Costco’s reign as the top grocery store has come to an end.
After leading rankings for an influential customer satisfaction survey in 2024, the wholesale giant has slipped to seventh place in 2025 – with its score falling from 85 percent to 81 percent.
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey asked customers about their experiences at 19 grocery stores. Costco’s shoppers reported a nearly 5 percent satisfaction drop since 2024.
The fall is the second largest in the 2025 poll. Only BJ’s Wholesale Club fell further than Costco from their 2024 highs, declining nearly 6 percent.
Despite the setback, retail analyst Neil Saunders says Costco’s fall marks a rare setback for the retailer, known for its loyal membership base, bulk bargains, and no-frills shopping experience.
‘Costco is extremely successful and its above average growth rates don’t reflect the lower satisfaction rating,’ Saunders, the managing director of Global Data’s retail division, told Daily Mail. ‘However, there might be a few things dragging it down.’
Saunders said overfilled parking lots, slow wait times at checkout, and Costco’s limited ecommerce sales likely contributed to the brand’s fall from satisfaction dominance.
Ron Vachris, who became CEO on January 1, launched several tech programs that are hoping to cut down on membership card sharing, maintain low prices, quicken checkout lines, and increase parking lot churn.
Costco, 2024’s most satisfying grocery store, fell in rankings, according to a new study
‘We’re testing some front door scanners,’ he said during the third quarter earnings call in May. ‘They’re speeding up our registers significantly when we get all the scanning and memberships are verified at the front door.’
Despite the changes, customers have still mouthed off at the brand on Reddit.
‘Costco does a lot of things right, parking lots aren’t one of them,’ one person wrote.
Still, Costco’s satisfaction rate is better than the industry average. Customers reported a 79 percent satisfaction rate for all grocery stores and markets.
Costco has also faced several headwinds as it fights back against theft and supplier changes, while finding itself in the middle of culture war issues.
The brand’s headline-grabbing stance on DEI is swimming upstream. Dozens of major retailers — including Walmart, McDonald’s, Toyota, Tractor Supply, Ford, and John Deere — have cut back on their diversity programs following the Supreme Court’s pullback of affirmative action and President Trump’s return to the White House.
Costco has not flinched to the legal pressure and maintained its hiring practices.
But Costco’s ardent DEI support reportedly benefitted major executives. Top bosses raked at least $217,333 between 2021 and 2024 after the company hit social and environmental goals.
Customers complained about the store’s checkout processing times
In 2023, then-CEO W. Craig Jelinek received a $100,000 check for reaching goals. Though, the check was reportedly less than .5 percent of his 2023 salary.
Industry analysts still sound bullish on Costco’s chances to remain dominant in the grocery world.
‘Coscto remains popular with shoppers, and this shows it its recent results and good trading numbers,’ Saunders added.
Costco didn’t immediately respond to Daily Mail’s request for comment.
What customers said about other stores
Costco’s shoppers still ranked the brand above the industry average
The overall supermarket satisfaction rate has not changed from its 79% rating in the past year.
Meanwhile, Trader Joe’s nabbed the satisfaction crown with an 84 percent satisfaction rating.
The California-based grocery retailer hopped ahead of Publix, Costco, and H-E-B.
Giant Eagle received the worst grade with a 74 percent satisfaction rating.
Walmart, last year’s least-satisfying grocer per the ACSI, jumped three spots with a now-75 percent rating.
Walmart’s ascendance is the largest upward shift in the survey. The company still ranks lower than 16 other brands mentioned in the survey.
Overall, customers praised advancements in grocery stores apps. Surveyed customers gave call center satisfaction and checkout processing times the worst grades in the overall market.
