Tracking Costco gas prices during a global fuel crisis

0cf8612b2e1e · 2026-08-25T01:06:39 1787619999

  Costco gas is famously a loss leader, typically running 15 to 20 cents below surrounding stations.

Is this true? I always assumed that Costco just had better deals/longer horizon commitments so it could undercut local stations. Maybe they even own a refinery just to maintain the best margin.

shrubble · 2026-08-25T04:49:30 1787633370

They are selling 10000 gallons a day at some locations, so I find it hard to believe.

More like they don’t have a need to make a profit and they run the station in a barebones manner on real estate that they get as part of the larger site. So it would be a loss leader for anyone else.

teruakohatu · 2026-08-25T10:05:51 1787652351

Selling below the price of surrounding stations doesn’t mean they are losing money on the fuel.

Costco has a single store in my country and it’s butter that they sell cheaply to get people in the door. But I doubt they are losing money on it.

wyre · 2026-08-25T03:41:59 1787629319

It makes sense. The ~$10 someone saves pumping at Costco is easily made up in the >$100 shopping trip they are making, or compared to lifetime spend.

Ductapemaster · 2026-08-24T21:16:51 1787606211

https://archive.ph/qX4vF

jmpman · 2026-08-25T00:48:27 1787618907

I started screenshotting my local Costco warehouse gas prices weekly since the week prior to Trump's inauguration, mostly so my Trump supporting brother inlaw couldn't just spew his Fox brainwashing on me without me hitting back with this data.

hydrogen7800 · 2026-08-25T01:09:54 1787620194

I've been tracking every fuel purchase I've made for 12 years now across 5 or 6 different cars. Not sure what I'll ever do with that information, but I suppose it may come in handy for a political argument.

Waterluvian · 2026-08-25T00:55:50 1787619350

I’d be amazed if it actually changed anything with him.

jmpman · 2026-08-25T01:03:46 1787619826

Oh it won't, doesn't mean I'm not planning to rub it in his face.

jerlam · 2026-08-24T19:19:54 1787599194

It's too bad there's no API to find the current wait time at the Costco gas station. I'm not going to spend an extra hour of my day to save $5.

lafond · 2026-08-24T19:24:56 1787599496

If only they exposed this data!! Would have been so fun adding the display to the site

dominotw · 2026-08-24T21:59:35 1787608775

i go befoe costoco opens at 7am . they have different timings.

caminante · 2026-08-24T23:24:52 1787613892

Or don't go at 9AM with the Executive rush. Wait 30m.

phil21 · 2026-08-25T03:25:38 1787628338

Doesn’t matter at all for my local Costco. It’s busy open to close with very little variance.

The only times I’ve seen it relatively empty were during bad storms.

That said, it’s not an hour wait. Around 20 minutes is average, but I rarely fill up there since I value my time much more than that.

jerlam · 2026-08-25T04:38:05 1787632685

I don't live at Costco so it's going to be 30 minutes just back and forth. My Costco does have quieter times, but then I have to plan around it. It never made the slightest bit of sense to make a separate trip for $5.

ButlerianJihad · 2026-08-25T02:40:43 1787625643

Just wait until you have an EV! Then you will get to wait in line for an outlet, and then wait while the electrons trickle into your tank! Good times.

jerlam · 2026-08-25T04:38:44 1787632724

There's no line in my garage.

Also most of the public chargers are networked, so you know when they are busy.