The 7 Best And 7 Worst Costco Locations In The US, According To Reviews

Costco is at the center of many Americans' shopping lives. The warehouse chain may have almost a thousand locations across more than a dozen countries worldwide — from the U.K. to Japan, Mexico to New Zealand — but the third-largest retailer on Earth has its biggest cultural footprint in its home country. Whether it's groceries, appliances, furniture, or gasoline, its shoppers are buying.

According to Statista, Costco's customer satisfaction index store is 81 out of 100, meaning that the members-only warehouse giant has a pretty happy consumer base. With that said, folks always have strong opinions when it comes to their shopping. And with a lot of the country's population having access to multiple local Costcos, favorites will emerge. As will locations that are, let's say, less than adored.

What makes a great Costco? A number of factors. Same for what makes a bad Costco. It generally has to do with some combination of store organization, inventory selection, shopping flow, customer service, parking, and miscellaneous consumer touchstones. All of which is expressed in the internet's review-o-sphere. According to that vortex of opinion, here are the best and worst Costco locations in the U.S.

Let's start things off with a banger. Or rather, a location that makes many Costco shoppers bang their heads against a wall. That can happen at a location where one Yelp reviewer says just "finding a shopping cart is like hunting," setting you up for a shopping experience that's akin to surviving a helmet-less football game from the 1920s, according to commentors.

The Costco in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn has a 2.8 rating from over 400 reviews on Yelp – and that might be one of the better reflections of its customer (un)satisfaction. Eternally crazy-busy (it's the only Costco in the over 2.7 million-strong borough), and with a parking lot that's been compared to a combat zone, shoppers want to spend as little time there as possible. That's the polar opposite of many Costco shopping experiences in the America.

This hellish Costco has received widespread infamy for its living hell-ness. Customers are happy driving almost an hour out of their way to hit up the more blood-pressure-friendly store in Long Island. Brooklyn is an amazing place. This Costco, which has been described as "the worst Costco in the world" on Reddit, not so much.

When it comes to customer appreciation for a particular Costco, parking goes a long way. When people can leave their cars easily and without hassle, they walk into the store lacking frustration or added stress in their bones. Win for everyone. However, sometimes a store doesn't have the setup for good parking, be it a physical location's limits or bad corporate design or whatnot. Sometimes, however, a store gets it very right.

Welcome to the Costco in Coralville, Iowa. In the early 2010s, Costco repurposed a large refrigerator distribution center into a covered parking lot for its new Coralville outpost. The giant indoor parking space has since become a hit with its regular shoppers. Nicknamed the "Costco cave" by an enthusiastic patron on Reddit, Coralville consumers are thrilled about avoiding the elements when pulling in for their bulk grocery trips. 

The covered compound is so big (along with the large store itself and its tire shop) it actually feels like a little indoor town. Add to the fact that the location has caring, helpful staff that keeps the store flowing and the checkout lines moving, even when busy, and you've got a top-notch Costco.

Be wary of border-town Costcos. You're not only getting the typical crowds of American residents, you're getting the influx of day-tripping visitors coming over the line for steals and deals — adding to the already-expected glut. 

Bellingham, Washington sits about 20 miles from the Canadian border. It has a gas station, so Canadians are zipping down for cheap gas. But they're not stopping there, oh no. Nor is anyone else in an around the town, seemingly. As a result, this location seems to be busy all the time — even when it shouldn't be busy. Doesn't matter if it's raining midweek the day after a Canadian holiday. Which just baffles regulars, as it's a store that's immune to Costco hacks for avoiding crowds. 

As one Redditor put it, the best time to go to the Bellingham, WA store is to go to the Burlington, WA store – a secret that others don't want to get out. Probably a tough location to apply the cost-saving Costco strategy of starting in the middle of the store to shop. Since you probably can't even make it there.

When Brigham Young led his flock of fledgling Mormons into the Great Salt Lake Valley to found a new city based on their religious principles, he probably envisioned many things. Chances are that one of those things was not for Salt Lake City to have the largest Costco in the entire world. Mainly because Brigham Young was already dead for a hundred-plus years before the first Costco opened. Also, Mormons had bigger things on their mind than bulk wholesale goods.

