When you walk into Costco, it’s not like walking into your typical store. And the reason goes beyond having to scan a membership card at the door.
A Costco shopping trip can be full of surprises — in a good way. You might go in for eggs and milk and come home with your kids’ Christmas gifts. Or, you might pick up something fun for yourself.
But as enjoyable as those treasure hunt-style purchases are, the fact is that many people rely on Costco for their everyday essentials.
Money has been tight for consumers since inflation began surging in 2021. Almost 25% of Americans have been living paycheck to paycheck in 2025, according to data from Bank of America.
And given that the Consumer Price Index was still up 3% year over year in September, it’s not as though relief is right around the corner.
So for many people, Costco is a lifeline right now, thanks to the store’s low prices.
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Costco won’t be open to shoppers on Thanksgiving
While the American Farm Bureau Federation puts the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 at $55.18 this year, many people would probably argue that the true cost is higher.
For those tasked with feeding a crowd, Costco can be a huge lifesaver.
But if you’re going to rely on Costco to complete your Thanksgiving meal, you’ll need to do your shopping ahead of time. That’s because Costco will not open its doors to members on Thanksgiving Day.
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Costco does its best to only close its stores on occasion. But when it comes to major holidays, Costco tends to be pretty quick to give employees the day off.
Costco’s holiday closures
These are the days Costco closes every year:
- New Year’s Day
- Easter Sunday
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Source: Costco.com
Costco’s Thanksgiving Day closure makes sense
You’d think that staying open on Thanksgiving Day would work to Costco’s benefit.
A number of Costco’s competitors close their doors on Thanksgiving, including:
- Walmart/Sam’s Club
- Target
- BJ’s Wholesale
- Publix
- Trader Joe’s
But closing for Thanksgiving makes sense for Costco because it serves the purpose of boosting employee morale.
Related: Costco CFO makes rare pricing promise
Costco is a company that prioritizes treating its employees well. That includes allowing them time off to be with family for major holidays.
Costco is known to offer employees not just competitive wages, but also a host of benefits, including:
- Health insurance
- Paid parental leave
- A 401(k) plan
- Paid sick and vacation time
Part of that paid time off extends to major holidays like Thanksgiving.
It’s also worth noting that Black Friday tends to be a very busy day at Costco. The warehouse club giant tends to be a hub for Black Friday deals, and it’s common for stores to be jam-packed the day after Thanksgiving. So allowing employees to take a day off and rest is only logical.
Of course, it can be argued that by closing on Thanksgiving, Costco is putting its employees ahead of its members. But Costco has recently taken many steps to improve the member experience, including extending gas station hours and adding an extra shopping hour for both Gold Star and Executive members on Saturdays.
So while not being able to run into Costco for last-minute Thanksgiving items may be inconvenient, it’s not a poor move on the company’s part to close for the day.
Maurie Backman owns shares of Costco.
