Friday 7/17/2026 about 6:00 ish
I had a disappointing experience at this Costco location that left me feeling unwelcome this evening.
I entered through the member entrance and walked over to the customer service counter because I had received my annual membership reward certificate and simply had a quick question about how to redeem it. When I arrived, one employee appeared to be assisting another customer, and another employee was away from the counter, so I stood behind the marked line and waited my turn.
While I was waiting, another couple entered through the exit and walked directly up to the counter without waiting in line. Instead of acknowledging that I had been waiting first, an employee turned and began assisting the couple. After a moment of confusion I said, “Excuse me, I was standing in line.”
The response I received was a curt, “Ma’am, we’ll be with you in just a minute.” I was then met with uncomfortable looks from both the employees and the other customers, which made me feel as though I had done something wrong simply by pointing out that I had been waiting my turn and this couple cut me by just going to the counter.
When I was finally helped, I explained that the only reason I had spoken up was because I had been standing in line and was trying to follow the process. My question ended up taking less than a minute to answer.
I’ve worked in customer service for over 15 years, and I understand that busy moments happen. However, acknowledging customers, maintaining the order of the line, and treating everyone with respect are basic expectations. Instead, I left feeling frustrated and embarrassed for simply expecting the same courtesy that everyone else should receive.
I hope this feedback is taken as an opportunity to improve the customer experience. A small amount of communication and acknowledgment would have made this interaction much more positive.
