Costco really wants non-members to stop eating at its food court

• Costco is stopping those without a membership from using its food courts.
• While it's always been official policy, some stores haven't strictly enforced it in the past.
• The clamp-down is part of Costco's ongoing efforts to limit non-member store access.

Famed for its $1.50 hot-dog-and-soda combo, the Costco food court has attracted Costco members and non-members alike.

Now, Costco is stopping people without membership from using its food court.

One Reddit user posted a photo of a sign outside Costco in Orlando that said: "Effective April 8, 2024, an active Costco membership card will be required to purchase items from our food court."

Four Costco locations around the US confirmed to Business Insider that they have been instructed to ensure people's membership cards are checked when using the food court.

A Costco worker in the administration department at a Chicago store told BI that the policy was becoming more strictly enforced, with members being sent letters in December last year and signs placed outside.

BI contacted Costco for comment on this but didn't immediately hear back.

It's always been Costco's policy that only members can enter the warehouse, meaning those without a membership can't access the indoor food court for many locations.

But some locations have outdoor foodcourts or kiosks, which have provided an opportunity for non-members to bypass the security checks.

It's the latest move in Costco's attempts to crack down on non-members. As of last year, customers are increasingly asked at the checkout to show a member ID with their photo to ensure they're not sharing someone else's card.

Membership fees account for most of Costco's profit, which totaled around $4.6 billion in 2023, around 72% of the company's profits.

Enforcing membership is a way to hold onto these profits and it's proved a successful way to help the company avoid the level of shoplifting that plagues other retailers.