Alert – Costco employees reveal the things customers do that annoy them most

Costco employees are finally spilling the beans on the behaviors that drive them nuts — and it turns out some customers are far from courteous. 

In a viral Reddit thread, staff at the beloved wholesale chain shared their biggest pet peeves, ranging from mild annoyances to downright shocking moments. 

‘People leaving perishables in random places, throwing their trash in random places, and rudeness I think we agree don’t belong in Costco,’ one employee wrote on the site.

The post gained traction and the employee asked others to share their frustrations with customers.  

‘Setting up a portable potty and having her child use it in a food aisle,’ one jaded worker replied.

‘Entering the gas station in the wrong direction’ and ‘standing in the middle of the aisle, oblivious to everyone around you,’ were other top irritants.  

One employee said customers often toss used sample cups behind pallets, leaving hidden trash piles for workers to clean. 

‘I don’t get it when the sample stations have a garbage right next to it and we have garbage cans at the end of the isles,’ they wrote in frustration.

Costco employees have revealed their most hated customer behaviors 

Others noted the irritating creative solutions consumers seem to be getting up to.

‘Opening produce containers of apples, grapes, berries, mangoes to make a new package,’ they wrote. 

‘Bringing in pets, this has got out of control,’ another added. 

The complaints may go someway to understanding which Costco recently saw its customer satisfaction rate plummet.

The wholesale giant slipped from first to seventh place in the influential American Customer Satisfaction Index this year. 

Costco’s shoppers reported a nearly 5 percent satisfaction drop since 2024.

Retail analyst Neil Saunders told dailyMail.com that overfilled parking lots, slow wait times at checkout, and Costco’s limited ecommerce sales likely contributed to the brand’s dip. 

Blocking the aisles while shopping is among workers biggest pet peeves 

However, Saunders stressed that it was a rare setback for the giant. 

‘Costco is extremely successful and its above average growth rates don’t reflect the lower satisfaction rating,’ he explained. 

Costco hiked its membership fees back in September raising its standard by $5 a year, taking it from $60 to $65.

The Executive level – which offers a 2 percent rebate on all Costco purchases made that year up to a total of $750 – will increase by $10 to $130 a year.

Costco is famous for its own-label Kirkland range,  including its award-winning Kirkland Signature Coastal Cheddar Cheese. 

Recently Slice Soda, a lemon-lime soda originally described as ‘Pepsi’s answer to Sprite’ was found on Costco shelves again for the first time in fifteen years.

Despite its enduring popularity Costco lost its crown as the nation’s favorite grocery store to southern grocery chain H-E-B.