But lo and behold, in 2015 Costco combined a business center with the already existing consumer warehouse to create this absolute behemoth in Utah's capital. It's sheer size — 235,000 square feet in total — makes for some interesting tidbits. First off, you can get a map of the store when you walk in, like it's a nature reserve or something. Also, simply walking calmly around the perimeter of the store will burn off an estimated 30 calories.

What does this all mean for inventory? Well, more and bigger. Whole lambs and pigs take up the freezer space, and there can be more than double the inventory of other Costcos housed inside. For some, it's so big it can even be intimidating. Others will go to simply walk off a meal and take it all in without buying a single item.

What is the opposite of a superlative? Whatever it is, customers are in plenty of supply when it comes to describing the Costco in Marina Del Rey. The seaside community next to Venice Beach in Los Angeles has caught many an ire of locals who just want to get what they need without suffering an anger-inducing aneurysm.

Swarming with bodies and packed in tight, the location has been called , in turns, "a nightmare," "miserable," and "insane" — and that's just one Google reviewer. There are many who agree. The awfulness starts in the parking lot, which has been compared to a game of whack-a-mole. Or does it start at the gas station, where car lines can go 10-deep? Doesn't help that it shares its lot with an In-n-Out (a misnomer in this location). All told, chaos seems to be the overriding theme here.

The food court apparently has a special place of contempt in people's hearts too. Enough for that alone to deem this Costco the worst to visit anywhere, at least by one online complainant. Everything from poor customer service to chicken with a feather still on it has been reported. To be this bad, it almost has to be on purpose.

New Jersey is not only the densest state in the union, it's also a panoply of suburbs and highways. This combination makes for prime Costco country, with 22 Costcos peppered throughout a state that may only take you a couple hours to drive through from beginning to end.

So, where's the best Costco in a region with plenty of them? By consensus, from both publications and customers, it seems to be the Edison location. It's not only one of just two Costcos in the Garden State to sell liquor (the other being in Wayne), it has a large selection of locally sourced fresh produce, a great bakery, and fantastic deals on the alcohol itself — even drawing people from outside Jersey to buy their booze.

Another bonus: Even though it gets extremely busy (because of everything mentioned above), the store seems to be run well and checkout is efficient, with great customer service to boot. One Google reviewer even declared it a "shopper's paradise."

We're back to Cali for this entry. This time we're heading north-ish to the Sacramento metro area. The Roseville location off I-80 is in a prime spot to get absolutely mobbed — and it often is, especially by folks coming to and from Lake Tahoe. So much so that, according to Reddit, employees of the store nicknamed it "the monster" for the sheer, record-breaking volume of sales figures.

This mass of consumerdom seems to be have rubbed the staff the wrong way as well. Reviewers have harped on the rudeness of both workers and management. Heck, you might even get screamed at apparently. Even screamed at after getting product dropped onto your foot. It can get so bad that even customers using self-checkout are getting a dose of attitude. Not a good look.

Also, the store seems to lack quality inventory. Moldy fruit, expired supplements, unappetizing rotisserie chicken, and mis-stocked seafood seem to be just a few of the problems on the shelves and in the kitchens. You might not want to bother ranking this Costco's food court items.

When 5,000 Costco customers (a group naturally filled with opinions and happy to give notes) are surveyed in-depth and by category by FinanceBuzz, you can probably trust the results. One of those at the very top was the Costco location in the northwest suburbs of Indianapolis, in Fortune Park. As per the comprehensive poll, the store scored at least a 9 out of 10 in friendliness, inventory, cleanliness, and the quality of the samples.

As far as what customers on the ground specifically had to say about this particular Circle City location: They agree, especially in terms of customer service. According to them, employees can have the kindest of hearts, they're willing to do anything they can to help out a customer, and they're generally unfazed by the often large crowds and lengthy checkout lines.

Unsurprisingly, folks have no problem going well out of their way to shop at this one. And even the deals on high-end alcohol have patrons happily spreading the word. Midwest warmth, discount quality booze, a wide variety of products, and spotless presentation? Not only is Indy an underrated food city, it's an underrated Costco city as well. 

