6 Changes Costco Has Planned For 2026

In addition to its low prices and must-have grocery items you'll find at pretty much every one of its stores, Costco is also well-known for staying ahead of the curve in many ways. Case in point — the ephemeral grocery items that can only be found in some locations, and regular updates to perks like this year's introduction of early shopping hours for Executive Members. This strategy of adapting and testing new ideas while remaining dependable seems to be working for the company, with its own reports showing a whopping 8.1% rise in net sales in 2025. So it's no surprise this strategy is set to remain at the center of Costco operations as we move into 2026.

The beloved budget grocery brand tends to keep changes like new product launches in its flagship Kirkland Signature line under wraps, but management has revealed several other plans for 2026, or at least hinted at them. Changes include new stores and continued international growth, overhauls to the chain's online presence, and a few sourcing updates that will hopefully keep prices low for Costco shoppers as inflation continues to hit grocery prices across the United States. Overall, it looks like it's going to be a good year for Costco members –- and for the supermarket's employees, too.

Next year, Costco will open 28 new warehouses across the U.S. and major international markets. "Next year's openings will be a good mix, with some infills in established markets, and we still have some opportunities in some new markets," CEO Ron Vachris said during an earnings call. So if you're in an existing Costco market but don't have a store in your own town, cross your fingers — 2026 could be your year. 

Costco originally planned to open more than 30 new locations in 2026, but the company revised its numbers after some construction delays in Spain. However, Costco plans to open more than 30 sites each year for the foreseeable future as part of a wider $6.5 billion expansion strategy.

Other international expansion plans are moving ahead, including a more than 200,000-square-foot store in Monterrey, Mexico, in 2026 — the largest Costco warehouse in Latin America. The southern neighbor of the U.S. has long been a strong market for Costco, and enthusiasm for the big box style store doesn't seem to be slowing down. The food court (or Fuente de Sodas) might be a little different, but Mexican families flock to stores every weekend just like American families. In fact, there's so much enthusiasm that additional stores are planned in Mexico City, Puebla, and Queretaro beyond 2026. 

While more than two dozen new store openings are planned, several more will see either relocations or remodels in 2026. While exact details for these aren't yet public knowledge, CEO Ron Vachris mentioned during the recent earnings call that the company plans to add more Costco gas stations, expand parking lots, or relocate stores to new spots with larger lots.

The CEO also spoke positively of new prescan technology that has been tested in select U.S. stores over the last few months. Initial results found that prescan technology can increase checkout speeds up to 20%. This tool allows Costco employees to scan items in customers' shopping carts before presenting their membership cards to the cashier. Dedicated pre-check lines and registers will no doubt be part of remodel plans. While shopping at Costco during quiet times and avoiding crowds is the dream, it isn't always possible, so we're looking forward to wider access to the new system.

Costco is focusing on developing its digital strategy in 2026 and has begun tracking sales driven by digital channels. Small changes implemented throughout 2025, including passwordless sign-in, will be built upon next year as the company rolls out more targeted digital communications plans, including more personalized app experiences. When we ranked grocery store apps, Costco's wasn't a favorite, so hopefully a renewed focus on technology will lead to improvements.

If you join Costco online, you may be nudged toward auto-renewing your membership, too. The company expects a small drop in renewal rates overall, since customers who sign up online are less likely to renew their memberships than those who purchase in person. Although renewal rates are still very high at Costco at 90%, these rates may slightly drop over the next year, as trends show more first-time customers are signing up digitally. This is a problem management is tackling head-on as online memberships become a larger part of the mix. Auto-renewal offers its own set of pretty good perks — after all, no one wants to stand in an extra line at Costco.

More Kirkland products will be sourced locally in 2026 and beyond. This change is part of a strategy to cut the company's carbon footprint and minimize the impact of tariffs and other rising costs. Costco adjusted supply chains in international markets like Mexico and Canada to avoid tariff exposure during 2025, and the company plans to build on these successful efforts in 2026. The brand already has several regional buyers across the U.S. who source local and specialty products, so this move is simply an expansion of an existing approach.

Kirkland products for international markets are often sourced or made as close to their intended point of sale as possible, minimizing both transport costs and environmental impact. All of this is part of the magic mix that keeps the Kirkland Signature Brand so cheap, and should allow the company to continue offering staples at low, inflation-busting prices into 2026.

Anyone who appreciates the help of warehouse staff during Costco's busiest hours will be pleased to hear that in-store employees are getting a raise. As part of the same agreement that netted them salary increases in 2025, the grocery store's staff will see their hourly pay grow by 50 cents to $1 in March 2026, with another equal increase a year later. This means the lowest-paid clerks across U.S. Costco stores will soon make $21 per hour, while the highest-paid clerks who sit at the very top of the retailer's hourly pay scale will make more than $32 hourly.

The agreement also includes additional vacation hours for top-of-scale employees, along with immediate access to time off for new employees. All workers covered by the contract will be part of a clear pay scale with a path to advancement in the business. Is it just me who's wondering if all those new stores opening will mean there are jobs available at Costco?

After disappointing Pepsi fans when Costco food courts switched back to Coke, there's more divisive dining news on the horizon. That beloved Costco Food Court classic, the hot dog and soda deal, will be a little harder to come by in some locations, at least for anyone who isn't a Costco member. Although the warehouse store technically closed its food courts to non-members in 2020, the rule wasn't heavily enforced.

In 2024, some Costco locations began asking for customers' membership cards at the food court, although this strategy relied on Costco staff who were willing to follow a rule that likely hurt efficiency at the busy food court windows. At the same time, the business began installing self-serve kiosks where customers have to scan their cards to order. Costco is planning to expand the rollout of these booths and digital scanners in 2026, and they will soon be used even if you plan to pay cash at one of the dwindling register windows. The forgetful among us can breathe easy, however, as the scanners should accept both digital and physical cards. This is all part of the wider push to make Costco membership feel more valuable, ensuring that non-members can't access the perks that make the annual fee worth it.