Spotlight The problem with shopping at Costco? It's 'Mad Max' with shopping carts Jessica Guynn USA Today Apr 29, 2026 Apr 29, 2026 Updated Jul 21, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Shelby Blessie Shelby Blessie kAm{:<6 6G6CJE9:?8 2E r@DE4@[ E96 D9@AA:?8 42CED 2C6 6IEC2\=2C86] $96=3J q=6DD:6 :D?’E] k^AmkAmpE c 766E[ `` :?496D E2==[ D96 4C2?6D 96C 9625 E@ A66C @G6C E96 E@A @7 96C 42CE 2D D96 >2?6FG6CD E9C@F89 2 D62 @7 D9@AA6CD[ H62G:?8 H:=5=J :? 2?5 @FE @7 4C@H565 2:D=6D 2D E96J D4@FE 562=D 2?5 8C2K6 @? D2>A=6D]k^AmkAm%@@ @7E6? D96 92D E@ D=2> @? E96 3C2<6D H96? A6@A=6 DE@A D9@CE — H2D E92E qq" r9:4<6? |24 2?5 r966D6 H:E9 q24@?n — @C DH:G6= @? 2 5:>6 E@ D4@@A FA E92E ad\A@F?5 328 @7 C:46 E96J 7@C8@E 2 76H 2:D=6D 324<]k^Am kAm“x 92G6 925 A6@A=6 H9@ 5:5?’E D66 >6 CF? C:89E :?E@ >6 @C EC:A @G6C >6[” E96 bc\J62C\@=5 z2?D2D r:EJ[ |:DD@FC:[ E62496C D2:5] k^Am People are also reading… New RV dealership opens in McDowell County; Old Fort RV Park reopens Woman tracked missing AirPods, leading to arrest of Marion man, sheriff's office says 14 new businesses opened in Marion in past year, according to report Somewhere between Western Sizzlin and Michelin star: Marion has a new steakhouse. Pair charged with NC double murder moved into victims' home after deaths, warrant says ESPN analyst predicts NFL's Carolina Panthers will make big move at QB in 2027 New Marion YMCA director looks forward to meeting the needs of local community UTV wreck in McDowell County injures two Old Fort firefighters Three returning trustees for McDowell Technical Community College sworn in Newland NC man charged in crash that killed 2 college cyclists in Tennessee, injured 7 others After yearslong revitalization process, NASCAR isn’t returning to NC racetrack Foothills Watershed in Old Fort expanding bike trails, brewing beer Morganton man faces drug, felony firearm possession charges in McDowell County Winston-Salem man gets 15 years in federal prison after I-40 shooting McDowell County 15th annual Walk for Life set for Sept. 19 kAm%@ 36 72:C[ q=6DD:6 92D 244:56?E2==J C2>>65 2 76H D9@AA6CD 96CD6=7] “x 5@?’E >62? E@[” D96 D2:5[ “3FE >@DE @7 E96 E:>6[ E96J 3C:?8 :E @? E96>D6=G6D]”k^AmkAm“*@F 92G6 8@E D@>63@5J 369:?5 J@F H9@ :D 8@:?8 E96 D2>6 A246 2D J@F 2?5 E96? J@F DE@A E@ =@@< 2E E96 8:82?E:4 H2E6C D=:56[” D96 D2:5] “x H2?E E@ D66 :E[ E@@[ 3FE x 2> 8@:?8 E@ AF== @G6C E@ =@@< 2E :E]”k^Am kAm(6=4@>6 E@ E96 r@DE4@ E9F?56C5@>6] (2E49 J@FC 766E] k^AmkAm%96 r@DE4@ D9@AA:?8 6IA6C:6?46 :D :>>6CD:G6 3J 56D:8? — 7C@> E96 3:8\D4C66? 