to ask for these specifically, as we don’t normally put them out for sale.”
Buy alcohol without a membership
Many states prohibit any establishment from requiring membership to purchase alcohol. That includes Costco. Simply tell the storefront attendant you’re there to buy alcohol, and they should let you straight through. When you get to the checkout counter, you’ll have to tell that worker as well—but it will be worth it when you see the deal you’re getting. This only works if you live in one of the following states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas or Vermont.
Shop with a friend
Because the majority of savings you’ll achieve at Costco come from buying in bulk, it doesn’t hurt to go in on purchases with a shopping buddy. For example, the two of you could buy a duo of peanut butter and each take one home. Or combine shopping lists and split the bill—as well as the membership fee.
If you can’t find something, ask
One way Costco gets you to spend more is by consistently moving things around the store. After all, the more time you spend looking for something, the more opportunity for you to see other items you “need.” Get around this by simply asking where your favorite brands are located. “Things that don’t require refrigeration tend to get moved a ton,” writes one Reddit user. “So I would always ask before giving up or spending 45 minutes wandering around.”
But don’t ask a food demo person
We all know and love the food demonstrators and free samples at Costco. But when it comes to directions, look for a different employee to ask, as demonstrators aren’t allowed to leave their post and must consistently monitor their samples to answer any allergy-related questions.
Try a Costco Business Center
Wish you could do your shopping before work? You’re probably out of luck with most Costco Wholesale stores, which tend to open at 10 a.m. But if you live near a Costco Business Center you might have an easier time. These stores cater to business owners (although they’re open to everyone!) and open earlier, around 7 a.m. They’re also organized more straightforwardly, to cater to buyers who need to get in and out as fast as possible.
Take some ice to go
Forgot your insulated grocery bag at home and nervous that your perishables won’t survive the trip? It’s easy to DIY one. Simply fill a regular bag with ice from the Costco food court soda fountain. It’s totally allowed, says one Reddit user who works at the store.
Buy seasonal early
If you’ve made it your personal mission to never buy Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving, you might be out of luck when it comes to snagging deals on Costco’s ornaments and trees. “Our philosophy on the seasonal items is to be the first in, first out,” says Costco manager Robert Kyle. “We’ll be totally out of Christmas by mid-December. Our members are somewhat trained to know that if you see something, you should buy it.” The goal here, of course, is to have enough time to sell out the seasonal products completely in order to keep costs down.
Get first dibs on chicken
If you hear a bell sound near the Costco deli, that means fresh rotisserie chickens have just been put out. Better get there quick though, as they tend to sell out fast. And don’t worry: You’re never in danger of buying a chicken that’s been sitting out all day. Stores are required to remove them from the display after two hours.
Get the meat you want
Never finish an entire rotisserie chicken on your own? Ask the butcher to cut one into halves or quarters. Want a thicker cut of meat than what’s on display? Request that too. Whether the butcher is able to accommodate your request is likely dependent on how busy things are. But again: It never hurts to ask.
Shop on weekends for snacks
Because weekends are when the stores get the most foot traffic, that’s when you’ll find the most free food samples. However, if your goal is to avoid the crowds, try visiting just after the store opens, between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., or within 45 minutes of closing time on a weekday, longtime store manager Jon Van Guilder says.
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Sources:
- Reddit: “What food buys do Costco employees swear by?”
- Reddit: “Former Sam’s club member, new to Costco”
- Reddit: “I know Costco allows this but it’s still funny to me”
- Epicurious: “An Insider’s Guide to Shopping at Costco”
- Business Insider: “The Best Time of Day to Shop at Costco”
