all-purpose COSTCO thread (show your membership card and receipt at the door)

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they sell this spinach & cheese ravioli that's really delicious. i just had some. it's criminal how small the "serving size" is.

these guys make it and package it special for costco: http://www.montereygourmetfoods.com/index.cfm/mpc_products_ravioli.htm

corn smut (get bent), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:15 (fourteen years ago)

is costco a regional thing? i've never seen one in the upper midwest and i'm only aware of them via patton oswalt.

OH WOW GRANDFATHER CLOCK HAT (arby's), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:33 (fourteen years ago)

i go to costco every other week and it is always the low point of that week

jeff, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:34 (fourteen years ago)

I dread going on the weekends, but have found if I get to mine within an hour of them opening on Sunday, the crowds aren't too bad and the "samplers" aren't set up yet. Got my last eye exam there - $75 vs. almost $200 through health insurance co-op. I found an edamame/black bean/quinoa salad there awhile back that was really good.

Jaq, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:47 (fourteen years ago)

I go there for the produce - Earthbound Organic 1-lb spinach clamshells for $3.69! Fuck yeah!

homosexual II, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:53 (fourteen years ago)

is costco a regional thing? i've never seen one in the upper midwest and i'm only aware of them via patton oswalt.

― OH WOW GRANDFATHER CLOCK HAT (arby's), Wednesday, September 1, 2010 5:33 PM (20 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I'm not sure what the "upper midwest" is but there's at least one in Chicago.

congratulations (n/a), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:54 (fourteen years ago)

yeah i just checked and there's about 5 of 'em encircling the twin cities! guess i need to get to the burbs.

arby's, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:57 (fourteen years ago)

We have our Costco run as pre-planned and efficient as a commando raid

Un peu d'Eire, ça fait toujours Dublin (Michael White), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:58 (fourteen years ago)

i've been stocking up on the illy canned iced cappuccino -- i think a package of 10 is about $10.

corn smut (get bent), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:59 (fourteen years ago)

I must confess, Costco is where I buy my Nutella because it costs a fraction of what it does anywhere else.

Father forgive me.

Fartbritz Sootzveti (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:59 (fourteen years ago)

We have our Costco run as pre-planned and efficient as a commando raid

same here. we get in and out of there, no pussyfooting around.

destroy: not accepting mastercard.

corn smut (get bent), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 23:01 (fourteen years ago)

some the people at costco seem like they would be better off if they went to the hospital instead

jeff, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 23:05 (fourteen years ago)

I liked Costco when I lived in CA -- for one thing, CA has rational liquor laws and I could buy beer, wine and spirits under one roof. Also, the buck-fifty polish+drink was a decent cheap dinner before shopping, esp with a couple of bites of dessert from the sample-grannies stationed around the store. Kirkland balsamic vinegar is very good as I recall, if you can figure out what to do with a gallon.

The nearest Costco here is Memphis, and I kept my membership for a couple of years, but it wasn't cost-effective. Sam's Club is a poor substitute.

Donovan Dagnabbit (WmC), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 23:08 (fourteen years ago)

pre-planned and efficient as a commando raid

Mine moves stuff around all the time! Wine, produce, baked goods, meat - those don't move. But paper goods, soft drinks, giant 2-pack nutella jars, bread, heavy cream, butter - it's anyone's guess.

Jaq, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 23:26 (fourteen years ago)

My Costco raids are reasonably targeted, except when it comes to buying beer sampler packs and whiskey

mh, Thursday, 2 September 2010 00:41 (fourteen years ago)

i don't find their alcohol prices that special. i always take a peek anyway, just in case, but there's nothing i can't get at bevmo.

corn smut (get bent), Thursday, 2 September 2010 02:48 (fourteen years ago)

one thing i always get is the 3-pack of firm tofu. i love keeping tofu around the house cuz it's so versatile and gets me out of a rut with my cooking. i used some in my pad see ew last night (leftovers tonight! yum!) and made a ma po tofu "gravy" for a tri tip steak dinner last week.

corn smut (get bent), Thursday, 2 September 2010 02:52 (fourteen years ago)

16 posts and no mention of toilet paper.

my dad's really proud because his/my costco was the first costco. it looks like the others.

156, Thursday, 2 September 2010 04:14 (fourteen years ago)

^^^Same goes for my dad. They said it was "the first" but maybe it was just "one of the firsts." I believe it was in Reno. He used to use the original membership card until they asked him to stop.

Cunga, Thursday, 2 September 2010 04:18 (fourteen years ago)

The first one opened in Seattle in the '80s. I drive past the Kirkland one every day.

Jaq, Thursday, 2 September 2010 04:31 (fourteen years ago)

Commando Costco raids otm.

Toilet paper
Heavy duty foil
Giant tub o laundry powder
2-pk dishwasher detergent
SW diced tomatoes
Sundried tomatoes: huge jar 4 cheap
Kirkland evoo for cooking
Aidell sausages
Tritips are good too

I like their bedlinen too. Cheaper than stores, pretty sturdy.

VegemiteGrrrl, Thursday, 2 September 2010 04:50 (fourteen years ago)

We go maybe once every 3 months...whenever the toilet paper runs low, lol

VegemiteGrrrl, Thursday, 2 September 2010 04:51 (fourteen years ago)

i too have availed myself of the heavy-duty foil, diced tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, and aidell sausages!

corn smut (get bent), Thursday, 2 September 2010 05:01 (fourteen years ago)

btw, paper products usually are cheaper on sale at other stores, costco just makes you feel awesome by buying a ton at once

mh, Thursday, 2 September 2010 13:57 (fourteen years ago)

Since I started making the cat food, I get 20 lbs or so of organic boneless skinless chicken thighs every 2 weeks in addition to the usual staples: wine, tp, paper towels, heavy cream, sour cream, butter, diet coke, Beecher's and buffalo mozzarella and romano and Tillamook cheeses, olive oil, 2 gallons of white vinegar at a whack. Enormous bags of various chips. The Evergood hot links are tasty. And their aspirin is a deal, since our TJs don't carry it anymore.

