Costco Holiday Hours

Costco defines the Oxford English Dictionary as "a big book with words in it", which I think we can all agree is a gross misunderstanding of this article-opening gambit. Luckily, we don't rely on Costco for such things; instead looking to it for wholesale toilet paper, discounted TVs and Apple Watches, and sufficiently delicious hot dogs. And while its website is available to us 24/7, with all the omnipresent weight of the internet pressing down on our brains' pleasure centers, it's unfortunately true that Costco's physical stores do occasionally close their doors. On some holidays, they do it all day long. But which holidays? And why? We can only answer the first of these questions. And we'll do it. Now.

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Costco Holiday Hours

Costco Holiday Hours FAQs

The fact that you're a Costco member does not mean that you can just show up and go inside whenever you like. Even though that would be a huge perk. Think about it, Costco. It'd make you the go-to location come the inevitable zombie apocalypse. (Although it'll be awkward when a zombie who was a member before they crossed over shows up. They paid their membership fee the same way you did. Can you in good conscience keep the doors barricaded with makeshift timber? In some ways this article is raising more questions than it's answering.) But all of this means that you need to know the allowable hours in which you may provide Costco with your custom. And so:

New Year's Day - Closed

This is the first of seven days in the calendar year in which Costco says, in no uncertain terms, "No". Be nice about it, and don't make a fuss. Start the year as you mean to go on: by taking some precious me time. Shopping will be here tomorrow.

Presidents' Day - 10am to 8:30pm

Presidents' Day requires no such politesse: Costo's regular hours apply.

Good Friday - 10am to 6pm

Here, the first technicality emerges: yes, Costco is open on Good Friday, but those doors shut two and a half hours early. Legend has it that if you're caught inside when the doors shut, they're legally entitled to demand rent.

Easter Sunday - Closed

And the second day of outright refusal arrives. What can men do against such reckless holiday closures? Answer: wait until Monday. It's easy.

Easter Monday - 10am to 8:30pm

And now that it's Easter Monday, things get right back to normal. We all knew Costco being closed couldn't last forever, it just gets hard to keep that in mind in the middle of it all. I'm sure we'll handle it better next time.

Memorial Day - Closed

Oh no it's closed again this will surely last forever what do we do

Juneteenth - 10am to 6pm

Another tricky day: open as normal, close a little early. Those spare evening hours are a good opportunity to consider why they called it "Costco" instead of, like, "Saveco". Or "Costlow"! Or "Cost? No!" In some ways, I am very underqualified for this job.

4th of July - Closed

Bam, another day off for the working folk. Raise your fist in solidarity, then slam it on your keyboard's Return key as you order online what you were going to buy in-store anyway.

Labor Day - Closed

Two in a row! Although, not really if you count all the days Costco was open in between. So the bad news is, Costco is closed on Labor Day, which means its members can expect to have no access to its pharmacy, food court, and such. Good news, though, this is the fifth of the fabled seven holiday closures, so only two more to go.

Halloween - 10am to 8:30pm

All Hallow's Eve may be full of ghoulies and ghosties, but that's no reason to avoid shopping at a Costco werehouse club during their regular opening hours. But fair warning, everything you buy will be haunted. I mean, you can't conclusively prove me wrong on this.

Thanksgiving Eve - 10am to 8:30pm

Some might ask if Thanksgiving Eve even technically qualifies as a holiday. I don't have a birthday eve, and if I did, I certainly wouldn't expect Costco to close for it. Luckily, Costco feels similarly about Thanksgiving Eve, and simply operates as normal during this sham holiday.

Thanksgiving - Closed

Thanksgiving pretty easily qualifies as a holiday, though, and thus: closed. Not even a little bit open, unless something's gone horribly wrong.

Black Friday - 10am to 8:30pm

They don't close for Black Friday, but neither do they follow other stores' leads in offering extended opening hours. Just the usual, as if nothing is amiss. They are Spock's disinterested eyebrow raise to the rest of retail's overactive Kirk emoting.