You're in paradise. You're taking in the natural beauty, ocean air, sunny breezes, and easy vibes of an island Eden. You're in Hawaii, and you're ready to chill out to the bone. Ah, you forgot something though. You have to pick up some groceries. No big deal. You're in Honolulu. There are four Costcos on Oahu alone. How bad could going to one be?

If you chose the one in Iwilei, friend, then you chose wrong. Or rather, you chose the single busiest Costco in the world. Yes, as in planet Earth. With a teeming entrance that has been declared theme park-like and revenue that is nearly double the average store, you're in for a very intense, very non-utopian experience.

Okay, it is dog-friendly. That part's cool. But people-conducive? Eh. Nightmare parking, crowds that will make you furious, lines spilling out into traffic, and wait times that send people to Sam's Club. As one local Google reviewer put it: It's "not for the faint of heart". Isn't a tropical vacation supposed to be an escape?

Salt Lake City has the biggest Costco store in the world; Juneau, Alaska has the world's smallest Costco. But you'd be hard-pressed to find an Alaskan that would prefer the former over the latter, despite this location's relatively diminutive size (only about half your average Costco). Alaska, after all, only has a population density of a little over one person per square mile. That means, on average, if you want to borrow milk from your neighbor, you have to walk a good few minutes there and back to do so, while fighting a Kodiak bear (that part might not be true).

And although this Costco lacks some regular components, like a bakery or food court pizza, locals seem to be able to get everything they need — including bear spray (see??) and generators. And the compact size of the location, combined with the local necessities, even makes for a fun visit for out-of-towners, apparently.

Customers also love the stress-free parking, the helpful staff, and, yes, the quiet. And, of course, there's the stunning backdrop that anyone from anywhere can be blown away by. It makes you feel wonderfully small and allows you to fully embrace your insignificance. Kind of like this Costco does.

California is the birthplace of the Costco company. It currently has the most Costcos of any state, at 144. But quality seems to have escaped The Golden State when it comes to its homegrown warehouse retailer. The Alhambra location, less than 10 miles from downtown LA, is the third Cali locale to feature on this list. And it's not because the state is being picked on. It's just what the people feel.

Those people will go, not one, not two, but three cities over to simply avoid shopping at this Costco. Even people living down the block will go elsewhere, purely driven by their hatred of it. And, as is the case with many a busy California establishment — not just Costco — parking is an absolute misadventure. With repulsed would-be shoppers referring to the parking situation as, let's just say, a performance centered on fecal matter (you can do your own profanity math).

And wait, there's more. The store has caused Costco customers to lose complete trust in the company, feel nothing but disdain from the equally tormented employees, and fume over the horrendous layout that seems to want to give you agita. Good thing there's a lot of choices when it comes to California Costcos. And they probably all have plenty of grocery options for under 10 bucks, or air conditioners, or avocados. 

For the folks in and around Atlanta who are either over the other 15 or so Costcos in the metropolitan area, or just want to go to a Costco that's been awesome for a very long time, there is the Cumming location. Georgia itself has some of the highest rated Costco's in the nation, so a highly regarded outpost in The Peach State is truly elite.

According to one delighted Google reviewer (who seems to represent a larger sentiment), the space is enormous, and there's "ample parking." Plus, at least to her, the gas station was a perfect distance from the store itself (got to be a plus, right?). 

Another adamant shopper felt the need to single out an outstanding employee who was seemingly lifting people out of low moods with his positive attitude. In fact, it seems the staff in general are a beacon of friendliness, even making up for some customers' despiriting, Atlanta-area commutes. Kindness goes a long way. It's wonderful this place realizes that.

Poring over many Reddit, Yelp, and Google reviews, general internet commentary, and a select number of respectable articles, I gathered a consensus about both the best and worst Costcos in the country. I say "a" consensus and not "the" consensus because — with Costco permeating so much of this country — you can't possibly find a singular, definitive ranking of either the most loved or most despised stores in the U.S. It's so subjective and localized that it's impossible. 

But, hey, you give it a go, and you dig in. It both hurt and helped that many of the aspects which defined either a good or bad Costco were boiled down to a shared handful: namely parking, accessibility, parking, customer service, parking, inventory selection, parking, the food court, parking, checkout efficiency, parking, 10-pound chocolate bunny availability, and parking.