Agreed about their linens! Also, bath towels.

Jaq, Thursday, 2 September 2010 14:34 (fourteen years ago)

My wife likes to MEANDER through Costco, like it's a park or something.

It is, literally, the most aggravating thing in my life right now.

feel free to answer my Korn Kuestion (HI DERE), Thursday, 2 September 2010 14:36 (fourteen years ago)

It is, literally, the most aggravating thing in my life right now.

Sympathies, seriously.

Cosctco:

Toilet paper
Paper towels
Dishwasher liquid
pork roast (we cut it in half, freeze half as a roast and make chops out of the rest)
chicken
occasionally salmon or roast beef
duck confit as needed
cheese (good English cheddar, manchego, mimolette - hard cheeses that can last since we're buying a lot plus a bag of Babybels)
pasta
Italian tuna in oil
Olive oil
Sonicare
Razor blades

I have a weakness for their polishes. That's pretty much the only times I eat one.

Btw, that list is in order. We make a beeline for the back of the store and work our way back up to the registers where we often spend as much time in line as we did picking everything up.

Un peu d'Eire, ça fait toujours Dublin (Michael White), Thursday, 2 September 2010 14:49 (fourteen years ago)

Italian tuna in oil

Oh! I hope mine carries this. I've gotten a few good deals by the case on Amazon, but they don't always have it.

Jaq, Thursday, 2 September 2010 14:56 (fourteen years ago)

We usually buy 2 or 3 cases of bottled water there at a time (and when needed). For around $3.70 a case, you cannot beat that anywhere. 35 16.9oz bottles per case is a great deal. We try to avoid hitting the store on the weekends. Place is nuts. But I must say, that it is a great place to get a cheap bite for lunch -- A large polish hotdog and diet coke for $1.50 is nice.

van smack, Friday, 3 September 2010 22:37 (fourteen years ago)

I spit on people that buy bottled water at mine because we have fucking great tap water

mh, Saturday, 4 September 2010 00:05 (fourteen years ago)

six months pass...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2235/2415527871_c7097d7449_o.jpg

jaxon, Monday, 7 March 2011 01:37 (fourteen years ago)

Thats how I feel when I have to go too. Always so fucking crowded with rude as hell people pushing and shoving.

rendezvous then i'm through with HOOS (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 7 March 2011 01:39 (fourteen years ago)

i know i feel like a shirley manson/kate moss lookalike in black lingerie and a gun in my mouth.

hauntological-hysteric theater (get bent), Monday, 7 March 2011 01:43 (fourteen years ago)

http://s3.amazonaws.com/bzzagent-bzzscapes-prod/chicken-bake--lrg.png

Why can you find these nowhere else? They're better than pizza.

Crouching Seward, Hidden Raggett (kelpolaris), Monday, 7 March 2011 01:45 (fourteen years ago)

I got my Amex/Costco rewards thing. It is nearly $300. I apparently can cash it out at Costco, or spend it there. I kind of want a new television. I think I will buy one on Amazon, then cash out at Costco or just buy ten cases of Red Bull.

mh, Monday, 7 March 2011 01:50 (fourteen years ago)

one year passes...

Costco!

i don't believe in zimmerman (Hurting 2), Thursday, 22 March 2012 01:00 (thirteen years ago)

How is this place even possible. I bought this two-pound thing of smoked pulled pork and it was like, I don't know, maybe $8? And it's really good! It tastes like pulled pork from a legit barbecue joint.

i don't believe in zimmerman (Hurting 2), Thursday, 22 March 2012 01:02 (thirteen years ago)

our Costco list is still pretty much the same as upthread

add to that list occasionally:
batteries
wiper blades
Brita water filters
Giant block of sliced pepper jack cheese!

they started selling Rosie's chicken sausages, no Aidells last time. Rosie's sausages are pretty gross, I don't think I'll get them again. The chicken is way over-processed, has the consistency of a corndog. Had to cook them with really strong flavored sauces to disguise the icky taste.

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 22 March 2012 01:07 (thirteen years ago)

my boss has been promising me a membership here for a while, still waiting. MIL took me on a shopping spree at our local costco for my b'day, loved it.

just1n3, Thursday, 22 March 2012 01:09 (thirteen years ago)

Giant tubs of Buffala Mozzarella! 2LB bags of chocolate covered Acai berries for $7.50! Variety cases of Kirkland brand beer (made by Saranac, I think) for $18.99! I bought a fucking 42-piece snapware set for $24. I bought an HD video camera for $200.

i don't believe in zimmerman (Hurting 2), Thursday, 22 March 2012 01:09 (thirteen years ago)

The Don Pedro burritos are pretty good for frozen burritos. The Cedarlane ones less so.

