Some Costco stores are barring non-members from eating at the food court - but they weren't really supposed to be eating there in the first place

• Costco is reportedly going to start limiting its food court to members only.
• Over the past few weeks, Costco shoppers have shared photos of signs at various stores informing customers that starting in mid-March, they will need a membership card to access the food court.
• A spokesperson for Costco did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
• Business Insider contacted four Costco stores along the East Coast. One location confirmed that its food court is now limited to members. A customer-service associate at another location said that the food courts are meant to be reserved for members, but that the policy has become increasingly lax in recent year.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Costco's tasty $1.50 hot-dog-and-soda combo could soon become a members-only benefit.

That's because the warehouse chain is reportedly restricting access to its popular food court, which means that only paying members will be able to access the food deals.

Costco customers have shared photographs of signs at various Costco stores informing shoppers that starting in mid-March, a membership card will be required to use the food court.

A spokesperson for Costco did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Business Insider contacted four Costco stores in New York, Georgia, and Massachusetts. An employee at one of the locations, in Buford, Georgia, said that they now require a membership card for customers to use the food court.

A customer-service representative at a Costco store in Ringgold, Georgia, said that the food courts are actually meant to be reserved for members, but in recent years non-members have been allowed to come in, too.

It's likely Costco would want to free up space for members in some of its more crowded locations and ensure that only the people who are paying for a membership reap the benefits of its rock-bottom prices.

The food court is famous for its cheap pizza slices and $1.50 hot-dog-and-soda combo, which as Business Insider's Áine Cain recently reported, has stayed the same price since 1985.

One of the reasons it's able to offer such low prices at its food court, in its stores, and at its gas pumps is that it charges membership fees, which start at $60 a year.

In 2019, these fees made up for more than 2% of Costco's profits, or $3.35 billion.

This is really trash yo. A lot of families rely on Costco's food court because of how affordable it is. It's also a good place for the homeless to take the change they gathered up to get some hot food. This is a trash move strictly driven by $$$ and nothin else smh pic.twitter.com/pHB4gQYsj1

- #MambaForever (@MeLlamoAdrrian) February 21, 2020

Bruv, Costco is about to require a membership card to buy stuff at their food court, wtf??? pic.twitter.com/3HC5uTlbRK

- Black Andrew XXVIII (@Astonish13) February 15, 2020