13 Changes Costco Made That Customers Actually Loved

As the third-largest retailer in the world, with over 920 locations and 145 million members, Costco has to constantly keep changing and updating to remain relevant. However, those millions of Costco members tend to be pretty vocal about those changes and have even organized multiple Reddit and Facebook groups where they make their opinions known. Of course, unpopular changes tend to get a lot of attention, with disgruntled customers wondering, for example, "Why did Costco discontinue its beloved Polish hot dog?" (Spoiler: the chain wanted to make room on the menu and emphasize slightly healthier alternatives.)

But that doesn't mean that every change is greeted with customer anger. In fact, many of them are praised and even celebrated in those very online groups. So, we've assembled a list of those Costco changes that bypassed the criticism and prove that the retail chain can get a lot of things right. (Although, to be honest, I'm still miffed about losing that Polish sausage.) 

If you've eaten at a Costco, chances are you've tried the legendary hot dog combo, which gives customers a hot dog and soft drink for the low price of $1.50. It's a great bargain, keeps customers coming back to the store, and reinforces the chain's image as a source of value pricing (even though Costco loses money every time it sells a $1.50 hot dog). 

That combo has become a Costco staple and stayed at the same price and value for more than 40 years, until 2026 when Costco decided to update it by adding an option to swap out the soft drink for bottled water. Now, added flexibility is generally popular with customers, especially since the price remained the same. And online reaction to this change ranged from particularly positive to unbridled enthusiasm. "Finally! I usually just ask for no cup or throw it away because I try not to drink soda as much and the water from the dispense tastes weird. No more having to remember a quarter when I go to Costco," one Redditor wrote.

That mention of a quarter is because Costco already offers those same Kirkland water bottles (at the counter or in vending machines) for just 25 cents. But it's nice to get the option, especially since you can always save that bottled water for later. 

One of the most annoying parts of shopping at any big box retailer has to be the checkout line, where you spend your time queuing up behind people who've loaded the conveyor belt with useless and unnecessary items. (Specifically, items that they won't share with you. The nerve of some people, right?)

But recently, Costco started revamping its approach to checkout lanes by allowing workers to pre-scan items before you get to the register. Basically, a Costco worker will go through your cart with a portable scanner, totaling up the items while you wait, so they already have a full scan of your haul before you reach the cashier. According to CEO Ron Vachris during an earnings call, the new technology has sped up checkout processes by up to 20%.

Although some shoppers argued there are still kinks to work out, many customers on Reddit were quick to praise the system, touting it as an upgrade to self-checkout. One Redditor wrote, "Was in line with my baby and a big orange flat cart. Had a bunch of heavy stuff and little stuff and a car seat. When I tell you this pre scan MADE MY ENTIRE DAY." Oh, and if you're in a real hurry, take a look at our list of ways to checkout faster when shopping at Costco. 

There's much to love about Costco's bakery service, which offers not only a wide range of delicious baked goods like cake, cookies, and even baklava (yum!), but also the opportunity to order custom cakes at really great prices. Where else can you get a $25 decorated sheet cake that's big enough to feed 48 people or one really hungry writer? (Don't judge me.) But the one thing everyone complains about is how to order those items, which has been limited to a traditional pen and paper request form.

But in March 2026, the warehouse chain finally moved its custom baking service online, adding an option to order your baked goods directly through the Costco app. According to Costco's bakery FAQ, each order is limited to five cakes with the same customizations, although you can place several orders to meet your needs. Also, the revamped system only applies to custom cakes, so you can't order other baked goods online. And if you prefer the old way, you can still order with a paper form in-store, too. 

Customers on Reddit reacted positively to the new ordering system. One Redditor wrote, "This is awesome news, will save me from an extra $200 shopping trip when I go to drop off the order form for my kid's birthday cake." And if all this sweet talk has got you hungry, here are some Costco bakery items under $10 you might want to check out.

One of the most popular (and crowded) areas of any Costco is the food court, which offers some of the most affordable quick-service meals around. (For example, that hot dog offering I mentioned earlier, and am currently craving.) In 2013, Costco made a major change to its long-running menu by switching from Coke products to Pepsi products. At the time, the move was explained by the company as a cost-saving measure aimed at keeping the $1.50 hot dog combo at the same price. But in early 2026, the chain decided to make the switch back, with Coke products returning to the food court. 

