11 Costco Locations With The Worst Customer Reviews

Costco: A land of opportunity where dreams come true. With incredible bulk discount deals on everything from tire irons to baby socks — not to mention foods that taste better than your homemade favorites – Costco seems to have everything for everyone. Even Julia Child loved eating at the Costco food court.

However, with over 900 locations worldwide, it's fair to say that not all Costcos are built the same. This is quite literal: While some locations are expansive, roomy treasure vaults with easy-to-navigate and spacious parking lots, other Costcos ... aren't. In fact, there are several truly unique Costcos out there with architectural quirks and bizarre traffic patterns that leave some frustrated patrons scratching their heads. Add in the fact that some of the worst-designed locations are also the busiest, and you have a recipe for disaster — which isn't a Costco recipe you want in your recipe book.

So which locations should you avoid at all costs, even with a deep Costco membership discount? Here's a look at some Costcos that serve up aggravation in bulk.

Spend a few minutes online, and it soon becomes clear that the consensus worst Costco in America is located in the heart of Brooklyn in New York City. As one defeated Redditor put it, "If you ever want to experience all stages of hell. May I recommend the Costco in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. That one alone made me appreciate all other Costcos."

What makes this Costco stand out? On one side of this location, you'll find both the busy 3rd Avenue and above it the even busier I-278, also known as the Gowanus Expressway. On the other: Industry City and the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Wedged in between is Costco and its undersized parking lot, which is too small to handle the store's huge volume of visitors, while also being difficult to get in and out of. Customers regularly report searching for up to half an hour for an open parking spot.

Plus, real estate is at a premium in the city. As such, this Costco is two levels, with cart escalators acting as a choke point inside the facility. "Going to the store in sunset park is bloodsport," one survivor wrote on Reddit. "I was in an escalator stampede one time. I've seen several people getting arrested there, at different times. The parking lot is just a hellhole with no available parking." Add in reports of customers opening packages of food and leaving half-eaten remains strewn about, and you can see why this one is a miss.

Canada has a lot going for it: Beautiful natural wonders, amazing winter sports, and some truly iconic foods you absolutely need to try before you die. They also have Costco, but thanks to higher prices on things like gas and cheese, some Canadians along the border go south to stock up on discounted goods. One of their prime destinations: the Costco in Bellingham, Washington.

Combine these shoppers with a local population consisting of retirees who head to Costco at their leisure, and you have what some patrons consider a perfect storm designed to make any trip there crowded and difficult. When asked for the worst Costco to shop at in the United States, one Redditor summed it up by saying, "it's definitely Bellingham. Those Canadians are ruthless when cheap dairy is at stake."

Customers report that weekends are particularly hectic, especially if you're hoping to get gas. Some locals report actually driving half an hour down I-5 to visit the Costco in Burlington, Washington, rather than deal with the massive crowds in Bellingham — and that includes people who actually work at the Bellingham facility. When even the employees would rather shop somewhere else, you know there's a problem.

Ever wondered what the busiest Costco in the world is? You might think it's your local Costco, but unless you live in Honolulu, Hawaii, you'd be wrong. That's because the Iwilei Costco near downtown Honolulu is at the top of the heap, reportedly bringing in more than twice the revenue of an average Costco.

In other words, imagine how chaotic your local Costco gets at its busiest, and then double that. One Redditor summed it up simply, saying, "Iwilei Costco is the worst. Put together all the worst aspects of all the Costcos in the world, and you have that location in a nutshell."

With locals comparing lines to Disneyland and the overall vibe to Thunderdome, you're in danger of being run into by a full cart of food at any moment. Some locals prefer to drive across the island to other Costco locations rather than brave the massive throngs at Iwieli. "Let's not forget how gross it is families are changing diapers on the display furniture," wrote one Redditor. "NEVER MAKE ME GO TO COSTCO IWILEI ON THE WEEKENDS EVER AGAIN IN MY PERIMENOPAUSAL LIFE."