Christmas Eve - 8:30am to 5pm

Christmas Eve mixes things up again: open an hour and a half early, close three and a half hours early. That's 120 spare minutes to spend luxuriating in the Christmas spirit instead of shopping, which seems nice.

Christmas Day - Closed

The last of the legendary Seven Costco-less Days falls perhaps not coincidentally on Christmas Day. It's a day for physical presents, not physical presence.

New Year's Eve - 8:30am to 5pm

8:30am to 5pm, the opening hours so nice they'll try them twice. And that'll see us right through to the new year, terrifyingly. Brrr.

How does Costco holiday shopping differ from regular shopping?

It doesn't, really, outside of the stores being closed for seven of them. But let's drill down into some specific details.

Return policy

Costco's return policy, as our very own Keira Wagner sweetly sang, may surprise you. Look at this quote, or I'll be very disappointed in you.

"Costco is committed to providing quality and value on all of its products and offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee on not only its merchandise but its membership as well. In general, Costco offers two return options: returns to the warehouse or returns via a mail carrier.

"Returning an item to your local warehouse is very simple. Bring your product to any warehouse and an employee from the Member Services Team will take it from there. While it helps to have a receipt and the original packaging, Costco returns without receipt are absolutely possible as purchases are linked to your membership information."

This policy is expounded upon in the rest of that article, but rest assured that the details remain accurate throughout the year, holiday or no.

Price matching

We'll return to the venerable Ms. Wagner for her take on Costco's price adjustment policies, which similarly remain constant year-round:

"At Costco, price matching is a very simple process. Costco's 30-day price match policy means that members can obtain credit for items that drop in price within that time frame. A receipt is not even required, though it can help in tracking down your order, as all purchases are linked to your membership information. Costco also reserves the right to deny price adjustments at its discretion, as well as the right to restrict its price adjustment policy in the future. Given Costco's generous policy, it's unlikely that your item will be ineligible, but nevertheless, it is always in your best interest to approach price adjustment as a request rather than a demand."

BUT:

"Costco does not price match with any other stores. Costco curates a mostly unique inventory, so it's unlikely that you'll find the bulk of its products at other retailers. Even if you do find an item elsewhere, Costco will not honor another merchant's price on an item.

"Likewise, Costco does not match between its online inventory and its warehouse inventory. Online purchases take into account shipping and handling fees not applicable to warehouse purchases; therefore, many warehouse prices are lower than their online counterparts, as noted on the item."

Her article goes into far more detail, so point your browser thataway if you're interested.

Curbside Pickup

While in-store pickup is available on select goods at every Costco location, curbside pickup is only available at select Costco locations. 

Other Costco FAQs

What Time Does Costco Open?

Costco's regular opening time is 10am. An unusually late hour to open, and all the more memorable for it. Does it close? Yes: at 8:30pm.

How To Save the Most at Costco?

The immediate answer is: become a member. And better yet, we'll often see deals throughout the year, both direct from Costco and from sites like Groupon, offering up to a $45 Costco gift card for free with a $60 1-year membership. You can also check out Costco's monthly ad. Finally, keep an eye on our Costco store page for all the savings Costco offers its members.

How Does Shopping Compare Online vs In-Store?

Costco's in-store and online savings aren't as uniform as other stores' offerings may be. Some deals might be in-store only, others online only. And others still are indeed discounted both ways. The joys of shopping online include doing it in comfort, easily comparing prices against other stores without having to drive back and forth like a nincompoop, as well as having your order delivered to your house, or choosing a convenient pickup location. But this obviously doesn't extend to the in-store deals, so your options may be limited.

What Else Should I Consider When Shopping at Costco?

There are lots of things you might consider, but the most relevant to this article include:

• The DealNews app, a stalwart companion for those who enjoy both phones and deals.
• Deal Alerts, which will notify you whenever we see a price drop on your products of choice.
• The DealNews Select newsletter, which airdrops dozens of our latest and greatest deals directly to your inbox.