Now, we know that some people prefer the taste of Pepsi — after all, entire wars were fought over this back in the '80s — but the return is garnering some positive attention online. Customers on Reddit weren't just happy about the return of Coke, however. They were also excited to think that their local soda machines were finally getting their lines cleared and disinfected. One commenter wrote, "Our soda and ice machines have tasted like mildew for ages. I hope we'll get a little bit of mildew free drink time."

It's a common joke that you can easily get lost in the towering Costco aisles, and finding exactly what you need can take all day. There's nothing worse than searching through the warehouse for a certain item only to discover it's sold out and slowly trudge your way out of the store. If only there were a way to search a store's inventory before you went there.

Apparently, Costco thought the same thing, because in June 2024, it changed things to allow customers to check warehouse inventory directly on the app. Suddenly, there was no need to track down items in a giant warehouse; instead, you could simply look them up in the app's "Local Inventory Search" from the comfort of your own home. 

And while the move was seen as a positive by customers who had criticized the app for not offering a search function like Walmart, their attitude towards it has cooled a bit, with many reporting that the app doesn't exactly reflect actual inventory. Or as one Redditor posted, "It's not accurate. Many times when items say "low stock" it means it's completely out as it can take up to an hour for the inventory to adjust in the system." Nevertheless, another Redditor argued, "In my experience it has 100% accuracy." So clearly, experiences vary.

The most important thing you need to shop at Costco is your membership card. And while you might be wondering if you can borrow a Costco membership card to shop, the answer is definitely "no," as the chain has spent the last couple of years getting tough on non-members buying from stores. And so, that membership card is more important than ever. 

For years, you had to have your physical Costco card with you to shop there, so if you left your wallet or purse at home, you were out of luck. But in July 2019, Costco added a digital membership card to its app, allowing you to use your phone to identify yourself at the store. Hopefully, you have your payment method on a digital wallet too, so you can actually pay for your purchases. 

Reactions to this move were overwhelmingly positive and even led to online rumors that the chain was ending physical cards altogether. This never came to pass, however, and you can still use either to shop in person. 

One of the most underrated benefits of Costco (especially these days) is its discounted gasoline. In fact, it was one of the top entries on our list of Costco perks you're still not taking advantage of. But one of the problems can be the long lines, thanks to all the shoppers who decide to grab some cheap gas on their way home from a shopping trip. But Costco is looking to solve that crowding issue by opening up new standalone gas stations away from existing warehouses.

In June 2026, Costco opened its first standalone station in Mission Viejo, California. The station is 2.5 miles from the nearest warehouse location. Currently, the only other independent one in the works will be opening in Honolulu in 2027.

On Reddit, customers were quick to show their excitement for the new stations, with one writing, "The gas station prices at Costco are worth much more than the membership prices itself." Another added, "Probably 4/5 of my Costco trips are already only for gas."

While you may not think of Costco as a place to look for medical help, it's been offering discounted prescription and medical options, often through various allied health care companies, for some time. In 2026, the chain launched a program to get members discounted fertility drugs and testing benefits through a partnership with the health care platform Sesame. Costco claimed that the program could cut medication costs for members by 80%, while also offering access to care coordination and diagnostic workups through Sesame (via ABC7).

Online reactions were largely positive, although one Redditor jokingly asked, "Do babies conceived by Costco come with a lifetime membership?!" But others simply thought the offer was a good deal. One commenter wrote, "Ten percent off of IVF procedures. Sounds small, but when you're looking at a prospective $29,000.00 out of pocket, because many insurance companies do not cover IVF, that's a big help. I know, because I'm currently staring down the barrel of 29k."

Looking for more time to wander through Costco's cavernous warehouses? Well, in September 2025, Costco implemented a new perk to its executive members: extended hours. The chain now offers an extra hour of shopping to executive members from 9 to 10 a.m. on Sundays through Fridays. On Saturdays, they only get 30 minutes of exclusive shopping from 9:30 to 10 a.m. 

Now, the executive level can be a little pricey; at $130 a year, it's double the price of the usual Gold Star membership level. But it's hard to argue with the convenience of shopping in a much less crowded store. 