A few weeks ago when I was there an old black dude who was handing out Oreo samples intoned "America has changed, but the Oreo is still the same."

i don't believe in zimmerman (Hurting 2), Thursday, 22 March 2012 01:11 (thirteen years ago)

old man otm

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 22 March 2012 01:17 (thirteen years ago)

their giant bags of green beans are p good come Thanksgiving time

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 22 March 2012 01:18 (thirteen years ago)

I used to think "this shit isn't for me, it's for people with five kids." But you can make it work if you have even a little bit of storage space in your apartment -- we go every two weeks, and we stash stuff like cans of tomato paste, boxes of chicken stock and rolls of paper towels in pretty much every free nook and cranny of our kitchen. We buy the giant thing of salad greens and make ourselves eat a lot of salad. We buy the six pepper pack and actually use it. We buy a big bag of apples. We buy huge things of meat and fish and divide them up and freeze them -- you get like good flounder for the price of supermarket salmon! Prime steak for the price of choice! Giant loaves of whole grain bread at like $2/loaf!

i don't believe in zimmerman (Hurting 2), Thursday, 22 March 2012 01:21 (thirteen years ago)

yeah when I first met Mr Veg he was living in a tiny apartment and every single cupboard/closet in the whole place, kitchen/hallway/bathroom/bedroom were filled with Costco toilet rolls, lol

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 22 March 2012 01:26 (thirteen years ago)

more like Jerkland

buzza, Thursday, 22 March 2012 02:35 (thirteen years ago)

guys they started carrying these containers of dried shiitake mushrooms at very reasonable prices. I bought multiple in case they do not have them later.

mh, Thursday, 22 March 2012 14:02 (thirteen years ago)

Last time I got a tub of goma wakame. It was pretty good.

L'ennui, cette maladie de tous les (Michael White), Thursday, 22 March 2012 14:12 (thirteen years ago)

Wish I could snap my fingers and change the Sam's Club in Tupelo into a Costco.

any major prude will tell you (WmC), Thursday, 22 March 2012 14:17 (thirteen years ago)

I wish you could snap your fingers and turn Tupelo into Kansas City

THIS TRADE SERVES ZERO FOOTBALL PURPOSE (DJP), Thursday, 22 March 2012 14:19 (thirteen years ago)

That too! Although if I could have done it a few years ago, I'd be dead of Too Much Barbecue disease by now.

any major prude will tell you (WmC), Thursday, 22 March 2012 14:24 (thirteen years ago)

I know of no such disease

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:05 (thirteen years ago)

I got a 48-count Durex Pleasure Pack for $10 this week.

Then I realized the probable reaction of a girl who sees me reaching into my industrial can o' condoms.

Kiarostami bag (milo z), Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:13 (thirteen years ago)

lol

what you should really do is empty it almost all the way so you can reach into it dramatically and fish around like "gee, do I -- have -- any -- left -- aha"

i don't believe in zimmerman (Hurting 2), Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:16 (thirteen years ago)

xp:

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumblarge_439/1253540304rzws4h.jpg

THIS TRADE SERVES ZERO FOOTBALL PURPOSE (DJP), Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:16 (thirteen years ago)

ws

i don't believe in zimmerman (Hurting 2), Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:20 (thirteen years ago)

can you stash the bulk pack somewhere and have a smaller, 'normal size' box you can refill?

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:29 (thirteen years ago)

Yeah, I'm just going to put a couple at a time in my bedside table. Though I kind of want to test the giant metal can o' prophylactics experience.

Kiarostami bag (milo z), Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:31 (thirteen years ago)

maybe I can find a gallon jug of lube to go with it

Kiarostami bag (milo z), Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:31 (thirteen years ago)

haha

it'd be funny if you had a spare room in the house that just had a mattress on the floor, a giant jug of lube and a huge bulk can of condoms

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:34 (thirteen years ago)

that room would inevitably smell horrible

mh, Thursday, 22 March 2012 15:45 (thirteen years ago)

^^d3athdr0ne's apartment

she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Thursday, 22 March 2012 16:10 (thirteen years ago)

eek

forget I said anything

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 22 March 2012 16:22 (thirteen years ago)

costco hotdogs are good, so +1
on the other hand, they tore up my familiy membership card b/c it had a picture of my dad on it, and i was apparently not the authorized user, so – 2
their vanilla extract is surprisngly good +1

net 0 i'm going to BJs

aka vanilla bean (remy bean), Thursday, 22 March 2012 16:26 (thirteen years ago)

otm vanilla extract!

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 22 March 2012 16:41 (thirteen years ago)

how to obtain costco lunch w/out being costco member:

1. approach costco front entrance
2. take the "out" exit, as if either to talk to management/"go to work"/return something
3. wait in line, decide whether you want polish or regular
4. free drink

kelpolaris, Thursday, 22 March 2012 17:24 (thirteen years ago)

it'd be funny if you had a spare room in the house that just had a mattress on the floor, a giant jug of lube and a huge bulk can of condoms

― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, March 22, 2012 11:34 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

a condo with nothing but condoms in it?

i don't believe in zimmerman (Hurting 2), Sunday, 25 March 2012 20:48 (thirteen years ago)

condo(m)

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 25 March 2012 21:33 (thirteen years ago)

In the process of moving from this house to a new apartment, I may have to stage the bare mattress, jug o' lube and condom scene for a photo.

Kiarostami bag (milo z), Sunday, 25 March 2012 21:43 (thirteen years ago)

:D

Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 25 March 2012 21:45 (thirteen years ago)

should there also be a bottle of cheap vodka?

Kiarostami bag (milo z), Sunday, 25 March 2012 21:49 (thirteen years ago)

costco also apparently has a gel-foam-mattress-in-a-box as I learned today. It's probably like double king size though.

i don't believe in zimmerman (Hurting 2), Sunday, 25 March 2012 22:00 (thirteen years ago)

oreo guy was back, but today he was doing an elaborate spiel about some layer cake that all his customers have been waiting for since it last went out of stock. He's really quite a gifted sample barker.

i don't believe in zimmerman (Hurting 2), Sunday, 25 March 2012 22:01 (thirteen years ago)

Mine has those gel foam mattresses in all the standard sizes. I almost got one, but apparently they're miserably hot in Texas.

