Costco is *the* place to go if you’re looking to stock up on bulk goods. The warehouse sells everything you could possibly need, from gazebos and iPads to coffee and Frito Lay variety packs. It even has its own line of Kirkland Signature products, which many customers can’t get enough of. But as with any good store, it attracts people in by the droves, often leading to long lines and a crowded parking lot. So when should you plan to hit up the grocery chain to avoid utter chaos? We spoke with some Costco insiders to find out.

Weekdays Are Often Less Busy

Shannon Fong, the woman behind popular Instagram account @costco.so.obsessed, exclusively shares her go-to times to shop the store. “The best time to go for me personally is Tuesday or Wednesday morning right before they open just because people aren’t buying something for the weekend,” she says. “Usually people go Sunday or Monday for the week so Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are best.” Laura Lamb, the CEO and Founder of Costco Hot Finds also implements a weekday approach, but usually shops at a different time of day. “On a regular week, I feel like the best time to go to Costco is Monday through Thursday between 1 and 3 pm if you’re looking for it to be as quiet as possible,” she tells us. Seems like the perfect time to hit up the food court and snag a hot dog, if you ask me.

However, if you’re not a morning person, the insiders behind the Instagram account @CostcoDeals share alternative times where you might be lucky enough to have shorter checkout lines. “From our experience and talking with some of the employees that we know at Costco, 4-6 pm seems to be the sweet spot for the best time to go,” they explain. “Of course, Costco is always busy, but I think 4-6pm on weekdays works because before 4 pm people are picking up their kids from school and between five and six people are just getting off work so there’s a little lull.”

Nighttime Can Also Be A Good Time To Shop

Another time to go that’s often light on foot traffic is at the very end of the day. “The last 30 minutes to hour before closing seems to be pretty light too, but again, all that changes depending on the season, or if a holiday is coming up, etc.” explains @CostcoDeals. As for which day of the week works best, @CostcoDeals recommend Tuesdays. However, they add that this may vary by city and density near each individual Costco.

Tips For Weekend Shopping

Lamb provides some sage wisdom for those who can only make their weekly Costco trip over the weekend. “If weekends are your only option then it’s best to get there right when the doors open, and keep in mind that it’s not uncommon for Costco to open their door 10 minutes early,” she tells us. This is in conjunction with what we’ve observed on Google Maps‘popular times tracker. The day starts off slow and tapers again in the late evening before store closing—a trend that doesn’t discriminate based on the day of the week.

Whatever you do though, try to avoid the warehouse over the weekends between the hours of 11 am and 4 pm. Lamb finds that these are the busiest times to shop and you’ll no doubt spend quite some time trying to squeeze through crowds to grab your coveted items.

Ultimately, the busiest times at Costco seem to vary based on location, so if ever in doubt, you can ask one of the employees at your local store to see if they can provide any extra insight into your store’s quietest, or most well-stocked, hours. “Busy or not, just be patient and give yourself plenty of time to browse,” recommends Lamb.

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