We live about 10 min from a Costco but it was on the other side of an expensive toll bridge. They have now removed the toll and it’s sad how happy that makes me 😅
My Asian mom lives in a very white area with no Asian markets around. Costco carries kimchi, nori, rice, gyoza, etc. it’s the closest she can get to an Asian market and at great prices!
I am originally from Croatia; I always follow little old Asian Grandmothers around Costco and buy whatever they buy. You can see Koreans and me nose diving in Persimmons'(common fruit back home) crates trying to find the best batch. We do have Asian stores in my town, but they usually just resell Costco merchandise at a significant markup. Kimchi and Rose rice are my pantry staples for the last 20 years. We used to have a locally owned supermarket that had amazing selection of "hard to find" produce, which included a Kimchi from a small batch producer that was out of this world. I am still looking to find a substitute. In the meantime, Costco's will do.
Asian middle aged lady here…I get my exercise by power walking to the $4.99 rotisserie chickens at the back of the store then I cross train by wandering around the parking lot because I forgot where I parked. 😂
@@JoselynKum LOL yes, there's cost-splitting. But I've mostly seen sharing or giving amongst Asian families. I make big buys at Costco and I often give my elderly in-laws extra packs of TP. I cut the 6-packs of chicken breast and give 'em 2. The 2-packs of smoked salmon - they always get one after a trip. 3-packs of English cucumbers? They get one. My elderly mum is always giving me an extra something from Costco whenever I visit. And various elderly aunties in her neighborhood are always giving her something extra they bought at Costco. No money is exchanged.
I live in Hong Kong. Sales at supermarkets in HK are down -14% the past 12 months because so many people are crossing the border into Shenzhen to shop at the new Costco.
yeah... I used to go to LA meet my relatives and they bring me to sam's club to buy gifts.......now we have costco and sam's club in Shanghai, I don't have to pack those heavy big packs of moistririser anymore!!! thanks god...
That $1.50 hotdog is effective. I went to costco thinking we will save lunch. Started strolling around and went home with a $600 camera that was on sale, which I had no intention of buying to begin with. Most expensive hotdog ever.
I think most Costco shoppers are financially smarter and have the cash to spend bc nobody goes there and not spend at least $300 per visit. It's a really great deal if you know what you're buying.
Reason #12: Less choice is better. For immigrant communities still learning the English language, too many choices can be overwhelming. Shopping for a fresh box of oranges or a hunk of fish is easy for an immigrant. But for someone whose English isn't great, evaluating 300 different fancy shampoo products at Target is very hard. Costco has a few good choices that do the job.
@@slyktech1860 It depends on the product. Some things like toilet paper or diapers, they carry a name brand and they carry their brand Kirkland. Shampoos, they might carry 2 or 3 name brands, and then Kirkland. Something like soft drinks, they'll carry Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, etc, but no Kirkland. They will also carry 10 different brands of coffee, wine, or vodka, and only 1 Kirkland coffee, wine, or vodka. Some items, like white T-shirts, are Kirkland only and no other name brands. But overall, my point is that Costco shopping is easier when there is less choice.
My SIL lives and dies for Costco she is that demographic. She is a middle aged Korean woman. But being a Washingtonian I mean, Costco is Washington State's local church. It's like Walmart for people in Arkansas. And yes, I was born in Arkansas and relocated to Washington. Kirkland's brand much better that Walmart or Western Family. ( Do your remember Western Family?) Kirkland anything is pretty good. But seriously, Costco's return policy is amazing.
Almost feels like watching a South Park episode where all the Asians make their way into Costco as their pilgrimage. Finding spiritual enlightenment in the bulk snack aisle and feed your soul with free samples.
You guys are REALLY funny! I sent this link to all my Seattle area Asian in-laws. They all joined Costco in November, 1983, shortly after the original 4th avenue store opened. BIG fans. Thank you for the insightful humor.
