It's for seniors AND for people with compromised immune systems and disabilities. It's plainly listed on Costco's website.

I went once to one of our grocery stores when the seniors' time was ending. The lineup for the tills was wound around to the back of the store. I walked out and went later in the afternoon and it was quiet.

I think those with a business membership can shop earlier then those that have the gold star one.

We've been using the Costco senior hours because we are old, but getting there more like 10 than 9. It's usually not busy at that hour with the exception weekends and Fridays and the days the new sales start.

I tried out the senior hour at my grocery store and it was busier than other times. The best time to shop at Costco in my area is about 7:30 p.m., an hour before closing.

Senior hours are the worst. Early into this we tried the senior hours both at Costco and Target. I said never again. I prefer to do my shopping near closing hours. Now that more people are back at work I hit Costco at mid day.

Same for medical stuff. I had to have labs done the other day. I took the first appointment after lunch even though I am eligible for senior hours in the AM. I was the only patient. When came out I saw the next one sitting out in the hall. The tech who took my blood said I was smart to do so, said the mornings are a zoo, lines of people no matter how they schedule since walk ins are still allowed.

Wildchild, that's usually because most lab work requires fasting, and if I'm getting blood drawn at 1 PM, then I'm passed out from hunger, low blood sugar, headache from caffeine withdrawal, and cranky as hell. I'll do my lab work as early as I can, crowds or not, and then have breakfast.

Many of us old people do not like driving at night. Including me. We've seen that most stores are good at 9 or 10 AM. I'll leave the evening hours to the people who are working during the day. Most stores here have eased off the early senior crowds. At first, I was waiting in line at Trader Joe's, now there's no line.

Early on one of the urban myths was that stores would only allow seniors to shop at certain hours. None of the stores that are here have been mentioning senior hours although they may start again. Last time I went to the grocery in the morning there were few seniors there.

I time my trips to TJ's and Costco during sr. hours for about 20-30 min after they open. The early birds who have to be the first in line for everything have pretty much finished shopping and are checking out or have already left. Those who can't use sr hour won't be admitted for another 30 min. I usually prefer night shopping but TJ's runs out of things and I figure all stores have been filled all day with potential carriers of Covid, so mornings feel safer.

Our Costco allowed first responders in early along with seniors and the line was long waiting. We never went early since then and we find the store less crowded and easy to get in.

Stores here initially listed senior shopping hours but no one enforced them. It drove me INSANE. I ALWAYS grocery shop at 6am on Saturday. When it became the senior time suddenly I was no longer alone!! These people are PUTZY drove me insane. Thank goodness they didn't keep coming. I am back to mostly alone in the store. None of the set aside shopping here is busy. Most people decided they like to shop when it works for them not when stores decide they should.

"Stores here initially listed senior shopping hours but no one enforced them."

This is like wearing masks. Without enforcement, the policy/rule is meaningless.

With the nearest Costco an hour from here, I haven't made a goal of their senior hours. My sister has, will get up early and go and for a while was still standing in line to get in. I think we waited briefly in line early on, but I've found the stores have 'reasonable' crowds. (did notice earlier this week they are offering food samples again, not sure what's up with that but we're quick with our No Thanks ;0)

I think overall Costco has pretty much gotten it right. Directional arrows on the floors and 6' markings at checkout areas. They've taken out some registers but I haven't found myself waiting longer to pay. Everyone is masked, no one takes my card but scans it from my hand, and my receipt is taped to my cart not handed to me. I've had somewhat smaller orders my last two trips and the checker has indicated they didn't want me to empty my cart onto the belt. They rang up my purchases while still in the cart and that worked OK, no mistakes made. I don't have them box my things anyway, I have coolers in my SUV or DH's truck and all is transferred to those in the parking lot.

Once or twice when I've needed to go somewhere, because I couldn't do curbside, delivery, or drive-thru, you can bet I went during senior shopping. I'm early 50s. But I'm also high risk. I did notice a store or two that actually had a sign that said they had times for high risk and elderly shoppers. I'm just sure people didn't understand when they saw me, but to be honest I don't care. I need people to be careful around me if that's what it takes, that's what I will do. I'll stay out of their way, if they'll stay out of mine.

When senior hours was a new thing I went to morning senior hours at a grocery I frequent and the shelves in the sections I gravitate to hadn't been restocked for the day yet. As in half empty.

