Curse my Costco ninja skills!

[Toadtele]

These days the Costco runs are a solo expedition. Even though my wife allegedly hates Costco as much as I do, I cannot get her out of the place.
So I go alone. More frequently. My efficiency has gotten beyond impressive. I am in and out before even I realize.
Today was no exception. I lined up with the rest of the sheep at 9:50. They decided to let us in eight minutes early. I swiftly collected my eight items, one of which was toilet paper. All the way at the back.
My checkout time was 10:02.
I know. I know. Impressive right?
I took my goods home. Threw the frisbee for the dog a couple times and returned to work.

My horror is I returned home this afternoon to find $32 worth of unsalted mixed nuts on my counter! I intended to buy whole cashews with sea salt.
I immediately assumed that the bags were the same color and cursed the Kirkland brand.
Unfortunately, the cashew bag is red and in my haste, I brought home two orange bags.

I will return them Monday and learn nothing from this.

 

[prairietelecaster]

Nah, keep 'em and buy more. Mix it up. Now where'd I put the peanuts….?

 

[xStonr]

I am really good in getting in and out in a hurry until Costco remerchandises and moves things around

 

[Toto'sDad]

These days the Costco runs are a solo expedition. Even though my wife allegedly hates Costco as much as I do, I cannot get her out of the place.
So I go alone. More frequently. My efficiency has gotten beyond impressive. I am in and out before even I realize.
Today was no exception. I lined up with the rest of the sheep at 9:50. They decided to let us in eight minutes early. I swiftly collected my eight items, one of which was toilet paper. All the way at the back.
My checkout time was 10:02.
I know. I know. Impressive right?
I took my goods home. Threw the frisbee for the dog a couple times and returned to work.

My horror is I returned home this afternoon to find $32 worth of unsalted mixed nuts on my counter! I intended to buy whole cashews with sea salt.
I immediately assumed that the bags were the same color and cursed the Kirkland brand.
Unfortunately, the cashew bag is red and in my haste, I brought home two orange bags.

I will return them Monday and learn nothing from this.

We used to hit two hundred on a Costco trip, then three hundred, last time just shy of four hundred. I don't know if I can stand five hundred.

 

[Lonn]

Fortunately, we have a Costco near my home that is not very busy. There’s another one a few miles away near Guitar Center that is an absolute nightmare to get in and out of and I only use that one for gas. The only things I get inside Costco are paper towels, toilet paper, Sandwich and freezer bags, and trash bags. Fruit if they have anything good.

 

[Toto'sDad]

I'm like a gun-shy dog on the fourth of July when my wife utters her famous phrase, we need to pick up a few things at Costco. I have to say though, I usually enjoy the tidbits they put out to try. The roasted chicken is the best buy in the store, we usually get two, one for ourselves, and one for the pooches.

 

[memorex]

When we moved here, we joined Sam's Club because it's closer than Costco, and the mall traffic a lot less. But the only things we buy there on a regular basis are coffee, paper towels, and toilet paper. Occasionally, gas. We're afraid of the rotisserie chicken because they're so greasy and bizarrely large they look like they've been genetically modified or treated with hormones.

 

[Honga Man]

We used to hit two hundred on a Costco trip, then three hundred, last time just shy of four hundred. I don't know if I can stand five hundred.

You're talking about how many people are in front of you in line to check out during an average Costco visit, right?

Haven't set foot in one in years, but that's how I remember it when I used to go.

 

[Toto'sDad]

You're talking about how many people are in front of you in line to check out during an average Costco visit, right?

Haven't set foot in one in years, but that's how I remember it when I used to go.

Well, there's that too! I was talking about coin of the realm though.

 

[beep.click]

My typical Costco run is a roast chicken and a can of coffee. Maybe some cheese.

 

[prairietelecaster]

Yeah roast chicken is good for a couple of feasts and a batch of chicken veggie soup! We haven't bought a chicken to bake for quite a while as the Costco rotisserie dino is cheaper compared to an uncooked beast.

 

[Knows3Chords]

My nephew and his wife got food poisoning from a grocery store chain rotisserie chicken last year. We won't touch them anymore.

Never been inside a Costco. Drove past one a couple of times.

 

[Mechanic]

We use Costco to be delivered. That way there’s reduced temptation. We do get munchies along with paper goods. But also if you want good quality beef you’ll need to go in. For us that’s maybe 3 or 4 times a year.
We plan our road trips by Costco for gas. Only way to afford going to California these days.

 

[1955]

I had a Costco membership about 20 years ago. Any savings in price buying too-expensive-already name brands or Kirkland stuff in ridiculous bulk sizes was negated by standing (for what seemed like eternity) in a long line of Beverly Hillbillies Bulge-Carts waiting to checkout.

Such is life. Any masterful command of logistics and efficiency will always be at the mercy of the lowest common denominator. If everybody knows about it and does it, that means you have to deal with the whole package.

 

[Blue Bill]

I'm trying to understand the Costco hate, but I just can't. Bulk quantity food and stuff, at discount prices. Nobody is forcing anyone to do something they don't want to, are they? It gets crowded for a reason. The checkout line is rarely more than 3 or 4 minutes. It's a perfect opportunity to start up a chat with some people who live in your community. Plus free samples.

If you don't want a jumbo amount of some item, just go to the supermarket down the street and get a smaller one, for the same price as the big one at Costco.

"Nobody goes to Costco any more, because it's too crowded" (apologies to Yogi Berra)