Costco is smart and catering to the Asian population. One side of the frozen aisle is dedicated Kimchi dumplings, gyozas, lumpia, Chinese New Year dumplings, curry, pho, white rabbit ice cream, etc… and they’re from legit brands from Ranch Market but double the size! They also have Kew Pie, Korean ginger for tea, Japanese green tea, Korean Ramen (carbonara) and money trees 😂 I don’t think I’ve seen any Asian products growing up in the 90’s
Yeah, good Asian products that Asians actually want, in big sizes and at prices that are hard to beat. They don't always have the absolute best brand but that's what you shop for at the regular Asian grocery, and then you bulk up on other stuff at Costco.
More than 10 years ago, when I visited Costco with my parents, the only Korean related product was television. Samsung and LG were small competitor to Sony in retrospect. In 2024, I see black-beaned noodle, Mandu, Ginseng energy drink, Kimchi, Raddish Kimchi, Milkis..... I can almost complete my korean groceries with one Costco visit. That is a miraculous change that I have witnessed in 10 years.
Costco has always remained consistent in having cheap prices for decent quality food. If you're lazy, their ready-made rotisserie chicken can last you two days. Even their food court is amazing. If you factor both taste and price, their pizza is the best fast-food pizza you can get. Asians know a good deal when they see one.
I’m FiI-Am grew up around Costco because my Mom works at the Costco Optical lab here in my hometown of San Diego CA. She has been working there since a year before I was born in 1986 back then when it was called Price Club. So it only makes sense that we go there religiously. Costco is a pilgrimage😂 for Asians.
Hey, I remember When Saul Price had FEDMART before he started the Price Club on Morena Blvd. in San Diego, that later became Costco. FEDMART always had tasty food near the checkout.
That $1.50 Hot dog and soda has every older asian hooked. My mom and dad don't even really like hot dogs or soda but for that price its unavoidable, they gonna get lunch there. You can't even get a drink at most restaurants for $3 and Costco gets you 2 hot dogs and 2 sodas!
I live in Plano, TX ( near DFW). I'm almost 60 and I've never seen my local Costco as busy as I did before Chinese New Year. The lines were longer than the week before Xmas or other holidays. I was shocked, and I've always lived in areas where there are big Asian populations. Costco is constantly expanding their Asian products. Asians are good consumers. There are just as many or even more Indian customers too . Maybe someone should do a video for them too. Lol
@@siriusgu4579 All the CostCo's in LA. I get my lap cherng and oyster sauce there. And don't forget, the absolutely amazing pineapple cakes from Isabelle.
We live in Albuquerque which doesn't have the largest Asian population but you wouldn't know it going to Costco. My husband who is Vietnamese and I have talked about this.
Similarly, as a fellow Latino I noticed a lot of us at the Asian owned 99 Ranch markets. Talk about great deals... I recently purchased a 25 lb bag of jasmine rice for $15. It's also one of the best places for ceviche ingredients.
I live near a 99Ranch in a predominantly Hispanic area and noticed that the majority of the people lining up at the seafood section were non Asians. Then I gave it some thought and realized that it's the best place to get seafood in at least a 10 mile radius.
Costco, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and, occasionally, our local Asian market: that’s all the grocery shopping we do. We definitely price shop between the same items at Costco vs. Whole Foods. Sometimes a sale at WF’s will beat Costco but very, very rarely.
I'm surprised that gas had not been mentioned in the vid. I used to work there back in '05. One thing the manager had told me and the other person they hired on the first day was that the gas is very good quality. It goes through a special process (filtration, etc) and that it lasts longer, and it's better for your vehicle than pretty much any other gas station out here. The price per gallon is usually just under or a good amount under its competitors, and there is NO FEE for using your debit card (screw you Arco!) From the L.A. area btw. Love the vid. Costco is indeed the holy land xD
I have one Mercedes that does not like Costco gas. Everyone now and then, her Mercedes cannot go over 30 mph when my wife does a fill up at Costco. I keep telling her please do not to buy Costco gas. I have to get water remover and put it in her tank. Therefore I disagree with you on the quality of Costco gas.