Kiarostami bag (milo z), Sunday, 25 March 2012 22:13 (thirteen years ago)

four months pass...

how much produce do they have there? is it good? trying to figure out if it's worth it for a single person to be a member. it's on my way home from work.

kneel aurmstrong (harbl), Saturday, 18 August 2012 16:59 (twelve years ago)

If you can get through a 4 lb bag of brussels sprouts or 3 lbs of asparagus or 5 heads of romaine before they go bad, it's possibly worth it. Ours usually has a good deal on avocados, but I have to eat one every day or they get gross. We have been going through their raspberries like nobody's business this summer though.

Jaq, Saturday, 18 August 2012 17:16 (twelve years ago)

Have never seen fresh kale or collards at ours btw, nor zucchini. Lots of carrot and celery sticks, and various tubs of precut salad greens abound.

Jaq, Saturday, 18 August 2012 17:19 (twelve years ago)

yeah super quantities of vegetables are not gonna work!

kneel aurmstrong (harbl), Saturday, 18 August 2012 17:22 (twelve years ago)

Green beans are good, or tomatoes if you can't get decent ones elswewhere. Otherwise it's kind of a miss, produce-wise

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 18 August 2012 18:03 (twelve years ago)

what about other foods? frozen meat/fish? not so interested in prepared frozen foods.

kneel aurmstrong (harbl), Saturday, 18 August 2012 18:12 (twelve years ago)

True, the only produce we buy on the reg are the campari tomatoes, romaine hearts, asparagus and mushrooms (which always go manky before we use them all). You can't rely on anything to be there, sort of like Trader Joe's. Also, I will never buy a giant bag of onions at Costco ever again - the last ones all rotted from the inside out and I have never dealt with anything so gross.

The meat is all good quality, and ours carries grass-fed pastured beef now - 3 lb minimum for ground though, so you'd probably need freezer space. Decent selection of fresh fish here, but again it's a side of salmon or 4 big halibut steaks.

Jaq, Saturday, 18 August 2012 18:15 (twelve years ago)

They used to have good prices on boneless chicken breasts; red meat is usually a little on the fatty side & not alway much of a deal...but Aidells sausages are way cheaper than store prices, if you have occasion to buy them

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 18 August 2012 18:28 (twelve years ago)

Never even considered a membership here once my kids were out of diapers, but I've heard OK things about their liquor selection and prices.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 18 August 2012 18:42 (twelve years ago)

i don't think they have alcohol in maryland. i started thinking about this because i want a new blender and some other stuff i could get cheap there and my coworkers keep talking it up. one is married with no kids and one is single and i think uses her mom's membership. she had a big container of seaweed salad in the fridge that was really good.

kneel aurmstrong (harbl), Saturday, 18 August 2012 18:44 (twelve years ago)

VG, I always think they trim the beef and pork way too close! But then I'm an oleophile (plus we are on the all-fat diet basically).

When I was making cat food, we'd get 20 lbs of organic boneless chicken thighs to grind up way cheaper than anything at the grocery.

Jaq, Saturday, 18 August 2012 18:46 (twelve years ago)

one month passes...

Got a very nice wool/cashmere London Fog car coat for $99. Warm, water resistant, and feels very nice. Only drawback is that it's black, and I usually prefer charcoal or navy.

michael bolton's reckless daughter (Hurting 2), Monday, 15 October 2012 14:49 (twelve years ago)

Just joined formally for the first time ever. That said every visit to my local one has been essentially terrifying.

Ned Raggett, Monday, 15 October 2012 14:51 (twelve years ago)

How to be carless and take advantage of Costco intrigues me a little.

WmC, Monday, 15 October 2012 15:13 (twelve years ago)

I don't think Ned is carless anymore

The Owls of Ja Rule (DJP), Monday, 15 October 2012 15:15 (twelve years ago)

they sell those at costco now, really convenient

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Monday, 15 October 2012 15:16 (twelve years ago)

also the easy answer is: share the membership with a car-owning friend

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Monday, 15 October 2012 15:17 (twelve years ago)

:( a hero falls xp

iatee, Monday, 15 October 2012 15:17 (twelve years ago)

To my eternal bemusement, I do now own a car, though I don't drive it.

Ned Raggett, Monday, 15 October 2012 15:18 (twelve years ago)

how were you going to re-enact Tawny Kitaen's part in the "Here I Go Again" video without a car?

The Owls of Ja Rule (DJP), Monday, 15 October 2012 15:21 (twelve years ago)

It's true I had everything else necessary.

Ned Raggett, Monday, 15 October 2012 15:22 (twelve years ago)

How to be carless and take advantage of Costco intrigues me a little.

― WmC, Monday, October 15, 2012 11:13 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

You could get a large foldable grandma cart.

You can also rely on a car service. The manhattan one has cars waiting at all times. You just have to I guess make the trips economical enough (i.e. buy enough stuff/save enough money) that the car service is worth it, which I've never tried to do bc we have a car (although I did figure out that the insurance and gas on our old, paid-off car is more than covered by our grocery savings)

michael bolton's reckless daughter (Hurting 2), Monday, 15 October 2012 15:28 (twelve years ago)

To my eternal bemusement, I do now own a car, though I don't drive it.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, October 15, 2012 10:18 AM (16 minutes ago)

Ned and Not-Ned in one easy sentence.

I hadn't even thought of a car service. Still undercaffeinated.

