Costco is cracking down on non-members again, this time at the food court

(NEXSTAR) – Kiss your moderately-priced hot dogs goodbye, non-members.

Costco, in its latest effort to crack down on non-members accessing members-only services, is limiting access to its food courts to Costco cardholders only, according to store representatives who spoke with Nexstar.

The policy itself isn’t exactly new — Costco’s food court is intended for paying members — though it hasn’t always been enforced at Costco locations where the food courts can be accessed via walk-up outdoor windows.

It now appears that Costco has decided to more strictly enforce the policy.

Many Costco customers (both members and non-members alike) first caught wind of Costco’s latest efforts earlier this month, via a Reddit post containing an image of a sign reportedly posted outside a Costco food court in the Orlando area.

“Effective April 8, 2024, an active Costco membership card will be required to purchase items from our food court,” reads the sign in the image. “You can join today. Please see our membership counter for details.”

Representatives from several Costco locations have since confirmed plans to more strictly enforce the policy moving forward, with multiple confirming the use of new signage at the food courts. One of the representatives claimed that all 18 Costco locations with outdoor food courts, specifically, had been instructed to ask food-court customers to verify their membership status.

Somewhat less clear is whether non-members with Shop Cards (Costco gift cards that can be used by non-members) will still be able to make purchases at the food court. The sign in the aforementioned Reddit post appears to indicate that anyone without an “active Costco membership card” would be turned away, though one Costco administrator in California said Shop Cards are still welcome for all Costco purchases, including food court items. 

Another, in Florida, said Shop Cards would not be accepted at that location’s food courts, though he claimed the policy was subject to change.

A representative for Costco’s corporate headquarters did not return multiple requests to clarify the current policy.

Costco’s new food-court signage is part of the retailer’s latest attempt keep non-members from accessing services intended for paying members. In June 2023, Costco had also announced its intentions to more strictly enforce its membership policy, which stipulates that only Costco members are allowed to make purchases at checkout — and not just anyone who happens to be carrying a valid membership card borrowed from a family member or friend.

Costco employees were soon observed checking for membership cards at the self-checkout areas. Some shoppers had also reported that they were asked to scan their Costco cards at a kiosk near the front of the store before they were allowed to shop.

Costco has previously explained that these and similar measures are necessary to provide value to paying members.

“Costco is able to keep our prices as low as possible because our membership fees help offset our operational expenses, making our membership fee and structure important to us,” a spokesperson for Costco told Nexstar.