@@SI0AX That is what I thought, but the receipt shows the correct gas. I have to purchase the water remover. Her receipts show the correct gas. Her Mercedes has less issues when Costco switch to top tier.
A few years ago, the stock market "experts" said Costco would go into decline because the Millennials don't like to shop in bulk and prefer smaller items from boutique stores instead of warehouses. They totally ignored the power of Asian shoppers and immigrants in general. Instead of buying more shares, I tended to avoid the stock. What a mistake! Now some analysts predict this stock is going to $800.
Many millennials moved out of the cities into suburbs during the pandemic. Many are also having families. Costco is going to be just fine. Millennial Costco shoppers I know appreciate its quality, organic products, and the fact that Costco does not exploit its workers like Walmart does.
@@jenkins5265 I'm Gen-X and I remember when Costco's predecessor was Price Club in SoCal. I mentor a couple of college kids, and on a road trip, they wanted to stop by Costco to get pizza. They were so happy, and I was too. I think Costco will be great for their generation too. And Walmart is Hellmart.
I think you don't have Aldi in US? at least I didn't see one when I was in New York and LA. I used to live both in UK and US. I love the M&S, waitros, whole foods and trader joes!!! but now I am back to Shanghai and have a family, I love to shop in Aldi! the size of the product is not too huge and the price is good!!!! I use to use aesop hand wash which is at least $20 a bottle, while the hand wash from Aldi is only $2 and it feels good! I used to think Aldi is only for dirty cheap product and low quality when I was in UK and never visit one... now I see how silly I was!!!
Don't forget about the $5 chicken!! Asian moms always buy more than 1, and use the meat for noodle soup or lo mein several meals a week. Cook noodles, drain, mix with soy sauce and sesame oil and rip some costco chicken and voila!
You have helped me see Asian Americans in a whole new light. They are very much like me. I buy clothes for business at Costco. Their shirts are close to Brooks Brothers. No lie!
23 years ago my future wife was fresh off the boat from China. She had a $50 a month food budget in Hawaii and she was able to survive by splitting the cost with her group of Chinese exchange students. They bought a large bag of rice, large bag of raw chicken wings, and large cartons of eggs from Costco. One day she ate a free tuna sandwich from a Catholic Church-who made free tuna sandwiches for college students who would hear their sermon. One day a person would take the group out to lunch. The other days, it was a boiled egg for breakfast and rice and chicken wing for lunch/dinner. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. After her college finished,her salary is considered pretty good. She can her food budget is quite expensive since college.
Omg you should see the Costcos in Asia. They are constantly FLOODED. They offer good deals for small business owners and I saw a lot of them stocking for their stores. I see students just coming to grab their lunches or stocking for their picnic dates. When I went, there were literally lines going all around the perimeter just to get parking. I heard so many people go to just eat at the food court because it's the only place to get cheap American food which if you were to get it anywhere else, it's super expensive. Also there wasn't a reputable wholesale style of market like this in Asia so Costco really hit the gold mine by opening in Asia. But also Asian societies tend to put western brands/stores on a pedestal which is a whole other topic. Its a bit more expensive there than American Costcos so if ur going to Costco regularly for your groceries means you're rich, so its sort of a luxury. You'll see a lot of rich Asians shopping there. You also see a lot of foreigners shopping there too.
Are you talking about the one in Shanghai? lol they sells maotai, hermes handbag and diamonds when they first open. Ppl went crazy!! each visit my parents would spend at least 3000 rmb per visit.. the 6 pack of baby formula would cost 1000, but still it's a little bit cheaper than anywhere else, and plus they must sells the geniun ones and won't be the fake ones.. because in china, if you see a too good of a deal, I fear it's fake... So I trust costco!
For my dad and I, it was the samples in the late 90's. And early 2000's. You could get a small meal as you shopped just by making a point of visiting every food sample station, all while stocking up on products that could last weeks for a family of 5 or 6.
Great list! Loved how you guys deliver this with humor and great respect for your people. I also like that there are better and better Asian foods in Costco. It's so cool that the localized stuff overseas works its way back to the states. Still, gotta shop at H-Mart! Thanks for this video!
