Costco is one of the most beloved retailers in America. Millions of people have memberships at the warehouse club and spend countless hours each year perusing its shelves.
But nothing in life stays the same, and that includes Costco. Each year, changes — some subtle, some large — make their presence felt at the store. And 2025 is no exception.
Here’s a look at several ways that Costco has changed this year — and a couple of ways it could change soon.
1. Cheaper Kirkland Signature products
Costco’s store brand, Kirkland Signature, is widely popular — and some items have gotten even more affordable.
Costco CEO Ron Vachris said during the company’s latest quarterly earnings call that the sale of Kirkland Signature products exceeded Costco’s overall sales growth during the third quarter of 2024.
“We continue to move more Kirkland Signature product sourcing into the countries or regions the items are sold, and this is helping us to lower costs and mitigate some of the potential impacts of tariffs. We are remaining agile as the situation with tariffs evolves,” Vachris says.
Some of the price drops have been dramatic, with the Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil price tag dropping by about 25%. Other products have also seen price reductions, as we detail in “6 Costco Products That Have Actually Gotten Cheaper This Year.”
2. More locations
If the parking lot at your closest Costco is too cramped for comfort, customers may soon be able to spread out to new nearby locations.
Costco has already opened nine new warehouses in 2025, with seven of those locations in the U.S., and it plans to open 10 more during the fourth quarter of its fiscal year (which ends Sept. 1, 2025).
3. New food court options
Costco’s food court is a popular spot among members, with affordable foods like its longtime $1.50 hot dog. Although the staple dog has been on the menu since the ’80s, other items come and go.
One new treat is a strawberry banana smoothie. There’s also an old menu item that’s been brought back: the turkey provolone sandwich, which Gary Millerchip — Costco’s chief financial officer — called a “fan favorite.”
4. Higher pay for workers
During a March earnings call, Vachris explained Costco’s incremental employee wage increases.
Costco already implemented a $1 per hour raise in 2025 for employees at the highest pay scale — bringing the maximum hourly wage for its U.S. service clerks to $31.90. There are additional $1 raises planned for March 2026 and March 2027.
The minimum wage at the company was also updated this year, increasing by 50 cents per hour on March 3, raising the starting wage to $20 an hour.
The new pay agreement also improves vacation benefits. New hires can now access paid vacation in their first year, and U.S. employees who have put in 30 years of service are eligible for six weeks of vacation time.
5. A popular new app feature
Costco introduced a new feature on its app that allows members to view local warehouse item availability and prices. And it’s been popular so far, with Millerchip reporting on the March quarterly earnings call that it had been used more than 43 million times.
The warehouse tool lets members get real-time updates on their warehouse’s gas prices as well.
6. Extended gas station hours
Costco has extended its gas station operating times by an hour or more. Some U.S. stations are also opening earlier as well.
Vachris said the ultimate goal of this is “to make filling up at Costco more convenient for our members.”
7. More gas pumps
The long lines at Costco gas pumps can take a lot of patience to get through, but for many customers, it’s clearly worth the wait. Fortunately, that time has recently been reduced for some.
As of March, Vachris said 60 Costco gas station locations in the U.S. were in various phases of expansion. Some locations included in these expansion plans are Brighton, Michigan; Henderson, Nevada; Coral Springs, Florida; and Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
8. More cash back on gas
Not only can members access more pumps and fill up during extended hours, but they also can save some additional money if they use a Costco credit card.
Previously, Costco Anywhere Visa Card holders received 4% cash back at gas pumps, but this has been increased to 5%.
This rate applies to the first $7,000 spent annually on gas, after which the cash-back rate drops to 1%.
Potential changes that could happen later this year
During the May quarterly earnings call, Vachris mentioned “successful tests of digital membership cards and Scan and Go technology to expedite checkout.”
This potential Scan and Go feature may be similar to the one already in use at Sam’s Club and other grocers. These app features generally allow customers to check out and pay from their smartphones while in a store, allowing them to completely skip checkout lines.
And gas pumps may not be the only Costco staple to extend hours — Costco warehouses may be next.
According to the May earnings call transcript, Costco is “considering extending warehouse hours, similar to gas stations, to enhance member experience.”
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