Costco Employees Reveal What They Secretly Judge Members For

For a lot of people, having a Costco membership is a sign that you have officially made it as an adult. Instead of splurging on the flashy name brands at Whole Foods, you're finally listening to your parents' advice and going full Kirkland (and in bulk) to save money. It's yet another way that we slowly become our parents where we are now calling them to brag about the price of paper towels. 

While it may scare you how similar you are to your parents, you're not alone. According to Statista, in 2020, more than 105 million people worldwide paid for a Costco membership. In this magical land of savings and free samples, people are so excited about scoring the best deals that they often forget the rules of society, however. And Costco employees have taken to a few different mediums to voice their most common complaints about shoppers, with the severity of some of these issues honestly not very shocking.

One common thread of complaints from Costco employees is that shoppers do not return unwanted items to their proper place. On a Reddit thread dedicated to the very subject of what workers judge shoppers for doing, a Costco meat supervisor commented, "Not returning refrigerated or frozen products where they belong when you decide you don't want it. This stuff is perishable people!" Similarly, another person commented, "I found abandoned popsicles once and it just disgusts me that someone would even think of doing that." One employee also told Insider that, instead of placing an item you no longer want in a random place, it's better to bring it to the register so they can put it in the "go back" cart and restock accordingly.

Another common issue at this bulk buy haven is cart etiquette, according to employees. Due to the large size of most items, the carts at Costco are larger than standard ones, which can cause congestion in the store if people aren't cognizant of other shoppers. "Costco is the only store where I physically move people's carts from the middle of the aisle. It boils my blood when they're standing there and there's a line on both sides forming because they're blocking the aisle," one person said on the Reddit thread. Another employee told Insider that it's best to stay with your cart or, if you are just grabbing a few items, it's much easier to navigate the store without the giant basket on wheels.