Costco is always jam-packed here in Japan (Iruma). If you visit Costco you will need a lot of budget. Whenever I go to Costco, I have a list of 2-3 items but, after that the receipt is long. Tons of items that are not on my list. Hahahaha.
Agreed. As an actual 90s kid (DOB 1988), my Sundays included going to dimsum, meeting with aunties and uncles, and then someone whips out the Costco card and we all go together and partake in the savings. It is church for Asians and guess what? I still go to “church” to this day. Hallelujah!!!
Haha great video gents . 38yr old irish american , i dont give 2 - F's about where i get my clothes . If i can food shop and buy new kicks ? You had me at hello Costco . The 1.25 hot dog /soda is dope . But you boys forgot my absolute favorite! The .25 cent water bottle vending machine! My membership card alone is worth it to top off my Costco shopping on a hot summer day / waiting on line for 40min . But i always leave happy after buying that 25 cent water at the end . Costco knows how to get ya
A little known policy of Costco is that they will not ever put a store in a service area of less than 500,000. They refuse to do the Walmart thing and put every small business in smaller markets out of business.
I am an Indian. I have purchased Asus netbooks and Seagate USB drives at Costco and Target. These were lower than even Amazon and Newegg. Don't forget their excellent and freshly baked chocolate chip oats cookies.
I have agoraphobia that has gotten really bad since covid and I make monthly to every other month plans to go to Costco early in the morning on a weekday so I can walk around and spend 3-4 hours there😅 without stress.❤
Reason no. 11. Asians love Costco because Costco loves Asians. I do see lots of Asian mechandises for Lunar New Year at Costco. Some are Chinese food for new year. Some are nice flowers for Vietnamese new year. That means Costco does spend time doing research on different Asian cultures and food.
You missed another reason- The supplements that Asian women buy as gifts whenever they are about to make a trip to visit their family in the homelands.
I'm mexican and for me going to costco has become almost like a religion, my dad showed me the way and now, 15 years later I literally go every week, not weekends because there's too many people. My Japanese gf and I are going to japan in december, first for me and fuck disney tokyo, I'm going to costco. I already went to the first costco ever and costco madrid as well as the first price club, yeah, like a fucking pilgrimage.
I lived in a town in northwestern Minnesota near the Manitoba border. There's probably a costco about 300miles away. My brother said he's sending some care package which included 2 large package of pistachios, 2 large package of preserved mangoes from Thailand and two large package of mix nuts! My brother says that costco have their own delivery trucks.
You should come to Costco in Japan. It’s all high end. And we have Bulgogi Bakes at the food court for $5 (along with the 1.50 hot dogs for the white folk, but no sour crout)
Costco is VERY good at keeping prices consistently low for certain items such as hot dogs, rotisserie chicken, banana, bottled waters and etc... On the other hand, if you don't pay attention, Costco is actually more expensive on other items. (comparing the SAME EXACT branded item in other stores...) So, as a smart Asian shopper, you gotta cherry pick in Costco =P
And what Costco does the most sales in the world? Hawaii of course. The island is majority Asian and since buying stuff on an island is always more expensive because everything comes by boat or plane, we get good deals at Costco.
11:47 - I love Costco, but since it's been so crowded lately, Sam's Club is actually not that terrible. I just had a great experience getting a new set of Goodyear Assurance tires installed at Sam's Club in Long Beach. The service and experience was pretty much similar to Costco's but at a lower price.
They sell special models of popular appliances, electronics etc. produced just for COSTCO. In some cases they have added features or for battery powered products it's the same machine but comes with a more powerful battery pack.
omg...it is the American Dream...my aunt will have me get the pizza, drinks, and a table ready by the time she's done paying for an overloaded cart with extra empty boxes...with the option of looking from a distance while consuming pizza examining the displays of tires, travel destinations, and cars you could put on your Costco Card as you exit the store.