WmC, Monday, 15 October 2012 15:38 (twelve years ago)

i miss having a costco membership. a. and i let ours lapse because we just weren't going enough to justify the cost. but it is a good deal if you play your cards right.

sriracha bishop (get bent), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 00:04 (twelve years ago)

yo, i seriously hate costco. but i love BJs. I got a pair of high index eyeglasses for $200, and a lot of cranberries for $7.99

formerly r. bean (soda), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 00:09 (twelve years ago)

i got my glasses at costco. their eye exams are cheap and i don't think you need a membership to get one. $50 plus $10 for high-res photos of your eyes.

sriracha bishop (get bent), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 00:12 (twelve years ago)

ooh, maybe i can get a second opinion. i secretly enjoy eye exams a lot, except for the dilation.

formerly r. bean (soda), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 00:21 (twelve years ago)

well you can always ask for a condensed version

乒乓, Tuesday, 16 October 2012 00:22 (twelve years ago)

people who have memberships: how often do you go?

With extreme tenderness - flexible - always guided by the words (get bent), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 02:45 (twelve years ago)

once every couple of months: whenever we run out of -
- toilet paper
- dishwasher detergent
-laundry powder
or if we need tritips for tailgating bbqs

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 02:51 (twelve years ago)

damn, tri tip sounds good.

With extreme tenderness - flexible - always guided by the words (get bent), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 03:03 (twelve years ago)

they're HUGE is the only thing - usually 3+ pounds per, either in a 3 pack or crazy cryo 10 pack which we've never bought.

but they're usually pretty well marbled and they barbecue up really good. great if you're cooking for a big group.

not super cheap, but a decent price for the quality.

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 03:10 (twelve years ago)

I stop once a week for gas (it's right on my way to/from work). We have a chest freezer and a vacuum sealer, and are highly carnivorous, so we buy large quantities of various meats every few weeks as well as eggs, butter, cream, cheeses, and frozen broccoli. The only fresh produce we buy anymore from Costco is romaine hearts and campari tomatoes since we can get through them before they rot. An occasional case of wine (and now we can buy hard liquor there too! One giant bottle of Bombay Sapphire procured!) and numerous flats of diet Coke.

Jaq, Tuesday, 16 October 2012 03:19 (twelve years ago)

beer is sometimes good

our new discovery: wiper blades!

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 03:25 (twelve years ago)

Alcohol never seems like it's a bargain there at all. At least compared to trader joes. And the kirkland brand beer is the same price and same thing (rebranded gordon biersch) as the trader joe's house brand beer, at least in CA. But then I guess according to CA law you can buy alcohol at Costco without needing a membership so maybe it's intentionally not discounted.

wk, Tuesday, 16 October 2012 03:31 (twelve years ago)

hard liquor prices are surprisingly lower on some items

ɥɯ ︵ (°□°) (mh), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 14:11 (twelve years ago)

yo, i seriously hate costco. but i love BJs.

well really, who doesn't?

The Owls of Ja Rule (DJP), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 14:13 (twelve years ago)

right on TARGET.

the ones that I'm near most: fellow outcasts and ilxors (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 14:14 (twelve years ago)

Our Costco has 24-packs of Kirkland ales for $18.99, which is definitely cheaper than the equivalent TJ beers here ($6 per sixpack iirc), although both are reasonable and of similar quality.

We go once every two weeks - it really works out well as long as you develop a kind of routine and set of staples that you stick to. Costco we get meats, fish, a 24-pack of organic eggs, dried fruit/trail mix type stuff, fruits like apples, pears, bananas, almond butter, hummus, goat and feta cheese, any condiments, paper goods and cleaning products we're out of, etc. The weekends we don't do Costco we supplement with Trader Joe's and the farmer's market. This has kept our grocery bill pretty reasonable ($600-700/month for a couple and a baby in New York City) while keeping us well fed (good fish like flounder, prime steak, organic ground beef, organic chicken, etc.) -- and we barely eat any of our meals out and rarely get takeout.

michael bolton's reckless daughter (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 14:19 (twelve years ago)

ooh almond butter is a good call. and hummus too. I'll hve to check those out

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 16:26 (twelve years ago)

Yeah they have a really good almond butter called Maranatha that comes in like a double-sized jar. It's a little hard to stir the tall jar, but once you get past that it's delicious.

michael bolton's reckless daughter (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 16:30 (twelve years ago)

weee that's the brand I use already! hmm. I might need to plan a sooner trip.

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 16:31 (twelve years ago)

hummus they carry the sabra brand by us, which I find just ok. The pine nut one is good. The garden veggie one is kind of nasty.

michael bolton's reckless daughter (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 16:32 (twelve years ago)

they used to have really good burritos 3-packs years ago, which were good when you were shopping after work and wouldn't have time to cook much by the tiem you got home.

bummed they don't have them anymore

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 16:40 (twelve years ago)

I sometimes get these frozen burritos there called Don something or other, and they're good in that they taste nothing like a real burrito but like the absolute ideal cheesy salty mess of a frozen burrito.

michael bolton's reckless daughter (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 16:43 (twelve years ago)

Same with their quesadillas, whose name I also forget.

michael bolton's reckless daughter (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 16:43 (twelve years ago)

two weeks pass...

I had been skeptical of the Costco coffees, especially since buying 2-3 lbs of coffee at once is kind of yuck in terms of freshness (especially if you're the only coffee drinker in your house), but I couldn't really not try the whole bean colombian at around $5.50 a pound -- it was so cheap that even if I wound up not using half I'd be saving money over my fancypants coffee (stumptown, grumpy, counter culture etc.). It's actually pretty damned good!

Knut Horowitz, Able-Bodied Investment Banker and Ladies Man (Hurting 2), Monday, 5 November 2012 22:09 (twelve years ago)

we may have to resort to that. we're going through a pound a week lately, which is getting hella expensive

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 5 November 2012 22:09 (twelve years ago)

Mr Veg scored a jar of Maranatha Almond butter last week - AND a 6 pack of 32oz Almond Milk for $8.89 :D

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 5 November 2012 22:12 (twelve years ago)

Is that almond butter super watery for you? Even after leaving it in the fridge it is almost too runny to use.

svend, Monday, 5 November 2012 22:17 (twelve years ago)

Not for me. I have been buying the small jars for a long time I've never found it watery? the only tiresome thing is stirring in the oil that first time.