Customers who qualified were quick to praise it online. One Redditor posted, "I honestly love [the extended hours]. And they got their intended target, I upgraded my membership just for it. It is such a relaxing shopping environment and not survival of the fittest."

As we mentioned in the earlier entry, Costco has been working with a range of drug manufacturers to deliver discounted medications to its members. And in October 2025, Costco announced plans to partner with Novo Nordisk — the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy — to sell its injectable GLP-1 pens in-store. The price? $499 for a four-week supply, without insurance. (If you're using insurance, the price will vary based on your coverage.) And while that might seem like a lot, the typical out-of-pocket payment for the same drug can run you around $1,000 to $1,200 a month. 

Now, Novo Nordisk sells the drug for the same discount on its direct-to-consumer website and at CVS and Walmart. And you'll still need a prescription to get it. But if you're already getting your medication through Costco, it's still a pretty good deal. 

Some Redditors were extremely positive about the deal, with one writing, "That's awesome. My doctor just prescribed it and my insurance just denied it. This is the route." But others were a little more mixed, as another commented, "That is the price the drug makers are charging. Costco isn't giving a discount, but they are likely to have it in stock [more] than other pharmacies."

When you think of Costco, you might not consider adding gold or precious metals to your shopping list. (After all, they're not exactly budget-conscious items.) But they've recently become a pretty big seller in the chain's warehouses. 

It all started in 2023, when Costco began offering 1-ounce 24-karat gold bars for sale in stores. The bars soon sold out, and the chain branched out into a range of precious metals, including silver coins and platinum bars. In 2025, Costco shared in an earnings report that gold had become one of its top-selling items, with some analysts predicting that Costco was making between $100 and $200 million a month on the bars. And it certainly didn't hurt that precious metals peaked in value in January 2026, fueling demand for the bars and causing the warehouses to keep selling out. 

So, customers must be enjoying the addition, as someone's certainly buying these bars. It's definitely not me. I can barely afford my membership, especially because of my multiple sheet cake purchases.

Ever been trapped in an overcrowded Costco parking lot and wished there was another, less-crowded one nearby? Well, Costco's trying to give you exactly that. In 2025, it announced plans to start opening new stores close to overcrowded warehouses in a bid to ease parking congestion and long lines. 

The current plans involve opening 26 new stores in 2026, with the expectation to open around 30 a year starting in 2027. Costco CEO Ron Vachris dubbed the process "strategic cannibalization," as these new "relief stores"  will actually steal customers away from pre-existing stores (via The Street). However, that should leave locations with emptier parking lots and shorter lines. It's a surprising turn, as generally retailers want to avoid cannibalism and move into untapped areas with new customers. 

However, this move seems less focused on growth and more on keeping the existing customer base happy. And that's not the only move it's making to give customers new parking, as the chain has also been buying up nearby properties around existing warehouses to provide extra lots. All of which means you might have less of a trek from your car to your store the next time you drop by. Any help is appreciated by customers, who frequently post complaints about parking, like, "My Costco parking lot is a Mad Max situation in the best of times, it's too small, too busy, and the entry/exit gets all gummed up by the gas station."

We've already mentioned the legendary $1.50 hot dog combo on this list, but it's important to emphasize just how important that extremely affordable menu item has become to the Costco identity. First off, it's been around for 41 years, as Costco first started offering it way back in 1985. It's by far the chain's most popular food court item, and it sold 245 million of them in 2025 alone. 

As you might imagine, the combo is hardly profitable. Accounting for inflation, the hot dog and drink would cost around $4 now. But it's so beloved by customers that the company has resisted all calls to raise the price, and former CEO Jim Sinegal reportedly once told his successor, "'If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you."

In 2009, that dedication to reasonably priced weiners led the chain to cut ties with its previous longtime hot dog supplier, Hebrew National, and create its own hot dog production plant in Los Angeles. In 2025 earnings call, Executive VP and CFO Gary Millerchip announced that the chain was investing in new facilities to increase hot dog production. And while most customers may never realize how much money and effort Costco spends to keep its hot dogs affordable, we'd definitely hear their complaints if the price went up.