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Ever approach a Costco gas station, see the long lines and glumly pull
away?

The big-box club in recent weeks finally did what members have sought for years: It expanded hours to pump gas.

Pumps are now open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday. On the weekends, the pump times are 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday and 7:30 p.m.
on Sundays. Previously, pumps closed at 8:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Did you miss this news? Costco card entry scanners land at Southern
California warehouses

The media-shy company announced the change on its Instagram account, where
a lot of fans offered their thumbs-up. A few still took their chance to
chide Costco for replacing their beloved churros with chocolate chip
cookies.

Costco’s gas is usually priced lower than traditional gas stations. Its
ability to buy in bulk and sell great quantities of gas daily mean it can
sell all grades at lower prices.

Also see: Stater Bros. lays off store clerks, a first for the 89-year-old
chain

For example, on Tuesday a gallon of regular gas was $4.35 at Tustin and
several south Orange County clubs, according to the GasBuddy app. It was
$3.99 in Garden Grove, $3.88 in Fullerton, $3.93 in Montclair, $3.89 in
San Dimas and $3.99 in Highland. In Los Angeles County, gas prices at
Costco were $3.89 to $4.09 in coastal cities.

Mobil and Shell prices near those Costcos were selling regular gas from
$4.20 up to $4.79 (and higher). Deals could be found at Arco and some
smaller chain gas stations.

Costco in its social media posts said members should check their local
clubs for gas station hours as all might not have updated to the new times
yet.

More on shopping: Egg prices hit $9 a dozen in California

Those who ditched their Costco card in recent years might be surprised to
learn that the club has increased its membership prices, introduced
warehouse entrance scanners to stamp out membership sharing, changed its
paper supplier (think: angry moms fret a new diaper vendor) and made
updates to its food court policy.

One thing that has kept members happy in these high-food-cost days: Two
dozen eggs at Costco for $9 are still much cheaper than many traditional grocery stores.

Also see: Not a Costco member? Shoppers offer ways you can skip entry
scanners

Costco operates 897 warehouses worldwide. It has 617 in the United States
and Puerto Rico, 109 in Canada, and 41 in Mexico. Its newest stores in the
U.S. include one in Brentwood and the other in Highland.

The retailer recently completed a new contract with unionized employees.

According to an earnings call March 6, the labor agreement includes an immediate $1 hourly wage increase for the company’s “top of scale” clerks, followed by an additional $1 increase in March 2026 and another in March
2027.

The company’s entry-level clerks got a $0.50 hourly bump, taking Costco’s minimum wage across the U.S. to $20 hourly.

Costco’s President and Chief Executive Officer Ron Vachris said the
average pay for its clerks in the U.S. and Canada is now just over $31
hourly.

If you have questions or tips about Costco, email Samantha Gowen at sgowen@scng.com.

https://www.ocregister.com/2025/03/18/costco-expands-weekday-pump-hours- at-its-gas-stations/

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