The Absolute Worst Day To Shop At Costco

Some foodies may find this hard to believe, but there are people out there who can't stand grocery shopping. "I will put it off until I have nothing left to make anything with. Why? The people, the lines, just the process of walking around a large store looking for different items, etc," one Redditor explained in a 2015 thread of their disdain for the task. "I'd rather pay someone to do it for me," they added.

As you probably know, our Reddit friend's dream of having someone else peruse the aisles on their behalf is very much a reality now thanks to grocery delivery services like Instacart. And yet, even with the ability to restock your fridge, freezer, and pantry from the comfort of your own home, there may still come a time when you might find yourself needing — or, dare we say, wanting – to step foot in an actual grocery store. Costco, for example, entices members to visit its brick-and-mortar locations with the promise of free samples, warehouse-exclusive offers, and cheap grub from its food court — but is the chain's infamous $1.50 hot dog combo really worth combatting the massive crowds that show up to the grocer each day?

Fortunately, after 46 years in operation, we have some insight into which days make for a better Costco shopping experience. Per Finance Buzz, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons are the "sweet spot" for Costco runs, while the absolute worst day is a bit of a surprise.

Many nine-to-fivers save the errands for the weekends, and we can't say we blame them for that. After all, who wants to visit a bustling store in uncomfortable business clothes after working all day? As such, grocers like Costco tend to see larger crowds on Saturdays and Sundays — though, according to Finance Buzz, there's another day the big box retailer sees just as much, if not more, traffic. Per the outlet, Mondays are also a popular shopping day for Costco cardholders who think they're being strategic by stocking up on groceries after the weekend shoppers are long gone, and is also a big day for returns, as well. Additionally, USA Today reports that Monday is the best day of the week to buy gas. Considering that Costco's fuel is already so cheap, you shouldn't be too surprised to see longer lines at the pump at the start of the work week.

On Reddit, one Costco member recently detailed their experience of visiting their local store in Richmond, California on a Monday afternoon. "The parking lot was insane. They had someone out there directing traffic," u/Macchiato9261 shared. Several others on the thread concurred that Costco is a madhouse on Mondays, though a few Redditors noted that location played a factor, as well. To help determine the best time to visit your local warehouse, u/CommentFactory1 suggested using the overview tab on Google Maps to see if you'll face an unusually large crowd.