The Costco Hack That Lets You Skip The Long Food Court Line

No shopping trip to Costco would be complete without stopping by the food court for a tasty hot dog or slice of pizza afterwards. Because most members of the warehouse retail chain are downright obsessed with the food court offerings, the lines can get a bit unwieldy. In this case, you can order and pay for food while you're paying for your groceries at the checkout. Doing so enables you to skip the food court line and enjoy your post-shopping treat much sooner than you would normally.

Once you've checked out and paid for your groceries, head over to the food court with your receipt in hand. Present the receipt to the food court staff, who will then procure your order. While you may need to wait a bit for your order to be ready, you'll still save lots of time when you consider how busy the food court can get, especially during certain times of the day. And if you're a fan of the chain's iconic pizza, there's another helpful hack you can employ.

Costco knows that its food court pizza is a highlight for many members. The chain is also committed to exemplary customer service (like its price adjustment policy), which is why it provides a convenient option when ordering pizza at the food court. According to the Costco website, the store encourages pizza lovers to call in and place their order ahead of their arrival. That way, you can easily pick up your pizza while avoiding massive food court lines.

In the event you're visiting Costco for groceries (and not just to snag a pizza for a quick and tasty dinner), you can call in your order upon arriving at the store. By the time you're finished shopping, your pizza will be ready to go, no waiting required. Unfortunately, the chain does not yet offer an online ordering option when it comes to its pizzas, but it has digitized the food court experience at some of its locations.

To make the food court experience as efficient as possible, Costco has installed self-serve kiosks at some locations throughout the country. Shoppers can use these kiosks to place orders digitally, then pay with a card when the order is complete. The customer then picks up their order at the window, or in some cases, a food court staff member will call out order numbers for pick-up. However, shoppers can still use cash to purchase their orders if desired.

So, what do Costco members think about the self-serve system so far? According to a Reddit thread, shoppers have conflicting opinions. One person found it to be "really confusing and was a very unpleasant experience." Conversely, another person stated that the new system "improved the efficiency a good bit." A commenter backed up this sentiment, saying, "It seems like the food court employees are able to focus on the order and get the food out quicker." While the new kiosks may take some time to become a fixture at all Costco locations, customers can take advantage of other efficient food court hacks in the interim.