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 5 November 2012 22:18 (twelve years ago)

I must have got a bad one. It is way too oily to be normal.

svend, Monday, 5 November 2012 22:19 (twelve years ago)

Their organic peanut butter is good too, but they never seem to have it.

svend, Monday, 5 November 2012 22:20 (twelve years ago)

There's a lot of oil, def. I have found that an immersion blender helps. It's kinda messy but it mixes in the oil way better than a knife.

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 5 November 2012 22:22 (twelve years ago)

Recent purchases included the eternal standbys -- toilet paper and paper towels.

Ned Raggett, Monday, 5 November 2012 22:23 (twelve years ago)

the classics

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 5 November 2012 22:24 (twelve years ago)

I use the Maranatha almond butter. I p much go crazy with stirring it and getting all the harder, drier parts off the bottom and properly mixed in, which gets it into pretty good form. Still on the runnier side but not bad.

Knut Horowitz, Able-Bodied Investment Banker and Ladies Man (Hurting 2), Monday, 5 November 2012 22:43 (twelve years ago)

10-gallon drum of Maker's Mark, casket, socks...

Andy K, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 02:33 (twelve years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XykpZgCO5bA

del griffith, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 04:34 (twelve years ago)

hahaha, Ann Romney barely able to conceal her disgust at the shirts (which, btw, don't come in "packs" at my Costco?)

Knut Horowitz, Able-Bodied Investment Banker and Ladies Man (Hurting 2), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 05:18 (twelve years ago)

I am BACK at Costco. My sister joined and let me be her +1. I am going regularly just for the meat, seafood, spinach and greek yogurt. Since that is like all I eat.

homosexual II, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 18:21 (twelve years ago)

ooh good call on greek yogurt. I might have to investigate that too!

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 18:30 (twelve years ago)

two weeks pass...

i didn't know about the costco thanksgiving dinner! has anyone tried this?

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2012/11/a_very_costco_thanksgiving_fee.php

les rallizes miserables (get bent), Wednesday, 21 November 2012 01:04 (twelve years ago)

two weeks pass...

Giant bags of baby kale!

Jaq, Sunday, 9 December 2012 17:36 (twelve years ago)

I make a costco trip when I run out of kerrygold irish butter.

homosexual II, Sunday, 9 December 2012 20:57 (twelve years ago)

getting low on almond butter & bog rolls, about time for a trip

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 9 December 2012 20:59 (twelve years ago)

my gf works at costco. sometimes she'll bring home a gigantic container full of cashews. I can't be bothered to even look at a peanut these days. they're beneath me.

toy_sleigher (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 9 December 2012 21:03 (twelve years ago)

you think you're better than me?

del griffith, Sunday, 9 December 2012 22:01 (twelve years ago)

at tecmo super bowl? yes fucking yes.

toy_sleigher (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 9 December 2012 22:20 (twelve years ago)

but there's no need for fisticuffs. let us post our top 5 nuts, seeds, legumes, what have you and let the people decide. Here's my list:
1. Cashews
2. - 5. Fuck the rest of this peasant fodder

toy_sleigher (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 9 December 2012 22:22 (twelve years ago)

four weeks pass...

Anyone see the Costco special on CNBC a couple weeks ago?

I fucking love Costco. I would live in a Kirkland house. I would drive a Kirkland car. I want Costco to run our government. Costco for president.

drunk 'n' white's elements of style (Hurting 2), Sunday, 6 January 2013 04:11 (twelve years ago)

Ha. Hurting, my gf was basically required to watch it! It was cool. I can vouch that Costco is a pretty cool company in many ways.

Binder, Binder & (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 6 January 2013 04:15 (twelve years ago)

She wa required in the sense that people would talk about it at work

Binder, Binder & (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 6 January 2013 04:15 (twelve years ago)

Does she work at Costco?

drunk 'n' white's elements of style (Hurting 2), Sunday, 6 January 2013 04:34 (twelve years ago)

Yes, she manages the food court thing

Binder, Binder & (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 6 January 2013 04:43 (twelve years ago)

In our town obv. Not at national level

Binder, Binder & (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 6 January 2013 04:44 (twelve years ago)

Nice. I wanted to work for costco after seeing the doc

drunk 'n' white's elements of style (Hurting 2), Sunday, 6 January 2013 04:45 (twelve years ago)

I also had some roasted peanuts at cielito happy hour that were pretty delicious. had some lime juice on them and everything. cashews are still preferred, but I feel bad about the peanut bashing above

Binder, Binder & (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 6 January 2013 07:17 (twelve years ago)

pretty surprised nobody has discussed costco return policy in this thread. you can just return anything at any time, no questions asked. weird. gf says people return engagement rings and such on the reg.

Binder, Binder & (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 6 January 2013 08:23 (twelve years ago)

Electronics have a shorter return period now, thanks to assholes who'd return a perfectly good TV after two years to get a new model. Still way generous, 60-90 days or something.

Kiarostami bag (milo z), Sunday, 6 January 2013 19:06 (twelve years ago)

I want Costco to run our government.

Paradise Costco style. Within a year or two we would all be working for minimum wage or doing migrant labor. And liquor would cost 10% more.

