Can You Pay With Cash At Costco?

Shopping at Costco is a brisk-moving experience, with frequent crowds circling through the store's towering aisles. Subsequently, once you finally reach the cash register, no one wants to be a holdup — hence why it is good to know the retailer's payment policy. If you're paying with a credit card, for example, the clerk will ensure the name is identical to your membership card. Such payment verification begs the question: Can you pay at Costco using cold, hard cash?

The answer is yes! All warehouse locations, including business center stores, in the U.S. accept this form of payment. The same policy also applies at international outlets in Canada, as well as Mexico — where customers even report delineated credit card and cash prices. However, you might run into issues when paying with cash at Costco gas stations stateside; credit, debit and gift cards are accepted there. Otherwise, whether you're thinking of grabbing a hot dog meal at the food court or picking up a cheap rotisserie chicken, printed currency will do.

Even if you're typically a card user, it's not a bad idea to bring some cash to Costco. While the store takes all Visa cards, payment turns unreliable with other major banks. One of Costco's surprising payment rules is the inability to pay with American Express. Although the two companies maintained a partnership for some 16 years, a 2015 deal swapped card allegiances. Nowadays, Visa maintains exclusive payment rights at Costco in exchange for minimal processing fees.

Such a unique arrangement also means you can't use Discover and Mastercard at the retailer, although the latter card does work when shopping online. Nevertheless, you'll be fine paying with personal, business and travelers checks, the vast majority of debit cards, no matter the bank affiliation, as well as EBT cards. If you're a frequent shopper, you could even consider grabbing the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, which comes with perks like cash back on gas, food and more. Checking out at Costco isn't tricky, but you'll want to know the details.