Parking is an issue at many Costco locations, but the chain's solution at the Pentagon City location in Arlington, Virginia, seems to have just made things worse. Think a crowded parking lot is bad? How about jamming all those cars into a parking garage instead, so everyone also has to deal with a choked entry and exit point? Oh, and you also need to get your parking ticket validated.

It's true that there's also a small parking lot next to the garage, but according to regulars, that simply results in traffic jams when people block the street while waiting for a spot to open in the lot. Meanwhile, road rage — or parking spot rage — runs rampant inside the garage, while customers also have to wait for an elevator to transport carts full of purchases.

"The design failure of the parking lot should be studied. It's an impressive failure," wrote one customer on Reddit, while another added, "That garage was designed by Satan. I have tried to get used to it so many times but it's awful."

On the far eastern outskirts of Seattle, you'll find Issaquah, Washington, home to the Costco corporate headquarters. As you might expect, there's a Costco located right at the headquarters itself. What you might not expect, however, is that many locals and regulars flag it among the worst Costcos you can visit.

You'd think it would be the other way around. While some customers say they have positive experiences – thanks to employees being on their best behavior due to the location's proximity to the big bosses — others report the opposite.

"Corporate visitors, I assume, walk around the store all the time, blocking aisles and assuming the mere customers would just walk a different aisle or something. The arrogance throbs sometimes in that store," one disgusted member wrote on Reddit. "Glad other Costcos exist or I'd have to cancel my membership."

Another issue with the location is, well, its location. According to locals, the Issaquah Costco attracts unusually large crowds because it's the last Costco to stock up at before hitting the mountains if you're heading east out of Seattle. That may contribute to what some consider subpar customer service.

"This is by far the worst Costco I've ever been to," wrote one member on Yelp. "Every visit is frustrating due to consistently poor customer service. Most employees seem uninterested in helping and unwilling to do their jobs properly."

There are a lot of great things about New York City, like its world-famous pizza, but free space isn't among those positives. Even a big company like Costco has to make some concessions when setting up a store in a city as crowded as New York. However, to hear some Costco members talk, it seems there may have been a few too many concessions when the Rego Park location was built in Queens.

Firstly, Costco is actually located in the basement of a shopping complex — the third-level basement, which means access difficulty and possibly loss of cellphone signal. Customers compare it to a crowded dungeon with fire hazards, and that's setting aside the thorny issue of parking.

"That is the most vile Costco I've ever been to. It's tight and packed," wrote one Redditor. "You have to pay for parking which is absolutely chaos once you're inside the garage. " Other regulars agree, with one writing on Reddit, "That one is a nightmare: awful layout, cramped, always crowded, shelves are a mess, completely chaotic. Even just getting out of the parking lot pisses me off."

When the folks at FinanceBuzz recently conducted a survey of over 6,000 Costco members about their experiences at the store, they discovered something interesting: The state with the lowest rating for Costco locations is Maryland. It's possible, though, that the state's overall score was dragged down by one bad apple: the Gaithersburg location.

Routinely cited by both Costco members and the media at large as one of the worst Costcos in the country, Gaithersburg comes under fire primarily for its awful parking. Customers report having to wait 45 minutes in line to find a spot in the location's cramped and dysfunctional garage. The primary problem? No elevator, which can transform the usually routine job of rolling your cart to your car into a spine-tingling descent toward terror.

"I've been to Costco's all around the country and Gaithersburg is EASILY the worst one I've been to," one witness wrote on Reddit. "The ... garage does not have an elevator, so if you are parked on the bottom of the garage you have to go all the way down a steep hill."

As a result, many local members choose to bypass Gaithersburg and drive the extra 21 miles up to the Frederick, Maryland, location instead. It's not only safer, but depending on traffic, it may even be faster than waiting for a parking spot to open in the gnarly Gaithersburg garage.

Just east of Los Angeles proper, you'll find the satellite city of Alhambra, California. It may not be as famous as other L.A. suburbs like Hollywood with its movie stars, or Santa Monica with its vibrant food scene, but Alhambra is well known for one thing: a terrible Costco.