3=:?8 2E E96 H2C69@FD6 5@@C E@ 2:D=6 27E6C 2:D=6 @7 E2?E2=:K:?8 562=D E@ 328] tG6? H96? J@F’C6 52D9:?8 :? ;FDE E@ 8C23 D@>6 E@:=6E A2A6C 2?5 >:=<[ :E’D 72C E@@ 62DJ E@ DF44F>3 E@ D6?D@CJ @G6C=@25] (92E H2D @? >J =:DEn (96C6 :D >J =:DEn (2:E[ 2C6 E9@D6 D966ED @? D2=6n s@ H6 ?665 D966EDnk^Am kAm“r@DE4@ :D 2 G6CJ 964E:4 DE@C6] !2CE @7 E9:D :D 3642FD6 :E :D D@ A@AF=2C] !2CE @7 :E :D 3642FD6 :E’D 2 DE@C6 H96C6 A6@A=6 D9@A BF:E6 :?E6?D6=J — 6IA=@C:?8 5:776C6?E 42E68@C:6D[ 3FJ:?8 :? 3F=< 2?5 DE@AA:?8 E@ D2>A=6 E9:?8D[” }6:= $2F?56CD[ >2?28:?8 5:C64E@C @7 v=@32=s2E2 #6E2:=[ D2:5] k^Am kAm%96 “7C6?6E:4 6?6C8J” :?D:56 r@DE4@ H2C69@FD6D 2=D@ :?7=F6?46D 9@H A6@A=6 D9@A[ $2F?56CD D2:5] %9:?< Q|25 |2IQ 3FE H:E9 D9@AA:?8 42CED]k^AmkAm%96 :?E6C?6E 42==D E96 4@?5:E:@? E92E 277=:4ED D@>6 r@DE4@ D9@AA6CD “42CE EF??6= G:D:@?[” >62?:?8 E96J =@D6 2== D:EF2E:@?2= 2?5 DA2E:2= 2H2C6?6DD] ~? #655:E[ @?6 A6CD@? 4@:?65 E96 E6C> “>62?56CE92=D” 3642FD6 “J@F 42?VE E6== H96C6 E96JVC6 8@:?8 2?5 ?6:E96C 42? E96J]” k^Am kAm$66>:?8=J F?2H2C6 @7 E96:C DFCC@F?5:?8D[ E96D6 D9@AA6CD 4CF:D6 2=@?8 7@FC 2?5 7:G6 23C62DE[ 7@C4:?8 6G6CJ@?6 6=D6 E@ DBF66K6 2C@F?5 E96>] #2E96C E92? 8@:?8 H:E9 E96 7=@H :? 2:D=6D =:?65 H:E9 9:89 A2==6ED E92E =:>:E G:D:3:=:EJ[ E96J 32CC6= 5@H? E96 HC@?8 D:56] k^Am kAm(9:=6 D@>6 A6@A=6 AF== @G6C E@ @8=6 E96 E:C2>:DF 4966D642<6[ E96D6 D9@AA6CD 5@F3=6 A2C< @C =62G6 E96:C 42CED :? E96 >:55=6 @7 2:D=6D[ 3=@4<:?8 E96 7=@H @7 EC277:4] %96 =@8;2>D 4C62E65 3J D9@AA6CD H9@ 4C@H5 D2>A=6 DE2E:@?D 7@FC 2?5 7:G6 A6@A=6 566A :D ?6IE\=6G6= C286 32:E :? @?=:?6 r@DE4@ 7@CF>D] k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm%96? E96C6 2C6 E96 >:?@C 4@==:D:@?D E96D6 5:DEC24E65 923:ED C@FE:?6=J 42FD6] %96D6 CF?\:?D[ 5F3365 Q3F>A6C 42CED[Q 2C6 D@ 4@>>@? E92E H2C69@FD6 6>A=@J66D ;@<6 E92E r@DE4@ =F3C:42E6D E96 D9@AA:?8 42CE H966=D H:E9 2?<=6 D<:?] k^Am kAmQ*@F 42? 86E 9FCE :7 J@F’C6 ?@E A2J:?8 2EE6?E:@?[” r@DE4@ D9@AA6C %@> u:==:?6 D2:5]k^AmkAm$=2>>:?8 E96 3C2<6D @? 2 7F==J =@2565 r@DE4@ 42CE :D =:<6 ECJ:?8 E@ DE@A 2 d__\A@F?5 EC24E@C\EC2:=6C[ D2:5 u:==:?6[ bh] w:D H:76 AFE 9:> :? 492C86 @7 r@DE4@ D9@AA:?8 3642FD6 — 2D 2? 6=6>6?E2CJ D49@@= A9JD:42= 65F42E:@? E62496C 7C@> pFC@C2[ x==:?@:D — 96’D FD65 E@ 562=:?8 H:E9 “492@E:4 6?G:C@?>6?ED]” k^AmkAm“x 92G6 2 G6CJ 4=62? 42CE\AFD9:?8 C64@C5] x 92G6 ?6G6C 8@EE6? :?E@ 2? 244:56?E] x 92G6 ?6G6C 3F>A65 2?J3@5J[” 96 D2:5]k^Am kAmqFE 96 92D 925 D@>6 4=@D6 42==D 5@58:?8 H2JH2C5 D9@AA6CD] w6 4@>A2C6D ?2G:82E:?8 r@DE4@ E@ 5C:G:?8 :? 2 7@C6:8? 4@F?ECJ H:E9 ?@ EC277:4 =2HD] k^Am kAmw6 2=>@DE C2? :?E@ 2 H@>2? H9@ 52CE65 :? 7C@?E @7 9:>] %96? D96 DE@AA65 E@ J6== 2E 9:>] k^AmkAm“tG6CJ@?6 :D :? =2=2 =2?5[” u:==:?6 D2:5] k^AmkAmp?5 E92EVD H92E 5C:G6D p;2J qF=492?52?: 4C2KJ] w6 D2JD r@DE4@ D9@AA6CD 92G6 ?