Measuring Costco Pumpkin Pies Is Basically The Definition Of Extra

For Costco shoppers, the start of autumn means Costco's signature pumpkin pie is back in stock. While many customers are content to snag the deal when available, one customer is keeping the chain honest. The Costco shopper decided to measure their pie to make sure the grocery chain wasn't cheating them.

Taking to Reddit, the Costco shopper shared a picture of a pie measured with measuring tape — exactly 12 inches across in diameter. The shopper seemed satisfied with the results, writing, "Some great things remain unaffected by inflation." While many fellow shoppers were content to celebrate the pie's return, a few questioned why the shopper decided to break out the measuring tape. One person commented, "We're measuring the pies now?" Another wrote, "Keeping 'em honest I see."

The shopper in question revealed some of the reasoning behind their methods: "One measurement at a time. Measure twice pie once." Apparently, the pie measures exactly the same as last year's. How would the shopper know that? Well, they measured last year's pumpkin pie as well, and they shared their results in a separate post. (At first glance, however, last year's dessert does look slightly smaller.)

While the shopper breaking out a tape measure may seem a bit extra, perhaps they have a good reason. In recent years, shoppers have faced not just inflation, but also a more insidious strategy called "shrinkflation."

In layman's terms, shrinkflation means paying the same price for a smaller quantity of an item than you previously received. For instance, in recent years, Doritos has slightly decreased the number of chips in each bag. Meanwhile, Gatorade redesigned its bottles to hold less liquid while maintaining the same height. Notably, these differences likely aren't readily apparent to shoppers when they're wandering the grocery aisles. 

The Costco shopper's desire to get their money's worth is understandable. For $5.99, however, Costco's pumpkin pie is, indeed, a steal. While many stores sell 22-ounce pumpkin pies, Costco's pumpkin pie weighs in at 58 ounces. Fortunately, the next time you go to the store, there's no need to break out the tape measure—this shopper has already done that work for you; you may, however, need to test if Costco's pies are made with real pumpkins.