I haven't bothered to go back and see if there has been a change.

Let me tell you what is going on at the grocery store I work at. There is a sign on the front entrance that says 7am-8am is reserved for senior shopping. Mask are mandatory in public places. We have arrows in the aisles for one way shopping. There are red circles, 2 meters apart to stand when waiting in line to pay. We have plexiglass in front of our registers with a sign saying please stand behind the glass. So, the store has put all these Implements in place according to Alberta Health Services rules. First off, most people shopping the first hour aren’t seniors, not everyone follows the arrows, customers will stand next to the customer paying for their groceries and if you don’t have a mask on, oh well come in and shop anyway and 95% of the customers don’t stand behind the plexiglass. When I asked one customer to move back on the red circle she called me a crabby cashier. The manager has told us to let everybody in the store. I don’t know why we have these rules when no one is following them and then they wonder why the numbers aren’t going down.

liira the first part about the seniors shopping is if your area is like mine was part of the senior shopping included those with health problems and disabilities. Stores were required to take the word of the people. Now with the widening spread of people who have decided that they are special and rules are not for them management fears the backlash for enforcing the rules. If it was just anger that could be handled but it is also physical violence. The government is not helping because each area has their own regulations and in most areas there are no penalties.

Then there are the First Amendment types who would sue because a store violated their rights.

sushipup1 I'm an old night owl. Fasting turned out to be easier for me this time since I could snack (mini meal) late at night. I just stayed up keeping busy the night before into the wee hours and slept in late. Sort of a semi graveyard shift. If I have to be somewhere really early I simply don't sleep well the night before. It's like asking a morning person to get up at midnight and go out to breakfast. LOL We're all different and the perks of old age allows us to stick to schedules we are most comfortable with.

I've noticed that "senior hours" in Palm Springs are the busiest times and so it's better to go at a different time. I don't think any non-seniors are trying to shop at those times, since they are busier than regular hours.

I never go to senior hours although we have them around here in most stores. I am a night owl and go to the grocery store in the evening as well as Target every few weeks. As for any blood work,I have a 1 PM appointment when I have it done. I eat a snack late evening so I don't get hungry.

"This is like wearing masks. Without enforcement, the policy/rule is meaningless."

It comes down to personal responsibility. No one enforces the "senior only parking" or Pregnant women's parking either. Too many customers have become rude and even violent when asked to comply to clearly posted masking and other rules. No one needs that fight all day.

Well there is the affront of being asked to be socially responsible and then there is the experience of dying of C19.

It's even on this thread.... I'm special. No, I have an underlying condition that would make it certain, that I would be hospitalized and probably would die from COVID. But I take it so seriously, I'm not going to be there, amongst throngs of people. I'm not going to go beyond your barrier. I'm not going to go past the safe distance. I will wear my mask. I will make sure you do not touch my money, by paying for it ahead of time, or using a card and I don't push buttons. Fine, I am special. I would prefer not to be. How about you take over for me, you be an asthmatic and worry about getting a deadly breathing disorder?

I posted this on the shut down thread, too.

Here's a proposal!

How about all of you anti-maskers who participate in risky behavior stay home instead of the more vulnerable? That will leave the more careful people at less risk, slow down the virus and reward the people doing the right thing.

rob, there are some people here at the KT that would just tell you to stay home. A person on another thread said "If you have concerns or are vulnerable stay home until there's treatment, that way the rest of society can carry on."

So the vulnerable people just need to stay home. Right.

I do as much as I can. Curbside, drive through when I can't, and when I keep trying to get the same thing over and over again, I will be there in person early. It takes three times of trying before I will do it. But you can bet your bottom dollar I will be there getting it before anybody else, since I jumped through all the hoops.

P. S. I can't tell you the number of times I can actually get it if I get it myself, when they're "out" the three previous times. I agree with the person who says they don't stock the shelves for us.

The rest of society carrying on is the problem. So that while shopping last night at a small green grocery I had to keep moving around to avoid proximity to two separate parties with uncovered noses. With this kind of thing still going on at the same time that the pandemic has gotten as bad as it now is.

I didn't know stores senior hours are still existing. I thought that idea was only for shutdown period. We don't have Costco here though. I heard Costco has chestnuts now! Go get some! :-)