Aimless, Sunday, 6 January 2013 21:07 (twelve years ago)

Costco pays way more than min wage

iatee, Sunday, 6 January 2013 21:29 (twelve years ago)

but their biz model doesnt require as much labor as most box stores

iatee, Sunday, 6 January 2013 21:31 (twelve years ago)

A co-worker's friend once "bought" a huge, top-of-the-line TV at Costco (pre-LCD) for a Superbowl party he threw, and returned it thereafter. I thought this kind of thing had become so common that they didn't allow it anymore. (NB: may have been another chain, Best Buy or something)

nickn, Sunday, 6 January 2013 22:41 (twelve years ago)

Apparently if you get bad veggies/fruit or something like that you can just call them and tell them and they'll refund your money. You don't even have to bring it back!

drunk 'n' white's elements of style (Hurting 2), Monday, 7 January 2013 00:38 (twelve years ago)

gf says old people are always returning stuff they let expire

Binder, Binder & (Sufjan Grafton), Monday, 7 January 2013 00:45 (twelve years ago)

Do they keep track of people in case of abuse of the policy?

drunk 'n' white's elements of style (Hurting 2), Monday, 7 January 2013 00:55 (twelve years ago)

Oh yeah. They have all purchases and returns associated w/ the membership

Binder, Binder & (Sufjan Grafton), Monday, 7 January 2013 03:15 (twelve years ago)

three months pass...

So anyone try the Kirkland Rwanda coffee? Similar bag to the Colombian, purports to be darker roast, which means I probably won't like it, but I have a lot of faith in the Kirkland brand.

huun huurt 2 (Hurting 2), Monday, 6 May 2013 15:48 (twelve years ago)

two years pass...

I don't get why they still haven't paired with some premium coffee roaster and done a higher-end blend, all their coffees are at ridiculously low price points, like $5-7/lb, and most are not that good. I feel like they could probably have something really good for like $10-11 lb and their customers would love it.

five six and (man alive), Wednesday, 19 August 2015 19:03 (nine years ago)

five months pass...

I feel like this is Trader Joe's thread fodder but I got it at Costco:
http://mycostcoreviews.blogspot.com/2015/03/maya-kaimal-coconut-chicken-curry.html

not bad at all for prepackaged curry imo

μpright mammal (mh), Thursday, 18 February 2016 17:55 (nine years ago)

We occasionally get the packed prepared foods from Costco -- for a while they carried a really tasty carnitas but that's gone. They have an angus beef thing that's ok, and their chicken skewers are surprisingly good. None of it beats home cooking, but it's all clutch with kids in the house.

on entre O.K. on sort K.O. (man alive), Thursday, 18 February 2016 17:59 (nine years ago)

btw

http://luckypeach.com/the-official-costco-food-court-power-rankings/

μpright mammal (mh), Thursday, 18 February 2016 18:01 (nine years ago)

They have a cooked sliced roast beef from Cuisine Solutions that's kind of awesome when pressed for time or put on a salad for cold lunch.

Kiarostami bag (milo z), Thursday, 18 February 2016 19:09 (nine years ago)

they used to have pretty dope burritos but they are long gone now :/

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 19 February 2016 03:23 (nine years ago)

Before reading that site, I would like to do my own power-ranking:

Plain pizza
Turkey Sandwich (the one with the provolone and pesto mayo and red onion on the torta roll
Sausage Sandwich
Combo Pizza
Hot Dog
Swirl Ice Cream
Chicken Caesar

not a fan of the berry frappe thing

have not tried the beef sandwich or the chicken bake

on entre O.K. on sort K.O. (man alive), Friday, 19 February 2016 03:25 (nine years ago)

not too far off from the luckypeach ranking, although it sounds like maybe the writer just got a bad sandwich? I fucking love that sandwich and it's nothing like what was described.

on entre O.K. on sort K.O. (man alive), Friday, 19 February 2016 03:28 (nine years ago)

I wish Costco had standalone food courts, I really want their pizza now.

on entre O.K. on sort K.O. (man alive), Friday, 19 February 2016 03:29 (nine years ago)

foodcourt gives me bowel spasms just walking past, let alone eating there

not a fan imo

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 19 February 2016 03:30 (nine years ago)

I wish we had that turkey sandwich, sounds chill

μpright mammal (mh), Friday, 19 February 2016 03:30 (nine years ago)

The chicken bake sounds awful when you consider the whole of its existence, but I want to try it

μpright mammal (mh), Friday, 19 February 2016 03:32 (nine years ago)

Yeah it's probably good but it's so disgusting in theory.

on entre O.K. on sort K.O. (man alive), Friday, 19 February 2016 03:48 (nine years ago)

me irl

μpright mammal (mh), Friday, 19 February 2016 03:54 (nine years ago)

the chicken bake thing is foul

just1n3, Friday, 19 February 2016 05:06 (nine years ago)

four months pass...

Sort of embarrassed to be excited that the new Costco visa has better rewards than the old Costco Amex. Costco visa plus exec membership means we get 4% back

socka flocka-jones (man alive), Friday, 24 June 2016 02:22 (eight years ago)

our costco has huge tubs of jellybellys :D

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 24 June 2016 02:31 (eight years ago)

have to love workplace convo that is just you and coworkers talking about Costco credit cards and benefits and what is best to buy at Costco

μpright mammal (mh), Friday, 24 June 2016 02:33 (eight years ago)

That's like my replacement for ( non nba) sports talk

socka flocka-jones (man alive), Friday, 24 June 2016 03:08 (eight years ago)

Costco Travel is great too if you're looking at relatively standard destinations and non adventurous trips.

socka flocka-jones (man alive), Friday, 24 June 2016 03:10 (eight years ago)

Man, Costco travel (and car rental) made us our membership money back in one purchase, essentially. We had booked a cruise to Alaska via the cruise line, and not only was it easy to just transfer the booking over to/through Costco instead, the move instantly earned each of us $500 in trip credit. Car rental, too, we've essentially saved more on a rental than our membership costs. The 4% back credit card is a great development, and Costco gas prices (really sympatico with the credit card) here are typically around $0.30 less a gallon than at the public pump. More awesome Costco: our vision insurance (like that of many) covers one check-up and pair of prescription glasses a year, but of course my kids' eyes are changing quickly, so we decided to go out of insurance to Costco, where they have an independent eye doctor who was awesome, and whose prices were more than fair. And they were fast, with new glasses in just a couple of days. And where us can you get a good quality birthday cake that feeds 48 for just $20? Plus Costco has the best return policy on basically anything, which is more or less worth the price of admission.

