Anonymous wrote:I am a foolish, foolish person. I decided to join Costco, and picked today to go and do it, thinking mid-morning on a weekday while people were at work would be smart. I went to the Gaithersburg location. OMG. It’s like if Gladiator and Squid Game were documentaries. The parking lot must qualify as one of the top 5 most populated cities in the U.S. just getting into the store— across the cross walk and through the entrance— required feats of aggression and a willingness to sacrifice elderly parents, young children, your limbs. Eventually I did make it inside with a cart and did some shopping, only to have my cart “taken” when I turned my head to look at something (or maybe they just took all the stuff in it, as there was an empty cart where my half full one had been when I turned back around).
To sum up: Costco has Kerry Gold butter for a good price, but I can’t imagine how I will ever succeed in buying it.

Anonymous wrote:I have a guest membership to Costco and Sams on my son's account but I don't go to either very often. What throws me is remembering which giant store I'm in and where the few items I do buy at those places are.

Anonymous wrote:We love Costco so much my DH got a job there!

Anonymous wrote:^^^forgot to add I also buy canned beans and tomato products there. As well as cereal and granola.

I actually get meats at the grocer usually because I don’t want those in bulk.

Anonymous wrote:Just saw this on social media. The worst 5 costcos in the U.S. The local store listed is Gaitherburg at #4

Link is to a IG reel.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DETEDEwRBfn/?igsh=MXNpbXN2M29jNTM3cw==

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg Costco is its own special kind of hell. Save your sanity, drive up to Frederick or literally any other (except maybe Pentagon City).

The DC Costco is great!

Shh, don't tell the suburbanites! All the Costcos they mentioned are hellish because of the physical layout and space, but also because of the people who go there. We don't want them coming to DC. I won't pretend the DC location is an island of tranquility, but I actually enjoy going.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg Costco is its own special kind of hell. Save your sanity, drive up to Frederick or literally any other (except maybe Pentagon City).

The DC Costco is great!

Shh, don't tell the suburbanites! All the Costcos they mentioned are hellish because of the physical layout and space, but also because of the people who go there. We don't want them coming to DC. I won't pretend the DC location is an island of tranquility, but I actually enjoy going.

I went there once after it first opened and was astounded how much of the floor space was dedicated to high end liquor (which makes sense since MD and VA locations can’t sell it). I couldn’t find a lot of my regular stuff because of all the liquor. Have they adjusted the balance now?
This is similar to why I don’t go to the College Park Costco — they have huge kosher and halal sections so I feel like I can’t find my regular stuff there.

Anonymous wrote:Just spend 20 minutes googling the things you buy at costco and compare to walmart and your local grocery store. Costco is more expensive than all other places for all things.

Anonymous wrote:Just spend 20 minutes googling the things you buy at costco and compare to walmart and your local grocery store. Costco is more expensive than all other places for all things.

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why you'd go for daily groceries unless you had like a 6 person family min business is good bye I heard Sam's Cub is better for business shopping.

Costco has a few items highly worthy of the shopping experience. Google them.

I think their parm cheese is imported from Italy direct. Their wine selection is above average as their linens. They carry interesting seasonal items that are good to look at even if you don't get from them it's fun to shop there in a manner of speaking. Their cinnamon is top shelf as olive oil for cooking. Def toilet paper and cleaning supplies like detergent, Claritin, stuff in bulk to get.

You'd be surprised how good the Kirkland brand measures up to other house brands. I'm not suggesting it's top shelf for everything but as someone who shops at Niemans, I like Costco . You're not going to get unfortunately your flavors for everything you prefer like Goldfish unfortunately is only cheddar. But I hear it's location/state dependent, the CA ones are the bomb!

I'm not sure I'd join specifically for the shopping opportunity there but if you had some disposable income and time, it's not a horrible waste of money to consider.