History of Costco
This is how Costco, the world’s largest warehouse membership club, was born.
When is the best time to shop at Costco to avoid crowded parking lots and long lines? Employees and customers across the country have their opinions on this, and certain days and times seem to be better than others.
On the Subreddit r/CostcoThe Question is asked again and again. There seems to be a consensus that weekends are chaotic, while midweek is a good day to stock up on everything from chain fried chicken to diapers, paper towels and laundry detergent.
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However, it also depends on the time of day.
FILE – Customers wait in line at Costco in Queens, New York. (Photo by: Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Here’s what Costco fans say about their preferred (and less busy) shopping times:
Weekdays before closing time
A popular motto for stress-free shopping at Costco is Weekdays usually after 6:30 p.m.when many said the crowds were starting to thin out. However, one shopper noted that he “learned the hard way that if you come an hour before closing time, they usually run out of fried chicken.”
“I work at Costco and Sunday is our busiest day of the week, Friday and Saturday are tied for second,” commented another. “Thursday can be a little busy but not too bad, same goes for Monday. And Wednesday is the day the coupons start so it can be super busy in the early hours, so I can safely say Tuesday night is our least busy day.”
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On weekdays at the opening
Another day and another time Customers said they noticed less crowds is right at the opening, especially on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“In my experience living across the country, Tuesday earlier in the day seems to be the best option,” wrote a Redditor in a long thread.
“Not possible for many, but if you can, come during a weekday opening time,” recommended another person.
“In my experience, mid-week when they open. A lot of people say evenings, but in my experience that’s when many locations are busiest,” added another. “The quietest times in my stores are 10am-11:30am and the busiest times are 4pm-7pm (with a peak at 6pm).”
Weekday afternoons
Another good time to visit Costco was Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon for shopping.
“We were there recently on a Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. and it was the most pleasant Costco experience I’ve had in a long time,” said one shopper.
“Wednesdays between 2 and 4 p.m., I think,” replied another.
“Wednesday afternoon is the least busy day in my warehouse,” wrote one employee. “Morning stocking is complete by this time, sometimes we still get a few late alcohol deliveries, but it’s my favorite day of the week.”
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During the Super Bowl
The Super Bowl seems to be another good opportunity to browse the warehouse shelves. according to many buyers in this thread.
“Psssst. Don’t tell everyone. I wanted to enjoy my relaxing Costco Sunday in peace,” one Redditor chimed in.
However, the Super Bowl tip may depend on where you live, as Costco stores in the Eastern Time Zone generally close on Sunday before the big game begins.
“This only applies to people who live in the West,” one person noted. “Costco stores on the East Coast are closing before the game starts.”
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Tip: Arrive before the store opens
A commonly given tip is to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before Costco officially opens, as the warehouse doors are often already open and customers can grab a shopping cart and get a head start.
“If you arrive 5 to 10 minutes before opening, it will go quickly,” a Redditor wrote. “I went there this morning, parked near the door, and finished shopping (including buying a hot dog in the food court) in about 25 minutes.”
Tip: Use Google’s Popular Times tool
If you’re still not sure when to visit your local Costco, Google your nearest store and they have a “Popular Times” tool available.
The graph shows how busy the location is at different times of the day and is based on the average popularity of the last few months, according to to the search engine. The popularity of a particular hour is shown relative to the company’s typical peak popularity.