I bought an oral B toothbrush from Costco. Then I saw that several models were getting recalled. I am not someone who returns a lot of stuff. So, I told myself I would get around to exchanging it. 9 years later they took back my used toothbrush.
Costco Taiwan, Korea and Japan are where you see disciplined, polite and non-rude shoppers that don't rush, don't elbow, don't stop in the middle of the isle, take more than one sample and stand in line and wait their turn. I was surprised to see these stark differences.
A Central Asian here: I don't love Costco. Their business model is based around getting you to buy stuff you don't need in quantities that you don't need. Never has my wife left Costco without spending $400-500, where about 200 was some random crap that she wouldn't have bought at any other store.
Our town used to have 200,000+ population and we have 1 Costco store. Now our population has increased passed 300,000 people and Costco is building another one about 4,5 miles away from the current store in Kennewick city of Washington state.
Many Asians buy food at Costco for shipment home especially Philippines and Southeast Asia. Many shipping services charging 50 cents to 1.00 per pound.
I've been to costco in Japan couple times. The sushi sashimi and the seafood ... they are cheap and top quality 👍👍. My membership from Australia also works there without any issues. Did I mentioned sake as well?
As a former Whole Foods employee I can testify to the older Asian ladies coming in for the loss leader deals. Corn 10/$1? Sea of Asian ladies sitting on the ground shucking corn. Not even lying. They’re committed to the deals and I support it. One day I’ll attain that level of wisdom and no f***s given.
My neighbor has an older Greek immigrant mom, and I am told that Mom likes Costco for many of the same reasons. They go there for a mother-daughter outing.
I am single and live in Atlanta! Costco is awesome but too much food for a single person because everything is in bulk! I just shop at Publix, Aldi, Kroger, and Lidl lol
Asian old guy here. My wife just bought a box of excellent five-nuts moon cakes, good brand, good quality. And...the price is only 1/2 of the same box from 99 supermarket! We shop at Whole food and Sprouts too, but Costco offers good prices and GOOD quality!😊
as an Indian American, it’s the rice, bulk size spices, and western produce that starts your costco journey then you end up a repeat customer for everything else 😂
Costco's layout and display are much less cluttered than in many Asian markets. We go there for gas, water, beer, sodas, eggs, paper towels, toilet paper, coffee, and laundry detergents. Occasionally, we get a hot dog, soda, and a slice of pepperoni pizza. I get all my jeans at the store or online. Finding a parking spot is not a problem for us, as we go there on weekdays in the mid-afternoon. Love our Costco.
All of my Filipino family members and friends LOVE Costco. I appreciate Costco for the good products and good deals (for the most part). I don't like the crowds and I don't like being checked constantly (going in, leaving and at the check stand).
I'm an Asian and worship Costco. I love it so much that I bought many Costco stocks during the past 10 years and literally made million dollars. I'm always thankful to the store and amazed at what they have done 👍
I like Costco. While I am not Asian, I did graduate from the Bronx High School of Science. Bronx Science was only 40% Asian in the 1980s when I graduated, but is close to 70% Asian today.
Mixed Asian Family here, We've literally been to every Costco in the places we've lived all over the US. The wife wanted to buy a house near Costco when we lived on the Northeast cost and when in Cali it was 10 min away.
Yeah, my 83 year old Chinese mom is there every week. Gotta get that $4 hot rotisserie chicken. And you gotta point about the walking. My mom walks around there to get in her 2 miles a day. But you left out the free samples. We walk around that place eating all the free samples on Sundays. After dozens of years of driving her over there, I bought Costco Stock. Its kicking butt in my single asian guy retirement portfolio. And I bought that cheaper Sony TV there too.
i like the format of this discussion; funny and entertaining; true to each reason you mentioned (in my case at least); loyal fan of costco here; go there once a week with occasional online shopping; and yes, 8 out of 10 times: hot dog/soda and sundae.
