While Costco members likely join the warehouse club primarily for the value the chain offers, many also consider its stores to be a shopping destination.
Yes, it's important to pay low prices, but a visit to one of the chain's stores also offers fun in a variety of ways.
First, there is the treasure hunt aspect of the experience. You never know what you might find when you visit a Costco. (COST) – Get a free report. While you may have come to buy groceries and household items, you can leave with a kayak or a winter coat.
Related: Costco Made a Big Change Members Should Know About
Members also enjoy the sample stations offered by the Warehouse Club. It's part of the Costco experience to visit and savor everything from candy to hot food, and sometimes wash it all down with a drink you may have never tried before.
And of course, Costco members love their famous food court. So every time the warehouse club changes its menu, it's a big deal among customers.
On the bright side, Costco has changed its popular hot dog and soda deal to $1.50. That's probably never going to change because the company has made it a sort of untouchable price tag, even if it's not a cash cow.
However, the warehouse club has made a major change to the food court menu. adding a new item and removing another fan favorite.
Image source: Xinhua/Ting Shen via Getty Images
Costco adds a Crumbl-style cookie
Crumbl Cookies has become a national sensation. The cookie company changes its menu every week, except for its chocolate chip cookie. That item, a huge specimen by cookie standards, always remains on the menu.
Now, Costco has quietly responded to Crumbl's challenge, at a much lower price.
“Costco may announce Crumbl Cookies with a new giant double chocolate chunk cookie in the food court for $2.49,” said the popular Snackolator Instagram page reported.
“They're launching nationwide and are massive cookies with 750 calories (about the same as a Crumbl chocolate chip cookie). They're made with butter and a mix of bittersweet and semisweet chocolate pieces.”
Crumbl charges $4.25 for a single cookie (although prices may vary by location).
The Costco food court generally has a one-in, one-out menu philosophy. That's not a hard and fast rule, but usually when something new is added to the menu, another item is removed. That seems to be what's happening here.
“Good news for cookie lovers, however, is bad news for churro lovers, as @costco removed the churro from the food court to make way for these new cookies,” Snackolator added.
Costco continues to grow
A market in which people are worried about inflation and job security benefits Costco. Since the company's primary mission is to offer good prices, that's something consumers want more of when they're worried about the economy.
Costco Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti said the chain retained members and added new ones at impressive rates during its fourth quarter results call.
“In terms of renewal rates, at the end of the fourth quarter, our renewal rates in the US and Canada stood at 92.7%, which is one-tenth percent higher than the 92.6% figure at end of the third quarter,” he said.
“The global rate was 90.4%, down one tenth of a percent, reflecting the impact of the growing penetration of international memberships, which renew at a lower rate, largely due to new openings internationally. “.
The warehouse club also continues to steadily add new members, he said.
“We closed the fourth quarter with 71 million paid household members, 7.9% more than a year ago, and 127.9 million cardholders, 7.6% more,” he said. “And that's due to new openings over the past year – an increase of just under 3% in new locations.”
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