Costco insiders share the real reason Costco opens at the crack of ... brunch
Here’s Why Costco Opens So Late—And How You Might Be Able to Get in Early
Published on Feb. 25, 2025
Confession: I spend a lot of time in Costco. I have five kids, and honestly, I don’t know what I would do without the larger-than-life grocery store—excuse me, member club. Over the years, I’ve gotten massive discounts on everything from diapers and wipes to the food needed to provide the zillion calories per day teenage boys need, making my Costco Executive membership more than worth it. But there is one downside (beyond the outrageous amount of my paycheck that goes there): The warehouses don’t open until 10 a.m. But why? That is super late for a grocery store.
As it turns out, I’m not the only Costco devotee wondering about this. It’s a common question brought up on Costco social media and something that Mary Smith* says she hears often. In her nearly three decades at one of the highest-volume Costcos in America, she’s worked almost every position, including being a cashier, floor worker, electronics salesperson, auditor and supervisor. “People bring this up all the time, asking if they can come in earlier or wondering why the hours aren’t more flexible, but there’s a really good reason for this,” Smith says. “In fact, it’s so important, they put it in our mission statement.”
Intriguing, I know! To get to the bottom of this, I asked Smith and Costco auditor Jack Jones*, who has also worked for the chain for nearly 30 years, to spill the details. Read on to find out why Costco opens so late—and if there are any loopholes that will let you start your Costco shopping spree a bit earlier.
*Employee names have been changed.
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Why does Costco open so late?
Several strategic considerations influence Costco’s decision to open its doors at 10 a.m. “The short answer is because it just works the best,” Jones says. “Nothing Costco does is by accident—all of these decisions have been studied and planned out to the last detail.” Here are some of the specifics.
It improves employee well-being
“One of our core values, stated in our mission statement, is taking care of employees,” Smith says. “This means ensuring they can have a regular schedule and a healthy work-life balance.” Costco also offers competitive wages and benefits, which makes employees incredibly loyal—and, in turn, improves customer service.
It saves money
Opening later allows Costco to manage operational costs more effectively. By limiting hours, the company reduces expenses related to staffing, utilities and overall facility maintenance, Jones says. This approach aligns with Costco’s business model of maintaining low overhead to pass savings onto members.
“It saves on payroll costs too because we can use part-time staff in the earlier part of the day, saving full-time employees for a bit later and allowing us to get by with fewer staff,” he explains.
It gives employees time to get the store ready
“Trucks start arriving around 4 a.m., so we have employees that start between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. each day,” Smith says. “And there’s a lot we have to do before the doors open. The time before opening is a lot of controlled chaos!”
The hours before opening are crucial for restocking shelves and preparing the warehouse for shoppers. Employees use this time to replenish inventory, organize products and ensure the store meets safety and cleanliness standards. This behind-the-scenes work is essential for providing a seamless shopping experience once the doors open. “A lot of it is making sure it’s safe and comfortable for our customers,” Smith says. “For instance, we only use forklifts on the floor before opening and after closing.”
It’s what customers want
Despite the vocal few asking for earlier hours, studies and internal data indicate that peak shopping hours occur later in the day, Jones says. By opening at 10 a.m., Costco aligns its hours with the times most customers prefer to shop, optimizing store traffic and ensuring resources are available when demand is highest. For those looking to avoid crowds, the best time to go to Costco is weekday afternoons between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
“We do what’s called a ‘door count’ every half hour, and that shows us when people are coming into our warehouse,” Jones says. “It really isn’t first thing in the morning.”
Do all Costco stores open at 10 a.m.?
Each store’s hours are up to the warehouse’s general manager. However, while 10 a.m. is the standard opening time for most Costco warehouses, there are exceptions. Some locations, particularly in California, have adjusted their hours to open earlier. For instance, warehouses in cities like San Jose, Danville and San Francisco now welcome members starting at 9 a.m. These changes are often based on regional shopping habits and demand, according to Costco.
There are also some holiday exceptions to the 10 a.m. rule. A few days before Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Black Friday, all stores open an hour earlier and close an hour later than usual. On big holidays, you’ll also often see people lining up to get into the store before it opens to snag the best deals.
Is there any way to get into Costco early?
Yes! Fun fact: All Costco stores actually have a “soft open” at 9:45 a.m.! (Or 8:45 a.m. for stores that open at 9 a.m.) “About 15 years ago, we started a program called Showtime Ready, where we needed everything ready to open by 9:45, and if customers came early, we would let them in,” Jones says. “It’s not advertised, but we still do that today.”
In the past, people with Executive or higher-tier memberships could also come into stores early, but that is no longer the case. “Basically, the members felt like it was unfair,” Smith says. “We had Gold Star members (a lower tier) who would see Executive members getting to go in early, and they would complain, so we’d end up letting them in early. Then it ended up being a mess, so they took it away.” Personally, Smith wishes they’d bring it back since she feels the members who pay more should get extra perks. Honestly, same.
But at the end of the day (or, more accurately, the late morning), Costco knows exactly what it’s doing. Sure, I personally would love to waltz in at 7 a.m. and stock up on enough snacks to survive a teenage apocalypse, but then where would the thrill be? The anticipation? The deep, philosophical thoughts in the parking lot as I sip my coffee and wonder what deals await me when the doors finally open? So while I may grumble about the 10 a.m. start time, let’s be honest—if they opened any earlier, I’d probably just find a way to justify buying even more pretzel bites with cheese dip. (Seriously, have you tried the pretzel bites yet?)
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Sources:
- Mary Smith*, auditor at a Pacific Northwest Costco; phone interview, Feb. 24, 2025
- Jack Jones*, auditor at a Colorado Costco; phone interview, Feb. 23, 2025
- Costco: “Warehouses now opening earlier”
*Names have been changed.