@ C6DA64E 7@C E96 F?HC:EE6? QCF=6D @7 E96 C@25Q 2?5 D9@F=5 36 C6BF:C65 E@ E2<6 2 D9@AA:?8 42CE 5C:G6C’D =:46?D6 E6DE E@ BF2=:7J 7@C 2 >6>36CD9:A] k^Am kAm“x 2> ?@E D:EE:?8 E96C6 @? >J A9@?6] (96? x 92G6 E@ A2C< >J 42CE[ x >2<6 DFC6 x 2> ?@E 3=@4<:?8 2 9:89\AC@7:=6 :E6> E92E A6@A=6 ?665 E@ 86E E@ @C x A2C< @FED:56 @7 E96 2:D=6 D@ :E’D ?@E :? 2?J@?6’D H2J[” D2:5 qF=492?52?:[ 2 db\J62C\@=5 sy 7C@> p>6C:42? r2?J@?[ r2=:7@C?:2[ H9@ 8@6D 3J p;2I] “!6@A=6 :? r@DE4@ 92G6 ?@ DA2E:2= 2H2C6?6DD] &=E:>2E6=J E92E’D H92E :E C62==J 4@>6D 5@H? E@] %96J ;FDE =62G6 E96:C 42CE H96C6G6C 3642FD6 :E DF:ED E96:C ?665D] %96J 5@?’E 42C6 23@FE :?4@?G6?:6?4:?8 2?J@?6 6=D6]”k^Am Ian Collins Ian Collins kAmtG6? 2E e 766E[ b :?496D E2== 2?5 acd A@F?5D[ x2? r@==:?D[ 2 bh\J62C\@=5 C62= 6DE2E6 286?E :? $2? s:68@[ D2JD :E’D =:<6 q=24< uC:52J 6G6CJ E:>6 96 G6?EFC6D :?E@ 9:D =@42= r@DE4@ H2C69@FD6]k^Am kAm“xE’D AC6EEJ >F49 `_ @FE @7 `_[ >J 42CE H:== 86E 9:E 2E =62DE @?46 2?5 a @FE @7 `_ x H:== 86E 3F>A65[” r@==:?D D2:5] “*@F D42? J@FC >6>36CD9:A 42C5 2?5[ 2D D@@? 2D :E 366AD[ A6@A=6 ;FDE 8@ :?E@ 76C2= >@56]”k^AmkAm$@ 96 5C27E65 2 4@>>@?\D6?D6 D9@AA:?8\42CE 6E:BF6EE6 2?5 D92C65 :E @? D@4:2= >65:2] k^AmkAm%C62E J@FC 42CE =:<6 :E’D J@FC 42C] s@?VE A2C< :? E96 >:55=6 @7 E96 2:D=6] s@?’E CF? :?E@ A6@A=6] $E2J E@ E96 C:89E] v@ E96 D2>6 DA665 2D EC277:4] s@?’E 8@ 282:?DE E96 7=@H :7 J@F >:DD D@>6E9:?8] k^Am kAmp?5 E96 }@] ` CF=6n “s@?’E 36 2 ;6C<]”k^Am Business Costco wants you to check out in 8 seconds with new pay stations Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton The Seattle Times 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Free samples with a side of serotonin: Welcome to the Costco feeding frenzy People love free food, and so does Costco. It makes a fortune from it. Watch Now: Related Video Transgender athlete debate draws dueling protests outside Fever-Liberty game China: Robots box and dance at Beijing's 2026 World Robot Conference China: Robots box and dance at Beijing's 2026 World Robot Conference Trump Tours New White House Helipad, Touts Rapid Construction For Ballroom 'Military Complex' Trump Tours New White House Helipad, Touts Rapid Construction For Ballroom 'Military Complex' Moderna’s Personalized Cancer Vaccine Scores Late-Stage Win Moderna’s Personalized Cancer Vaccine Scores Late-Stage Win Recommended for you
Business Costco wants you to check out in 8 seconds with new pay stations Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton The Seattle Times
Free samples with a side of serotonin: Welcome to the Costco feeding frenzy People love free food, and so does Costco. It makes a fortune from it.