【Epoch Times, December 20, 2025】The well-known warehouse chain store Costco is beloved by consumers worldwide for its shopping experience, which includes core elements such as free samples, bulk purchasing of high-quality and affordable goods, and the always-priced-at-$1.50 value hot dog combo.
In addition to these core experiences, Costco has always been innovating to adapt to the constantly changing business environment, or simply to provide more value to its members. As 2026 approaches, what major changes will Costco bring to consumers?
In 2025, Costco made some significant changes, including replacing Pepsi with Coca-Cola in the food court, adding member card scanners at store entrances, and introducing a new pancake recipe. Following that, Costco implemented a significant policy adjustment, allowing executive members to enjoy exclusive shopping hours from 9 am to 10 am on weekdays and Sundays.
Costco’s management has already revealed some plans for 2026, or at least hinted at them. These changes include opening new stores and continuing international expansion, a comprehensive reform of the chain’s online business, and some procurement updates, aiming to continue offering low prices for Costco members amid ongoing inflation affecting grocery prices across the United States.
Here are several major changes expected to be implemented in Costco stores next year.
Most customers may be familiar with the non-traditional Costco model, the Costco Business Center. Compared to traditional Costco stores, Business Centers operate earlier and focus more on bulk purchases. However, Business Centers are not the only non-traditional Costco model. For example, in Anchorage, Alaska, there is a Costco store specializing in furniture and household appliances.
In the spring of 2026, a brand-new non-traditional Costco store will open in Mission Viejo, California—a standalone gas station.
In addition to this entirely new endeavor for Costco, the company announced its intention to open new Business Centers before the end of 2025, with a focus on expanding this model in Canada.
By 2026, the number of non-standard Costco stores may increase, but Costco will still primarily focus on its standard warehouse business model.
Costco will be opening 28 new warehouses in the United States and major international markets. “Next year’s store openings will be diverse, including supplements in existing markets as well as opportunities in some new markets,” said CEO Ron Vachris during a financial conference call.
Costco’s international expansion plan is progressing, with a store exceeding 200,000 square feet set to open in Monterrey, Mexico in 2026. This will be Latin America’s largest Costco warehouse store.
In 2026, Costco food courts will begin introducing additional steps to verify membership, indicating the company’s increased emphasis on food court restrictions.
Specifically, scanners similar to those currently used at Costco store entrances for verifying membership cards will be used before ordering at the food court. This information comes from a Reddit user who discovered an unused food court scanner at a local Costco store in November 2025.
Meanwhile, Costco has started installing self-checkout kiosks requiring the scanning of a membership card to place an order. Costco plans to expand the promotion of these self-checkout kiosks and digital scanners in 2026.
Throughout 2025, Costco tested new technologies aimed at expediting the checkout and departure process. Around June, Costco introduced a “scan and go” system, allowing customers to scan items in their cart using the Costco app, process payment through the app, and have an employee scan the electronic receipt for purchase verification.
It has been customary for Costco to check receipts as customers exit. The “scan and go” system speeds up the checkout process and the receipt check upon departure.
Additionally, in the latter half of 2025, some Costco stores began testing a device allowing employees to scan items in queued customers’ carts at checkout. Cashiers can then use the pre-scanned data to complete the checkout once customers reach the front of the line.
While these two technologies were introduced in 2025, Costco pledged during the fourth-quarter financial conference call in 2025 to roll out the improved checkout technology to all Costco stores in the United States.
In September, during the fourth-quarter financial conference call, Costco proposed a possibly inconspicuous strategy to offset tariff costs. In essence, the Kirkland Signature brand is a core initiative to keep customer prices stable, with sales steadily increasing in 2025.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature products, known for their value for money, will help consumers offset the impact of inflation in 2026 and beyond.
Moreover, Costco plans to produce some Kirkland Signature products as close to their sales locations as possible to reduce transportation costs. While one result of this strategy may be a reduction in external brand products on Costco shelves, some of Costco’s most popular Kirkland Signature products are actually associated with well-known brands, offering quality comparable to those brands at a lower price.
Costco is focusing on developing its digital strategy in 2026 and has begun tracking sales generated through digital channels. The company plans to introduce more targeted digital communication plans based on improvements implemented in 2025, including password-less logins, for a more personalized app experience.
In 2026, both customers and Costco employees can look forward to an enhanced Costco shopping experience. In March 2025, Costco finalized a new employee agreement, raising the hourly wage by $0.50 for lower-paid employees and $1 for higher-paid employees, reaching $30.90 per hour. Additionally, a yearly increase of $1 will be added, resulting in an hourly wage of $31.90 by 2026.
The agreement also includes adding holidays for top wage employees and immediate paid leave for new employees. All contract-bound employees will have clear wage levels and opportunities for advancement.