Costco Changes Its Food Court’s Golden Rule

Costco's in-store food court has always been a major draw for its customers, drawing in countless people looking for cheap eats and, in Costco shopping tradition, walking out of the wholesaler with way more than they originally planned to buy.

Last year, the retailer's food court switched from Pepsi-Cola to Coca-Cola drinks — a somewhat minor change, depending on your soda preferences. A bigger change starting in early 2026, however, is a greater threat to those looking for a cheap slice of pizza, hot dog combo, or chocolate chunk cookies.

Costco Will No Longer Allow Non-Card Carrying Members To Enter Its Food Court

As of the new(ish) year, Costco will be rolling back its policy of allowing non-members to use its facilities.

“Costco is rolling out membership-verification technology at its food courts that will require customers to show a valid membership card before ordering food, something select locations have already started testing, and that could become more widespread in 2026,” Sporkedreported in January.

Signs in selected Costco stores requiring membership cards to order food have been shared online as early as 2024, but this looks to become nationwide — and possibly international — store policy for the wholesaler.

Like any for-profit business, Costco wants to increase its profits, and that requires a growth in its membership numbers and revenue coming in. Since 2024, individual members in the U.S. pay $65 per year, a $5 increase from the previous fee. Executive memberships have been $130 per year, up from $120.

This gamble, for now, seems to have paid off. In 2025, 68.3 million people held individual memberships by the last fiscal year, a pretty big jump from 63.7 million in 2024 and 58.8 million in 2023, according to The Detroit News.

Good news if you're a fan of the chain's $1.50 hot dog offer, however. The deal remains for now, with Costco co-founder and former CEO Jim Sinegal once infamously telling employees, “If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out." The Costco hot dog is a primary example of loss leaders in business, where companies will accept a small financial loss in order to drive in customers, who will increase profits in other areas.