COSTCO has rolled out an ordering change over at its food court, and members are not happy.
The new system for picking up food orders has shoppers in a frenzy as they complain that it makes no sense and will slow down the pickup process.
Costco has made a switch-up at its food court and many customers have raised concerns about it[/caption]
Costco members have complained about the new system for picking up orders at the food court[/caption]
Costco pulls in millions of shoppers on a daily basis thanks to its bulk buys, premium selection, and, of course, its affordable and tasty food court.
Having access to the food court is one of the major draws of having a Costco membership, with many shoppers flocking to the food court for a quick snack, lunch, or dinner during their grocery run.
Costco is always switching things up in its warehouses to improve the member experience, and the food court is no exception.
The warehouse club is working to smooth its food court operations, changing up how members go about picking up their orders once they are ready.
Customers would previously place their order on one of Costco’s digital kiosks and then gather around the counter waiting for their order number to be called.
Now, members place their orders at the kiosk, wait in line, and present their receipt at the counter.
A food court worker will then prepare their order on the spot and hand over the items.
Shoppers have begun spotting signs in-store alerting them of the new process this month, which has already rolled out at most Costco food courts.
“Numbers will no longer be called out,” reads the sign, directing customers to bring their receipts to the food court counter to grab their order.
Members ordering whole pizzas will now pick up their food at the designated pickup window, according to the sign.
CUSTOMER CRIES
Costco shopper Andy Shen shared a picture on Facebook of the sign posted at his local warehouse as well as an image of members lining up to get their food court orders.
Bright yellow tape is seen on the floor of the food court, showing people where to line up.
Shen raised a concern about the logistics of the new system, arguing that shoppers could grab a random receipt and head to the counter to redeem food.
“Seems weird to me,” said the shopper.
Costco shoppers have begun spotting signs alerting them of the food court change[/caption]
Many other members have expressed issue with the new food court process, calling it “awful” and “dumb.”
One shopper complained that it was counterintuitive and would increase the wait time.
“It’s going to slow things down!” cried the customer.
“They do the orders as they get them AND as the things are ready. Sometimes there is no chicken so your number gets skipped until it’s ready.”
Costco classic food court items
- Hot Dog with Soda – $1.50
- Pepperoni or Cheese Pizza slice – $1.99
- Rotisserie Chicken Caesar Salad – $6.99
- Turkey and Swiss Sandwich – $6.99
- Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie – $2.49
Other Costco fans proposed an alternative to the new system, arguing that a digital board showing order statuses would be more effective.
“I don’t understand why they don’t have the number board like McDonald’s does. Simple and clear, no yelling out numbers,” commented one shopper.
“Idk why they don’t have a cheap $50 TV that shows numbers lol!” added another customer. “I always feel bad for the person screaming order numbers all day.”
As Costco continues to implement the new ordering system, the retail giant is also rolling out other changes at the food court, particularly on the menu.
For example, the company is giving Starbucks run for its money by quietly launching a “refreshing” $2.99 food court treat in time for summer.
Plus, Costco added another new “combo” item at the food court for just $6.99 – and fans call it an instant cult favorite.
