Can You Shop Booze at Costco Without a Membership?
Costco is known for its good deals on various bulk items. For the winos, Costco has some fairly premium brands and bottle options. Beer lovers can score a good deal on cases at Costco. And yes, Costco even has its own Kirkland brand of vodka available in certain states. If you aren’t a member of the local club you may be wondering if you can shop booze at Costco without a membership. Here’s what you need to know.
Is It Possible to Shop Booze at Costco Without a Membership?
First off, yes, you can shop booze at Costco without a membership. It just takes a little maneuvering. You won’t be able to just go into the store and buy it off the shelf. Unlike other warehouse stores, Costco also does not offer free day passes. So, you won’t be able to get it that way either. However, those aren’t your only options.
Use a Costco Cash Card for Booze
You probably know someone with a Costco membership. If you do, have them buy you a Costco cash card (their version of a gift card). You can exchange cash for the gift card and head to Costco on your own. The store allows people with gift cards to shop without a membership and they don’t limit where you can spend it. So, you can bring in $100 on a Costco cash card and spend it all on vodka if you wanted to.
Go Shopping With a Friend
If you do happen to know someone that has a membership but you don’t want to go the cash card route you can always go shopping with a friend. When you do this, have them stand in line with you and scan their Costco card. Then, give them cash to pay for the transaction. It probably wouldn’t hurt to throw them a few extra bucks for helping you out too.
Place an Order With Instacart
Shopping with Instacart is another way to get around Costco’s membership requirements. Non-members can place orders at Costco using Instacart and, in some cases, get same-day delivery. Fast delivery from Costco using Instacart isn’t guaranteed though. Same-day delivery and pick-up services are reserved for members only. So, if your booze purchase can’t wait, this is something to keep in mind.
Not every Costco will have booze options available via Instacart though. A lot of that will depend on your location and the local liquor laws.
Check Your State Laws
Depending on the state you live in, you may be able to walk right through the front door. Certain states have laws that require stores that sell alcohol to make it available to the public, regardless of membership. You can shop booze at Costco without a membership in the following states.
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New York
- Texas
- Vermont
Anyone who has shopped at Costco or tried to knows there is a person at the door checking membership. When you approach the person in one of these states, simply tell them you’re there to buy booze. If they are unfamiliar with the law, you may have to speak with a manager. Ultimately, they’ll let you in. A manager will be needed at checkout to approve the transaction as well since you aren’t a member.
That being said, if you live in one of the other 38 states in the U.S. you’ll have to use another one of the methods mentioned above to shop booze at Costco without a membership.
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Drew Blankenship is a former Porsche technician and lifelong automotive enthusiast. Recently, he began writing for several websites and is enjoying the career change. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and their dog Enzo.