Yahoo Lifestyle These Are the Best (and Worst!) Times to Visit Costco, According to Insiders
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
Costco is best known for its supersized pantry items and $4.99 rotisserie chickens. But while you're making a Costco run to pick up croissants by the dozen for a holiday brunch you're hosting, you may also hear a sales pitch for solar panels, ponder how the store's showstopping 15-foot-tall Christmas tree would look in your own foyer, or pick up storage bins for any organizational projects you'll be tackling in the New Year.
Beyond groceries, Costco has emerged as an "it" destination for all things home related, including furniture and decor. Instagram goes wild when the algorithm shows certain Costco favorites are in stock, like this giant fiddle leaf plant, the beloved half-moon accent chair or any of these other Costco home finds that took the Internet by storm in 2024.
People are all over what to buy at Costco, but among the best-kept secrets at Costco is knowing when to shop at this discount warehouse. And that's true whether you're looking to load up on groceries or you're on the hunt for home goods to restyle a space.
Here's what to know about the best (and, on the flip side, worst) times to shop at Costco.
When Is the Absolute Best Time to Shop at Costco?
Want to shop Costco without all of the bumper-to-bumper cart traffic—but still be in store at the optimal time for scooping up the best deals? Get there soon after the store opens on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, says Kristen Markel, Costco pro and founder of
Warehouse Wanderer, a site devoted to Costco tips.
The very best time to shop at Costco is around 11 a.m. midweek, she says. "By then, the staff has had time to restock the shelves, the crowds are still light, and most sample stations are up and running, so you can try new products as you shop," Markel explains.
However, if you're on a specific mission, hunting for home goods, cookware, or plants, Markel recommends heading to the warehouse as early as possible when the store opens, which is usually 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. local time.
"Local managers often mark down items in the housewares department, and these deals are first-come, first-serve," she says.
These "Manager's Specials" can save you hundreds of dollars but are limited to what's in stock, Markel says—and it's not unheard of for these deals to be wiped out before lunch time.
Speaking of lunch, a mid-day trip comes with another advantage: When you're done checking out you can pop into the food court for a recession-proof $1.50 hot dog and soda combo or try out any of these Costco food-court ordering hacks.
If you can't get to Costco for a mid-day shopping trip, your next best time is to go in the hour before the store closes. The shelves may be a little disorganized, but the crowds have thinned out.
When Are the Worst Times to Shop at Costco?
If you've ever been at Costco on a weekend, you're familiar with how packed the parking lot can get and how long the lines are—to get in the store, to move through the aisles, and to check out. But the absolute worst time to shop at Costco may surprise you: It's weekday evenings from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Markel says. "These hours are packed with post-work shoppers, making the aisles busier and the checkout lines longer," she says.
Weekends are also hectic, Markel says, and she avoids shopping on Saturdays and Sundays. But, she points out, if you arrive right when the doors open, you can still usually beat the rush.
When it comes to timing your Costco trip, it’s more important to think about the time of day rather than the day of the week. Even though midweek is the best time to shop if you're looking to avoid crowds, you'll be able to find discounts throughout the week, which is why it's best to be there earlier in the day.
Sales are always running, Markel says, and they don't follow any patterns regarding day of the week. "They can start on any day and end on any day—there's always a deal waiting," she says. The bad news is you can't game the system on knowing when a sale is about to hit; the good news is, there's always a chance today's a good day for it!
More Costco Shopping Tips If You Want to Avoid the Crowds
For shoppers who are looking to avoid crowds, it's possible to perform many of your Costco transactions online. While Costco does stock home goods in store, where you can see and touch them before buying, the fact is that rugs, couches, dining tables, and more furniture are available online, too. Costco.com also has inventory that's not sold in store, such infrared saunas and fireplace consoles. You can auto-renew your membership online—no schlepping into the store. And, you can even shop for groceries for same-day and 2-day delivery through Costco Grocery.
One more shopping tip: If you're in the store, you can look for the legendary "Costco Death Star" (an asterisk on the price sign). This symbol indicates the products that are going to be discontinued. Think of the asterisk as a "last call" warning (for now at least); it's a sign that you should stock up on the item if you like it because they could sell out quickly.
What ends up on shelves is partly a numbers game; Costco warehouses are limited to stocking 3,800 different items, says David Schwartz, who, with his wife Susan Schwartz, wrote The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z. Sometimes items will be discontinued temporarily, to make room for new goods, then brought back—but you can't count on that happening. You can, however, work the system to your advantage by keeping tabs on what's coming and going and snapping up what's on the way out. To that end, items ready to leave Costco.com are often found in the Going, Going, Gone section on the website, while the new items are found here. Happy Shopping!
You Might Also Like
