Costco Is Making A Change—What Minnesota Shoppers Need to Know

Costco has been updating its policies and making changes over the past couple of years. One of the most noticeable changes is their stricter approach to membership checks. Last year, they began stationing employees at the self-checkout to scan memberships and eventually introduced membership card scanners at the entrance.

The world’s third-largest retailer also implemented a major policy change to their Food Court last year. You can read more about that and catch up on their latest changes below.

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How Many Costcos Are There in Minnesota?

Minnesota is home to thirteen Costco locations, each offering exclusive benefits and discounts for its members. Plus, members have the opportunity to buy in bulk, which can lead to significant long-term savings.

How Much Does A Costco Membership Cost in Minnesota?

Costco offers both personal and business membership options, each with distinct perks. The Executive membership costs $130, while the Business or Gold Star membership is $65.

We have a basic membership, and we often shop at Costco for everything from food to clothing, furniture, and electronics. According to Costco’s website, they have over 100 million members.

Shoppers love buying in bulk, but the food court is also a fan favorite. I once had a coworker who’d go to Costco daily for a cheap lunch, grabbing a giant slice of pizza or a hotdog with a soda for a couple of bucks.

Parent Tip: Did you know you can order whole pizzas from Costco? It’s a great option when hosting a birthday party and needing a lot of pizza. Their pizzas are huge and only cost about $10.

Up until last year, non-members were able to order from the food court, but that changed. Now, you need an active Costco membership to order from the food court menu.

Costco Makes a Big Change in Its Food Court

Costco is switching from Pepsi to Coca-Cola.

Costco's CEO Ron Vachris announced the change during a shareholders meeting: “We will be converting our food court fountain business back over to Coca-Cola.”

According to CNN, Coca-Cola was a staple in Costco food courts for decades, but the retailer switched to Pepsi in 2013. This time, Coke outbid its competitor for the contract, which includes not just the soda machines and syrup, but also cups, straws, and other related products.