Costco reverses course and will keep reduced senior hours as COVID-19 cases increase nationwide

Costco Wholesale will continue to hold special operating hours for members 60 and older and vulnerable shoppers while the coronavirus pandemic continues.

Weeks after announcing it would end the senior hours on July 26, the retailer changed course and is instead reducing them from five days a week to twice-weekly events.

"Instead of discontinuing, we'll maintain hours for seniors Tuesdays and Thursdays, until further notice," Richard Galanti, Costco’s chief financial officer, told USA TODAY.

Starting the week of July 26, the reserved shopping time at most clubs for senior shoppers, members with disabilities or those who are immunocompromised will be 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday, the retailer posted on its COVID-19 updates page.

The update comes as the number of new coronavirus infections is rising in all 50 states and hospitalizations nationwide are increasing at an alarming rate, according to Johns Hopkins University data released last week.

Like most of the nation's major grocery stores, Costco started designating special shopping hours in March 2020 to help those the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considered most vulnerable and at-risk for COVID-19. 

Costco started its senior hours as a twice-weekly event and quickly extended to three times a week. When clubs resumed normal hours in early May 2020, clubs extended the senior hours to weekday mornings at most locations.

Last summer, Costco originally announced plans to reduce the special hours to twice per week in July 2020 but didn't cut the hours as cases spiked. Instead, Costco said at the time the hours would continue indefinitely.

Walmart, Target, BJ's Wholesale Club and Aldi are among retailers still promoting special senior hours on their websites. Hours and criteria vary by location. Trader Joe's has cut senior hours at most of its stores.

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Costco senior hours and exceptions

Costco's designated hour for senior shoppers, members with disabilities or people who are immunocompromised is now being held twice a week from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at warehouses in the U.S. and Puerto Rico with limited exceptions.

Find all locations' hours at Costco.com/warehouse-locations. Members and guests who don't meet the criteria will not be admitted. The following clubs are the exceptions listed on the COVID-19 updates page:

California Costco clubs with exceptions

• Culver City: Special operating hours are 8 to 9 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday.

• Temecula: Special operating hours are 8 to 9 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday.

Hawaii Costco club with an exception

• Iwilei (Honolulu): Special operating hours are 8 to 9 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday.

New York Costco clubs with exceptions

• Brooklyn: Special operating hours are 8 to 9 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday.
• Westbury: Special operating hours are 8 to 9 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday.

Contributing: Jordan Culver and John Bacon, USA TODAY

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