Costco’s food courts have long been easygoing about allowing non-members to savour its poutine, ice cream cones, and other treats.
But, if the wholesale stores in Canada follow the example of those in the United States, Costco’s famous $1.50 hot dog combo deal may soon be off-limits to anyone who doesn’t hold a club membership.
“They’re already stopping people from entering the food court area without showing a membership card here in Ottawa,” one commenter said.
A Vancouver Costco reportedly welcomes non-member food court foodies, while some other B.C. stores require all customers to have a membership.
As another Reddit user pointed out, Canada “typically follows suit on American policy roll out, however there may be some discretion by the individual warehouse manager.”
The Epoch Times contacted Costco Canada to confirm whether the policy is coming to Canada, but did not receive a comment by press time.
If Costco adopts this approach in Canada, it will signal a move away from the company’s previous stance that food court use by non-members could lead to new memberships when they see what the store has to offer.
If the policy comes to Canada’s Costcos, food court enthusiasts will have to weigh the pros and cons of taking out a membership. For those who plan to shop and eat, the membership could be a worthwhile cost.
A basic membership is $60 annually while an executive membership is $120.
For those who want to retain access to a favourite food court with no interest in shopping, that will make the $1.50 hot dog deal much more expensive.
