Costco Is Abandoning a Popular In-Store Feature, Disappointing Shoppers
One of the primary draws of a Costco membership is all of the enticing services and perks that come with it, from affordable gas to pharmacies and food courts. However, a popular in-store perk has recently started disappearing from certain Costco locations to the major disappointment of shoppers.
According to customer reports, several Costco warehouses have abruptly removed their in-store coffee grinders over the past month.
"Uh oh, I don't know what happened…but we lost our grinder privileges," one shopper wrote in a Reddit post earlier this week. An accompanying photo showed a sign posted inside a Costco that read: "Attention members: coffee grinders will no longer be provided."
A fellow shopper spotted a similar sign in another Costco warehouse late last month. Additionally, just a couple of weeks earlier, a member reported that the coffee grinders at their store had been "out for repair" for weeks.
"I was told today they are not bringing any coffee grinders back to the store," the shopper added.
Costco did not immediately respond to our queries for comment on the change and whether it plans to remove in-store coffee grinders from additional warehouses moving forward. But Costco fans were overflowing with theories about the company's reasoning for eliminating the amenity at certain locations.
For example, some noted that they'd seen fellow members use the grinders in unsanitary or unsanctioned ways, such as double grinding their beans or grinding something other than coffee in the devices. They speculated that this misuse had played into Costco's decision.
"I saw a woman stick her hand in to even out her beans and wipe the brush with her hands," a shopper wrote in a Reddit discussion.
"Double grinding, grinding nuts through, dropping brushes. Members can't be trusted not to disrespect property they don't own, essentially," another Redditor said.
Others revealed that the grinders at their stores misfunctioned frequently, suggesting that Costco had decided they were too much trouble to maintain.
"Mine got rid of them too…the machines kept breaking and they got tired of replacing them," a Redditor commented.
Whatever the reason for their disappearance, many members were extremely disappointed to see the coffee grinders being phased out.
"I won't be buying their whole bean coffee anymore. It's a good price, but grinding that amount at home takes forever. Not worth my time for the discount," a shopper lamented.
"It was such a convenience to be able to grind a full 2.5-pound bag all at once and be all set for morning coffee," another wrote.
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