Costco’s Early Opening Hours Spark Worker Concerns: ‘An Absolute Nightmare’
Starting June 30, 2025, Costco will open its doors at 9 a.m. for Executive members, a move designed to reward its most loyal customers with early access to beat the crowds. However, employees are sounding the alarm, warning that the change could strain an already stretched workforce. With no plans to add staff and a reduced payroll budget, workers fear the earlier hours will lead to chaos, unfinished tasks, and increased burnout. As Costco balances member perks with operational demands, here’s why employees are bracing for a bumpy rollout.
Early Access, High Expectations
Costco’s decision to offer 9 a.m. openings for Executive members—those paying $130 annually compared to $65 for Gold Star members—aims to capitalize on their loyalty. Executive members drive over 73% of Costco’s sales, making them a key revenue source. The perk, previously offered at some locations but phased out, allows these shoppers to snag high-demand items like eggs, which famously sold out in eight minutes during a February 2025 shortage in New York City. “Our Executive Members are our most loyal members, and we want to reward them for their commitment to Costco,” the company stated in an email to members.
Yet, for workers, the change feels like a recipe for disaster. A front-end manager, speaking anonymously to Business Insider due to a lack of media authorization, called the new hours an “absolute nightmare.” With the pre-opening window shrinking from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m., employees face tighter timelines for restocking, cleaning, and preparing warehouses. “They want us to do the same job in less time,” the manager said, noting that some tasks, like cleaning or moving merchandise to loading docks, may go unfinished to accommodate early shoppers.
A Leaner Workforce Under Pressure
Costco’s staffing strategy is raising eyebrows. The same front-end manager revealed that his store’s payroll budget is smaller than last year’s, despite the added strain of earlier openings. “Instead of throwing more people at the problem, they’re expecting more work out of the people,” he said, calling the approach “cheap” at a time when efficiency is stretched thin. On Reddit’s Costco community, employees echoed this frustration, with one noting that warehouses are already understaffed, relying on just two workers for tasks once handled by four or five.
The pre-opening hours are a critical period for Costco’s operations, described by workers as a “ballet of forklifts and merchandisers” to prepare inventory for a 10 a.m. opening. With the new 9 a.m. start, some locations are shifting restocking to nighttime, but without additional hours or staff, employees fear they’ll struggle to keep up. One Reddit commenter, a schedule writer, highlighted the backward logic: despite planning for sales growth, their store’s hours are capped at 3,500 annually, 100 hours over last year’s total, even with frequent sick calls averaging 50 hours daily.
A History of Worker-Friendly Policies Under Scrutiny
Costco has long been celebrated as a retail employer, with an 80% approval rating on Glassdoor and a reputation for above-average wages. In January 2025, the company raised hourly pay to over $30 for most U.S. store workers, with starting rates at $19.50 and top-end clerks earning $30.90. The company also offers robust benefits, including paid time off and retirement plans, contributing to an 8% turnover rate compared to the retail industry’s 60%. However, recent moves suggest a shift. Unionized workers, represented by the Teamsters, voted 85% in favor of a strike in January 2025, citing stagnant wages and insufficient benefits despite Costco’s $7.4 billion in 2024 profits.
Employees like Christopher Reed, a 37-year Costco veteran, feel the company’s culture has changed. “Management has become disconnected and dismissive, eroding the appreciation and respect we once had,” Reed said. The Teamsters, representing 18,000 workers across 50 U.S. stores, are pushing for higher seniority pay, paid family leave, and better sick time policies as their contract nears its January 31, 2026, expiration. The early opening policy, combined with staffing constraints, adds fuel to these tensions.
Balancing Member Value and Worker Well-Being
Costco’s business model thrives on low prices and membership fees, with 2024 revenue reaching $249.6 billion. The early opening perk is a strategic play to convert more Gold Star members to the higher-tier Executive plan, boosting membership revenue, which grew 8% in Q4 2024 after a crackdown on card sharing. Yet, the move risks alienating workers who feel overburdened. “We’re the backbone of Costco,” said Bryan Fields, a Baltimore employee and Teamsters member, emphasizing the need for fair treatment.
Some employees worry the rushed preparations will impact customer experience, with shelves potentially understocked or aisles cluttered. Others point to Costco’s tech investments, like the “Scan & Pay” system tested in 2025, as a way to ease operational strain, but these don’t address staffing shortages directly. CEO Ron Vachris has defended Costco’s employee relations, citing a “40-year track record of dealing fairly with the Teamsters” during a December 2024 earnings call, but workers remain skeptical.
What’s Next for Costco?
As Costco prepares to open 27 new warehouses in fiscal 2025, expanding its global footprint to 914 locations, the company faces a delicate balancing act. Employees are calling for more support, with some advocating for unionization to address staffing and workload concerns. On Reddit, one longtime worker lamented, “I wish our warehouses would unionize,” citing overwork due to low staff numbers. Meanwhile, customers eagerly await the early access perk, unaware of the behind-the-scenes strain.
For now, Costco’s workers are bracing for June 30, hoping management will address their concerns before the early openings become a permanent fixture. As one employee put it, “It’s always the struggle every day.” With the Teamsters’ contract talks looming, the outcome could reshape Costco’s reputation as a worker-friendly retailer—or deepen the divide between its loyal staff and corporate priorities.
