8 things boomers do at Costco that regulars have learned to avoid

Ever notice how certain shopping behaviors at Costco can turn a quick trip into an hour-long ordeal?

Last weekend, I was doing my weekly produce run for meal prep when I watched a couple spend fifteen minutes blocking the entire avocado display while examining each one individually.

Behind them, a growing line of shoppers shifted their carts awkwardly, trying to navigate around the human roadblock.

It got me thinking about all the unspoken rules of warehouse shopping that seasoned members have figured out through years of experience.

After chatting with fellow regulars at my farmers' market volunteer shifts and observing patterns during countless shopping trips, I've noticed that many of these shopping faux pas tend to come from one particular generation.

Now, before anyone gets defensive, this isn't about age-shaming. My own parents are boomers, and they're lovely people.

But there are certain habits that seem especially common among shoppers of their generation that can make the Costco experience less pleasant for everyone involved.

If you want smoother shopping trips and happier fellow members, here are eight behaviors that experienced Costco shoppers have learned to work around.

1) Treating samples like a full meal experience

We've all seen it: The shopper who camps out at the sample station, going back for thirds and fourths while engaging the sample distributor in a lengthy conversation about the product's ingredients, cooking methods, and whether it comes in different flavors.

Look, I get it. Free food is exciting. But when you're blocking access to the samples for everyone else or holding up foot traffic in those narrow aisles, you're creating a bottleneck that affects dozens of shoppers.

The unwritten rule? Take one sample, maybe two if you're genuinely interested in buying the product, and keep moving. Think of it like a buffet line at a wedding. You wouldn't stand at the shrimp station eating directly from the serving tray while guests pile up behind you, right?

2) Abandoning carts in the middle of aisles

This one makes my eye twitch every single time. You know the scene: A cart left diagonally across the aisle while its owner wanders off to examine items three sections away.

During my years as a financial analyst, I learned that efficiency isn't just about numbers. It's about systems and flow. And nothing disrupts the flow of a busy Costco quite like an abandoned cart creating an obstacle course for everyone else.

The solution is simple: Park your cart to one side, close to the shelves. Better yet, take it with you. Those aisles are wide for a reason, and that reason isn't to create a parking lot.

3) Arguing about membership cards at checkout

• "But my wife has the membership!"
• "Can't you just look it up?"
• "I shop here all the time!"

Sound familiar? These checkout debates can add minutes to everyone's wait time. Costco's membership rules haven't changed in decades. You need your card or the app to shop. Period.

Here's what regulars do: Keep a photo of your membership card on your phone as backup. Download the app. Have your card ready before you get in line. It's like having your ID ready at the airport. You know they're going to ask for it, so why act surprised?

4) Hoarding sale items beyond reason

There's buying in bulk, and then there's clearing out an entire pallet of paper towels because they're two dollars off.

I once watched someone load their cart with literally every container of mixed nuts on sale, leaving none for other shoppers. When another member politely asked if they could have just one container, the response was, "Should have gotten here earlier!"

Costco typically restocks quickly, but that doesn't mean you need to prep like you're stocking a bunker.

Even with my careful budgeting on a writer's income, I've learned that most sales cycle back around every few months. There's no need to panic-buy forty tubes of toothpaste.

5) Demanding to speak to managers over minor issues

The strawberries aren't as big as last week's. The rotisserie chickens are slightly smaller. The parking lot is too crowded.

These complaints, often delivered at high volume to whatever employee is nearest, slow down operations for everyone. That poor person restocking the yogurt doesn't control berry sizes or corporate decisions about chicken sourcing.

Save manager conversations for actual problems, like defective products or genuine service issues. Everything else? That's what the suggestion box and customer service email are for.

6) Treating employees like personal shoppers

• "Can you check in the back for fresher bananas?"
• "Which brand of olive oil do you personally prefer?"
• "Could you help me load my car?"

Costco employees are incredibly helpful, but they're not personal assistants. They have specific jobs to do, and stopping to provide concierge-level service to one shopper means they can't help the dozens of others who need basic assistance.

Quick questions are fine. Monopolizing an employee's time for twenty minutes while you debate between two types of coffee makers? Not so much.

7) Ignoring basic cart etiquette at checkout

Here's something I learned from years of analyzing efficiency metrics: Small behaviors compound into big delays.

Waiting until everything is scanned to start unloading your cart onto the belt. Questioning every price. Reorganizing how items are packed while the line grows behind you. These seemingly minor actions can double or triple transaction times.

Regulars know the drill: Unload as items are being scanned, have your payment ready, and save the reorganizing for the parking lot. Your fellow shoppers will thank you.

8) Creating traffic jams in the food court

The food court is already chaos on weekends.

Add in shoppers who stand directly in front of the pickup window blocking everyone else, or those who spread out across multiple tables to eat a single hot dog, and it becomes nearly impossible to navigate.

Then there's the classic move of sending one person to wait in the food line while another waits in the checkout line, then trying to coordinate a complex reunion that involves cart-switching and confused employees.

Keep it simple. Order, step aside, wait for your number, grab your food, and find a reasonable amount of space to eat. The food court isn't a restaurant where you can camp out for an hour nursing a soda.

Final thoughts

Shopping at Costco doesn't have to be stressful. Most of these behaviors come from good intentions, like wanting to get the best value or make sure you're making the right purchase.

But here's what I've learned from switching from corporate life to freelancing: Sometimes the most valuable thing isn't getting every last penny of savings or examining every option. Sometimes it's respecting everyone's time, including your own.

These unwritten rules aren't about age or generation. They're about awareness and consideration. Whether you're 25 or 75, we're all just trying to get our shopping done and get home to enjoy those bulk purchases.

Next time you're at Costco, take a moment to notice the flow around you. Are you adding to it or disrupting it? A little awareness goes a long way toward making the warehouse shopping experience better for everyone.

And hey, if you recognize yourself in any of these behaviors, don't worry. We've all been there. The beautiful thing about habits is that once you notice them, you can change them.

Your fellow Costco members will appreciate it, and you might even find your shopping trips become faster and less frustrating too.