My international colleagues from Malaysia or Asian countries send me a costco list before my travel - they want vitamins, moisturizer, and cereals to carry for them. 😂
I've never been to USA but my family and relatives send balikbayan boxes full of Kirkland products once or twice a year. I have no complaints. I can say Kirkland products are great when it comes to taste and quality.
My aunt and uncle literally made a home purchase based on how close it was to a Costco.
That’s funny… but the older I get… I understand your aunt and uncle.
@@joannebies3879me also, same strategy for house hunting 😂😂😂
We live about 10 min from a Costco but it was on the other side of an expensive toll bridge.
They have now removed the toll and it’s sad how happy that makes me 😅
Totally relatable 😂
i did when i moved to Utah. we did a couple of mile radius of all the costcos.
My Asian mom lives in a very white area with no Asian markets around. Costco carries kimchi, nori, rice, gyoza, etc. it’s the closest she can get to an Asian market and at great prices!
Laguna Beach?
Excellent kimchi at Costco
I live in Santa Barbara, Costco is where I go for kimchi for sure! They are 🔥!
I am originally from Croatia; I always follow little old Asian Grandmothers around Costco and buy whatever they buy. You can see Koreans and me nose diving in Persimmons'(common fruit back home) crates trying to find the best batch. We do have Asian stores in my town, but they usually just resell Costco merchandise at a significant markup. Kimchi and Rose rice are my pantry staples for the last 20 years. We used to have a locally owned supermarket that had amazing selection of "hard to find" produce, which included a Kimchi from a small batch producer that was out of this world. I am still looking to find a substitute. In the meantime, Costco's will do.
There's Korean BBQ beef at mine. We call it Dokdo meat and buy it regularly.
Asian middle aged lady here…I get my exercise by power walking to the $4.99 rotisserie chickens at the back of the store then I cross train by wandering around the parking lot because I forgot where I parked. 😂
Queen!!
😂i do that too 😂
Super cute 😂❤😂
😂😂😂
Absolute truth! I always off on the direction back to the car.
You don't have to be Asian to be PentaCostco. Sunday mornings are the best time to enjoy the sample sacraments.
Good one
😂
Amen!
😂
😂😂😂😂
Reason 11: Asian friends/families love to share. So if an Asian auntie buys shampoo or vitamins and comes in 2-bottles, or 2-pack, it's share-able!
Believe it’s not to share - more like splitting the cost!!
@@JoselynKum LOL yes, there's cost-splitting. But I've mostly seen sharing or giving amongst Asian families. I make big buys at Costco and I often give my elderly in-laws extra packs of TP. I cut the 6-packs of chicken breast and give 'em 2. The 2-packs of smoked salmon - they always get one after a trip. 3-packs of English cucumbers? They get one. My elderly mum is always giving me an extra something from Costco whenever I visit. And various elderly aunties in her neighborhood are always giving her something extra they bought at Costco. No money is exchanged.
@@JoselynKumyes we do that all the time
I live in Hong Kong. Sales at supermarkets in HK are down -14% the past 12 months because so many people are crossing the border into Shenzhen to shop at the new Costco.
And Sam’s club 😂
yeah... I used to go to LA meet my relatives and they bring me to sam's club to buy gifts.......now we have costco and sam's club in Shanghai, I don't have to pack those heavy big packs of moistririser anymore!!! thanks god...
That $1.50 hotdog is effective. I went to costco thinking we will save lunch. Started strolling around and went home with a $600 camera that was on sale, which I had no intention of buying to begin with. Most expensive hotdog ever.
You’re obviously not Asian. 😂🤣
Sus up 🤐 tf r u sayin 😮 what for 😑
I think most Costco shoppers are financially smarter and have the cash to spend bc nobody goes there and not spend at least $300 per visit. It's a really great deal if you know what you're buying.
Thats a Target moment on steroids!
That’s their way to get others to Costco….buy the cheap hotdog and soda and walk it off in the aisles and buy other stuff
Also the gas price too. The gas price always cheaper than surrounding area.
Some people think Shell/Chevron/Mobile 1 gas gives you more mileage. Those same people also have a lead foot.