I love Costco. They're apparently good to their employees, too.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 24 June 2016 11:55 (eight years ago)

i love costco more than i should and i need help

assawoman bay (harbl), Saturday, 25 June 2016 00:53 (eight years ago)

i used to buy FAGE greek yogurt bc i liked the full fat stuff but costco greek yogurt is so much cheaper and has the same protein content that it persuaded me to switch to 0% fat yogurt. it's more watery though. also the huge bags of frozen blueberries or strawberries. every day i microwave some of them + plop on some greek yogurt it's like a dream breakfast

assawoman bay (harbl), Saturday, 25 June 2016 01:01 (eight years ago)

perhaps in a move to take some wind out of Citi, the Chase Freedom Visa is offering 5% rewards on Costco purchases, July thru September. It's one of those thingies you have to "activate" on the credit card website.

socka flocka-jones (man alive), Thursday, 7 July 2016 16:11 (eight years ago)

two weeks pass...

whoa i still have a chase freedom that i never closed, i think? would probably be shut down as suspicious activity if i tried to use it though ;)

assawoman bay (harbl), Wednesday, 27 July 2016 00:52 (eight years ago)

tuscan pork tenderloins: a bit too salty but too economical to turn down. i cook about 8 at a time and freeze about 8 in each of two vacuum seal bags. takes 15 min to cook and great cold the next day at lunch!

assawoman bay (harbl), Wednesday, 27 July 2016 00:53 (eight years ago)

just got "organic no-salt seasoning" and i'm putting it on everything, too

assawoman bay (harbl), Wednesday, 27 July 2016 00:54 (eight years ago)

yo yeah that stuff is great

socka flocka-jones (man alive), Wednesday, 27 July 2016 02:34 (eight years ago)

We also bought some kind of steak seasoning mix there and H made rack of lamb and roasted vegetables with it a couple weeks ago, and it tasted like food from a good steakhouse.

socka flocka-jones (man alive), Wednesday, 27 July 2016 02:36 (eight years ago)

is it the montreal seasoning? my father in law swore by that, his tri-tip was from the gods

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 27 July 2016 03:21 (eight years ago)

oh yeah, that's what it was!

socka flocka-jones (man alive), Wednesday, 27 July 2016 03:25 (eight years ago)

It was off the chain, seriously

socka flocka-jones (man alive), Wednesday, 27 July 2016 03:26 (eight years ago)

yeah it's dope

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 27 July 2016 03:32 (eight years ago)

that and mustard powder: boom

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 27 July 2016 03:32 (eight years ago)

one year passes...

http://www.kiro7.com/news/couple-got-married-in-a-costco-food-court-and-it-looked-surprisingly-beautiful-1/615981960

the last famous person you were surprised to discover was actually (man alive), Thursday, 28 September 2017 15:19 (seven years ago)

they have these cookies at the moment that are craaaazy good - mix pack of oatmeal raisin, white choc macadamia & chocolate chip
idk who makes them but they’re my favorite rn

and Einstein bagels! but have to freeze them asap, they go stale really fast :/

Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 28 September 2017 18:54 (seven years ago)

The one by me seems to be trying to up its coffee game a bit. For a while they had this stuff called Parisi, specifically a light-to-medium roasted Bolivian coffee that is the first Costco coffee I've found good enough to make in a french press. It tastes like a pretty good approximation of some of the fancier light roast single origin coffees and is only $7.50/lb. Then they suddenly stopped carrying that again, but they had this new organic mexican medium roast that I'm about to try.

the last famous person you were surprised to discover was actually (man alive), Thursday, 28 September 2017 19:09 (seven years ago)

six years pass...

Costco discontinued its Kirkland chocolate chips (best chocolate chips on earth) and now sells only nestles. Supposedly because of the increase in cocoa prices. Thanks Joe Biden.

longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Saturday, 17 August 2024 13:31 (nine months ago)

five months pass...

I am in the Costco membership line renewing our membership for the first time since we let it lapse in like 2008

trm (tombotomod), Saturday, 1 February 2025 18:30 (four months ago)

we got a new mattress from costco two weeks ago & my life is changed lol

werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 1 February 2025 19:40 (four months ago)

Costco has been making a point of resisting anti-DEI pressure. Apparently they have been receptive to phone calls, logging them and making note of opinions.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 1 February 2025 22:05 (four months ago)

was going to post about the strike but that was averted at last minute so instead, informal poll:
When you use it in a sentence out loud, do you enunciate the "t", or does it come out sounding more like "kosko"?

Philip Nunez, Monday, 3 February 2025 04:04 (four months ago)

latter - kosko

werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 3 February 2025 04:18 (four months ago)

There's a freight company here called Cosco - I don't fully enunciate the t in Costco, but definitely voice it.

Jaq, Monday, 3 February 2025 04:24 (four months ago)

two months pass...

ok we're gonna do this

sleeve, Wednesday, 16 April 2025 00:07 (one month ago)

hell yeah welcome to the hive

werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 16 April 2025 00:10 (one month ago)


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