Costco Cracking Down On Sharing Membership Cards

Costco is cracking down on people sharing membership cards! Some things will be changing and you should stay in-the-know.

Reports say the popular warehouse retailer will now have membership scanning devices at the entrances that's expected to start in the next few months! If you thought it was strict before, just wait!

Costco is a gift. Honestly, what can't you find there? They seemingly have everything from clothes to bulk food to eyeglasses and everywhere in between. Not to mention the amazing free samples, incredibly cheap food court (seriously, a hot dog meal for $1.50 can't be beat), and ridiculously great return policy. However, getting inside the exclusive club is about to be a little more difficult. It won't just be people who seem to half-care anymore, now technology is getting involved and free-loaders are about to be disappointed.

In 2023, Costco first tried cracking down on sharing membership cards with a photo-verification system, per People. Now, they're stepping it up with devices that will scan each card. So, if you thought it was an annoying process before, it's not going to get more convenient for you.

In a statement on their website, Costco says, "Over the coming months, membership scanning devices will be used at the entrance door of your local warehouse. Once deployed, prior to entering, all members must scan their physical or digital membership card by placing the barcode or QR Code against the scanner." The statement on the Costco website continues, "Guests must also be accompanied by a valid member for entry." According to People, members may bring up to 2 guests with them into the store, but only the member can purchase items.

While the process can be annoying and tedious, members do ultimately reap the benefits. All of those membership fees are part of what allows the warehouse to sell products at such a low and affordable price. Costco memberships currently start at $60 a year. As of June of 2024, there were 606 Costco warehouses in the United States. I'm sure this will continue to be annoying as they try to keep non-members out of the club but it's important to remember that you, the member, benefit from this even if you're frustrated and annoyed entering the store. Either way, let's be honest, it's not going to keep us out of there. I'm sure everything will change and technology will be updated again soon, anyway.

Guy Fieri has showcased some mouth-watering burgers on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives but are these 5 of the best? We're rolling out to find the best Flavortown has to offer!

Guy totally has the best job ever, right? He gets to travel the country (er, world) and try the best food he can find in Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Then, he has several more fun shows and it's clear he's living all of our dreams. He's shown us thousands of meals, but are these the best looking burgers featured on the show?

One of my favorite things about traveling to different cities is checking out restaurants that Guy Fieri went to on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in said city. I can't travel and not check out at least one restaurant that was featured on the show. No matter where you are or where you're visiting, chances are high that Guy has been there and has showcased a restaurant in that city.

On Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, Guy Fieri eats all kinds of meals. There are common ones you can find at every restaurant and more unique offerings exclusive to that restaurant. He tries them all! As long as there aren't any eggs, he usually will end up liking the dish. It's always funny to watch his face when eggs get introduced knowing that he absolutely hates them. However, some of the most mouth-watering foods shown on the show are often the most simple. You never have to travel very far to find a burger--but the burgers shown on the show are typically far from ordinary. There is a reason he's showing us it, after all.

Some of the burgers are greasy spoon-style, some will have unique ingredients, and others are completely deconstructed and I don't know if you can call them "burgers" at all! By only choosing 5 "off the chain" (as Guy would say) burgers means we're leaving a lot of good ones out. For example, Guy some heavy metal-inspired burgers in Chicago that didn't make the list, neither did the impressive green chile burger.

Do you have a favorite burger that was featured on the show? Let us know where it is! I can add it to the list and we can check it out! Here are 5 of the most mouth-watering burgers I've seen featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

During his trip to Somerville, Massachusetts Guy stopped at the Boston Burger Company and tried the Mac Attack. Have you ever had a burger with mac and cheese on it? If you haven't you will want to after watching him try one on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It's a full serving of mac and cheese! Guy loved the way the bun absorbed all the craziness. I'm not even a big fan of mac and cheese, but even I want to try this.

While visiting Atlanta, Georgia Guy visited the Inman Park neighborhood to showcase a spot the locals love. It's called Folk Art and they specialize in Southern Hospitality. One of their more unique menu offerings is a Meatball Burger. I've never seen anything like this burger. It has marinara and combines the best of burger and meatball sandwich. It's sloppy, it's messy, it's what I want. It's a fresh perspective on the Sunday Italian Family Dinner, as Guy points out.

Utah isn't famous for its food, but that doesn't mean you can't find a good meal. Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives featured a restaurant called Sabores in Logan. The chef has an impressive resume including cooking for some Presidents. Now, he's serving up delicious food from around the world. However, one thing that caught Guy's attention was the Peanut Butter Burger. You can see the customer's faces light up as they talk about it. Not only does it have peanut butter but also bacon, cheese, and curry aioli. Don't knock it until you try it!

Sometimes, Guy will visit tiny towns across rural America. In other episodes, he goes big showing off some food in the biggest cities in the country. That was the case when he visited bopNgrill in Chicago. During the intro video, Guy even details some of the epic burgers they've featured on the show. They are doing some awesome fusion here putting an Asian-spin on some all-American classics. This unique burger is topped with truffled mushroom duxelles, sun-dried tomato confit, and togarashi mayo. It sounds and looks unbelievable.

Guy Fieri visited the campus of The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and tried the famous Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger. If you're looking for a greasy spoon-style burger it's hard to find one better than this one. Believe it or not, college kids know a thing or 2 about late-night eats and dives. They didn't get this one wrong. It's an Ann Arbor institution and the pride of the University! Okay, well maybe outside of football and education.