It's COSTCO, not a personalized service or concierge. It is going to be busy, the parking lot is…read moregoing to be full, and you can make sure that the lines are usually a bit of a wait.
But so what? The value you can get for your money, even though you have to buy in bulk, is pretty exceptional. Costco is a staple in our house for the necessities, such as milk, eggs, yogurt, fruit, and more. We never get out of this location with a bill that is anything under $150 and that's just fine with us. Yes, we are privileged. Yes, we buy something that we did not "need" on every visit, though we have tried so many winners making these all very reasonable risks. A fave: Rao's frozen eggplant parm. Two trays for maybe $12, and that is two-plus meals for the wife & I when we make up a salad & bread to go with. The kids? Eggplant? Pffft.
Sure, I could knock the parking lot, or sure, I could knock the lines at checkout. But I have come to expect that, and I don't have any real problem. My knocks are the "seasonal" or "one-time" buys that aren't marked that way, so if I get something that I like, and it's not there the next time I go, then that kind of irritates me. I'm not talking about Christmas candy; I'm talking about a cereal, or a vegetable, or even a bulk snack. If I like it and I cannot get it the next time, then it makes me wonder why I purchased things in the first place. But oh well, I enjoyed it while I had it.
The membership is worth it, and so is getting a snack on the way out. Whenever I hear that the economy is bad, I just look at the parking lot in Costco and remind myself how much freedom we have in our country and how far disposable incomes might go.
Yes, I am privileged and I am grateful for that, but I love buying 10 or so winter coats for kids and donating them. The cost value is there for me, but the real value is the availability of affordable goods that I can give to those in need. Without Costco, I may not be able to do that.