Spend a few minutes perusing customer experiences at the Alhambra location, and you won't just want to stay away — you might consider calling an exorcist. On Yelp, one-star reviews are the most common, with customers routinely complaining about bad customer service, terrible overcrowding, rude customers, and awful parking. On Reddit, the consensus is the same.

"The Alhambra store is pretty bad. Parking there is terrible," one customer wrote on Reddit. Watch out for the free samples as well. "It's like a piranha attack with people just grabbing and/or blocking the cart as they stuff their face."

Anti-social behavior seems to reach a new level at the Alhambra Costco, with customers also reporting that they've had their carts emptied in the aisle and stolen by other members while shopping. "This Costco is the worst," another battle-tested Alhambra veteran wrote on Reddit. "I've been to dozens of Costcos in my life, but this one really has the rudest customers. I have to put my 'game face' on when I go to this Costco and emotionally prepare myself for a******* running amuck." Shop at your own risk.

The name Davie, Florida, might not ring a bell with most people, but located just northwest of Miami, Davie is home to one of the most difficult Costcos to shop at in the entire United States.

Just ask Reddit, where shellshocked shoppers have compared the location's gas station to "The Hunger Games" and "Mad Max." Others report that the location's terrible parking situation — which is exacerbated by sharing a small and overcrowded lot with a popular Chick-fil-A — feels even worse thanks to the bad attitude of the customers who shop there.

"No one in south Florida knows how to put their carts away or stop for pedestrians," one world-weary Redditor wrote. "Also if it somehow starts down pouring while in the store (which it will, during summer in south Florida) EVERYONE decides to wait under the front entrance and backs up the line to exit all the way to the bathrooms."

Taken all together, it's enough to put anyone in a bad mood, which might explain the numerous complaints on Yelp about the location's customer service. "I encountered extremely unfriendly, unprofessional customer service," wrote one miffed member. "I absolutely would rather drive out of my way to another Costco location or return my membership than be treated the way I did at this location."

According to online reports, the Costco in Marina Del Rey, California, is the third busiest Costco location in the entire world. That would undoubtedly be enough to make shopping there an unruly experience, but according to members, everything is made so much worse by Costco's ultimate nemesis: the parking lot.

Complaints about the parking lot at this location aren't new, but they are persistent and consistent. First, take a small parking lot, then add a Costco Gas Station, and then, just for maximum havoc, put an In-and-Out Burger in the same lot as well. It's bad enough that some customers advocate parking across the street and walking rather than risk the lot experience — and for good reason. "That parking lot was WILD," wrote one escapee on Reddit. "Almost died several times trying to park and leave my car."

Adding to the chaos outside, it's also a popular spot for people returning rental cars to Los Angeles Airport to top off the tank. Once you manage to get inside, things might even get worse, at least according to members on Yelp. "Time and time again, poor customer service," one wrote. "The employees here, both management and non management, will find a way to shock you at how incompetent they are in resolving unexpected issues that they create themselves."

Here's a hot tip if you're thinking about going to the Costco in Columbia, Maryland: don't. First of all, despite the name, it's not even in Columbia – it's actually in the neighboring town of Elkridge. More importantly, locals who know better suggest that if you want to shop at Costco, you're better off driving the extra 15 minutes east to the Arundel Mills location instead.

Problem number one: gas guzzlers gumming up the works. According to Costco members who frequent the Columbia location, long lines of cars waiting for cheap gas frequently back up right into the road, causing traffic mayhem. The Costco Gas Station is actually across the street from Costco itself, sharing a small parking lot with a Trader Joe's among other busy storefronts, which may help explain why customers also warn about bad driving in general.

"This Costco has an unusually high percentage of customers that are horrible drivers," wrote one member on Reddit. "Couple that with it being one of the more crowded locations, it's a nightmare to visit this one."

Problem two: customers inside the Costco are just as bad as those outside it. "People just leaving their carts in the middle of the walkway, people who stop walking with no warning, not understanding spacing when waiting in checkout line," recited one Redditor. "Never again for me." Suddenly, that 15-minute drive through crosstown traffic to the Arundel Mills location doesn't sound so bad after all.