And it's Top Tier gas
How come that is happening ?
I only buy gas at Costco. When I drove from Houston to San Diego I stopped at Costcos to fill up in large cities.
I read the gas price comment in a Asian accent
Reason #12: Less choice is better. For immigrant communities still learning the English language, too many choices can be overwhelming. Shopping for a fresh box of oranges or a hunk of fish is easy for an immigrant. But for someone whose English isn't great, evaluating 300 different fancy shampoo products at Target is very hard. Costco has a few good choices that do the job.
All the choices are called Kirkland. They can sell things cheaply cause its their own brand.
@@slyktech1860 It depends on the product. Some things like toilet paper or diapers, they carry a name brand and they carry their brand Kirkland. Shampoos, they might carry 2 or 3 name brands, and then Kirkland. Something like soft drinks, they'll carry Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, etc, but no Kirkland. They will also carry 10 different brands of coffee, wine, or vodka, and only 1 Kirkland coffee, wine, or vodka. Some items, like white T-shirts, are Kirkland only and no other name brands. But overall, my point is that Costco shopping is easier when there is less choice.
I grew in Zhengzhou, there was no fancy supermarket, only farmer market before move to Canada 😂 to my family, Costco is good enough for us.
💯!!!
@@jackwang9536this guy costcos
My SIL lives and dies for Costco she is that demographic. She is a middle aged Korean woman. But being a Washingtonian I mean, Costco is Washington State's local church. It's like Walmart for people in Arkansas. And yes, I was born in Arkansas and relocated to Washington. Kirkland's brand much better that Walmart or Western Family. ( Do your remember Western Family?) Kirkland anything is pretty good. But seriously, Costco's return policy is amazing.
Almost feels like watching a South Park episode where all the Asians make their way into Costco as their pilgrimage. Finding spiritual enlightenment in the bulk snack aisle and feed your soul with free samples.
This needs to be a South Park episode, 100%.
South Park the best
Have you seen the crowd in the newly opened Costco in Shenzhen. It’s bigger than the Chinese New Year celebrations.
Free samples? Gene Oishi!
I'm surprised they haven't done one yet!
You guys are REALLY funny! I sent this link to all my Seattle area Asian in-laws. They all joined Costco in November, 1983, shortly after the original 4th avenue store opened. BIG fans. Thank you for the insightful humor.
Costco is smart and catering to the Asian population. One side of the frozen aisle is dedicated Kimchi dumplings, gyozas, lumpia, Chinese New Year dumplings, curry, pho, white rabbit ice cream, etc… and they’re from legit brands from Ranch Market but double the size! They also have Kew Pie, Korean ginger for tea, Japanese green tea, Korean Ramen (carbonara) and money trees 😂 I don’t think I’ve seen any Asian products growing up in the 90’s
Also the cheap Basmati, and Jasmine rice 😂😂😂
Yeah, good Asian products that Asians actually want, in big sizes and at prices that are hard to beat. They don't always have the absolute best brand but that's what you shop for at the regular Asian grocery, and then you bulk up on other stuff at Costco.
I thought they were catering to non Asain people who like Asain stuff 😂. So they don't go to the Asain store instead.
I’m a white, upper middle class man, and buy 60% of my clothes from Costco. I feel bad if I spend more than $20 for pants.
Absolutely love it 😍
Our families buy most of our clothes, foods, furniture, I guess almost everything in Costco😅
You must of been Chinese in an earlier life.
Yeah, because you’re a white dude. If you were a Karen, you wouldnt buy stuff from Costco. Their manager is too busy to talk to you 😂
Better get your DNA tested… you never know.. 😂
More than 10 years ago, when I visited Costco with my parents, the only Korean related product was television. Samsung and LG were small competitor to Sony in retrospect. In 2024, I see black-beaned noodle, Mandu, Ginseng energy drink, Kimchi, Raddish Kimchi, Milkis..... I can almost complete my korean groceries with one Costco visit. That is a miraculous change that I have witnessed in 10 years.
in less than 10 years, incredible ^^
So much good Korean foods at Costco. Not imitation ones. Straight imported from Korea. Popular brands.
that's so true! the costco in Shanghai also has many many korean food! Loves all the options!!!
