Costco shopper who wanted to get pizza at food court gets stopped by a worker: "Well, you can..."

Costco memberships come with a number of privileges including discounts, free samples, and also a generous return policy. But, while the retail chain is hailed for the perks that members get, it faced flak for a strict crackdown to block entry for non-members. Recently, a TikTok creator, Madi Dunne (@madimarisoul) claimed that she was kicked out of a store for trying to get a slice of pizza without a membership.

“I like Costco, but some of y’all are taking your job way too seriously now,” she said at the beginning of her now-viral TikTok clip. She then went on to explain that she had been getting pizza slices from Costco forever and she never had a problem before. However, this time, when she entered through the exit, which is what most people do when they just go to the food court, she was stopped.  “Woah, woah, woah. Do you have a membership?” she recalled the worker saying.

Dunne further added that the woman asked her if she had a membership and when she said no, she told her that she wasn't allowed to access the food court. “It’s always been a rule, but we just didn’t care as much,” the woman allegedly told her. Dunne wasn't even allowed to get in and think about getting a membership. "Well, you can do that outside" the worker allegedly told her. Finally, Dunne decided to get a membership and was directed toward the decided membership aisle.

However, the worker at the membership desk was more accommodating. When the creator explained that she was there for just a slice of pizza, the worker called on "a friend" and asked him to "help her out". 

This new worker then walked Dunne to the food court and told her that the store was recently directed to crack down on non-members, which is why nobody is allowed to access the food court without a membership. The worker also paid for the creator's pizza and drink. “A lot of people have done nice things for me in my life,” he told her.

While things were going well, the moment was ruined by the worker who had previously stopped her. Dunne said that she came across running and told the creator that it was going to be a “one-time thing.” After Dunne told her that she wouldn't be doing it again, the worker stormed off angrily, maybe to talk to the manager, Dunne claimed.

She then prayed that the nice worker at the membership desk wouldn't lose his job. “Petition for everyone to just kick that lady out because what’s up with that?” Dunne said in the end.

In 2024, Costco announced that it would be cracking down on membership. As a part of its new policies, the store installed new card-scanning machines across the nation. 

To prevent non-members from taking advantage of its offers, Costco mandates all members to have a recognizable photo on their membership card or to present other forms of photo identification to enter the stores. 

The crackdown is to essentially ensure that only paying members get to enjoy the perks, which in turn helps the store maintain its business model that relies heavily on membership fees.

For more updates and videos, follow Madi Dunne (@madimarisoul)  on TikTok.