Costco has always remained consistent in having cheap prices for decent quality food. If you're lazy, their ready-made rotisserie chicken can last you two days. Even their food court is amazing. If you factor both taste and price, their pizza is the best fast-food pizza you can get. Asians know a good deal when they see one.
By sheer value, nobody can beat their low margin high volume business sense.
That chicken is amazing.
I’m FiI-Am grew up around Costco because my Mom works at the Costco Optical lab here in my hometown of San Diego CA. She has been working there since a year before I was born in 1986 back then when it was called Price Club. So it only makes sense that we go there religiously. Costco is a pilgrimage😂 for Asians.
Hey, I remember When Saul Price had FEDMART before he started the Price Club on Morena Blvd. in San Diego, that later became Costco. FEDMART always had tasty food near the checkout.
That $1.50 Hot dog and soda has every older asian hooked. My mom and dad don't even really like hot dogs or soda but for that price its unavoidable, they gonna get lunch there. You can't even get a drink at most restaurants for $3 and Costco gets you 2 hot dogs and 2 sodas!
gets you in the door like the rotisserie chicken. Loss Leaders.
I live in Canada and our Costco sells also for $1.50 but in CAD dollars, which makes USD $1.10 😅
@@TheEricShen Forreal, that huge rotisserie chicken for only 5 bucks. my fam ate those til we were sick of eating chicken like every week
likes the 1 yuan ice-cream in IKEA.. sometime I only go to IKEA to let my kid play and have some ice-cream, hotdog and meatballs lol
I live in Plano, TX ( near DFW). I'm almost 60 and I've never seen my local Costco as busy as I did before Chinese New Year. The lines were longer than the week before Xmas or other holidays. I was shocked, and I've always lived in areas where there are big Asian populations. Costco is constantly expanding their Asian products. Asians are good consumers.
There are just as many or even more Indian customers too . Maybe someone should do a video for them too. Lol
Indians ARE Asian!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Indians are Asians. 😅
India is in Asia 😊
A lot of Asian brands in Costco. You can buy Chinese sausage, bird nest beverage, Nongshim ramen, 🥟, 🥮, 🧋, etc. Saves you a trip to the Asian market.
That is the same reason I shop at Costco. Love Asian pears, mangos, wonton noodles, mango nectar, Asian snacks much cheaper price than Asian market.
Sounds like my Costco really needs an upgrade. Which one is that?
@@siriusgu4579 All the CostCo's in LA. I get my lap cherng and oyster sauce there. And don't forget, the absolutely amazing pineapple cakes from Isabelle.
We live in Albuquerque which doesn't have the largest Asian population but you wouldn't know it going to Costco. My husband who is Vietnamese and I have talked about this.
Similarly, as a fellow Latino I noticed a lot of us at the Asian owned 99 Ranch markets. Talk about great deals... I recently purchased a 25 lb bag of jasmine rice for $15. It's also one of the best places for ceviche ingredients.
I live near a 99Ranch in a predominantly Hispanic area and noticed that the majority of the people lining up at the seafood section were non Asians. Then I gave it some thought and realized that it's the best place to get seafood in at least a 10 mile radius.
Their cilantro is lit.
Whole Foods is the place to go to see how much you’ll be saving at Costco.
Walmart sells Kirkland bottles of water. Maybe Whole Foods does too.
What's whole foods? Is it a shopping brand like Costco
@@itsbonkerjojo9028 It's closer in design to a supermarket.
Costco, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and, occasionally, our local Asian market: that’s all the grocery shopping we do. We definitely price shop between the same items at Costco vs. Whole Foods. Sometimes a sale at WF’s will beat Costco but very, very rarely.
@@orlock20 what's supermarket
I'm surprised that gas had not been mentioned in the vid. I used to work there back in '05. One thing the manager had told me and the other person they hired on the first day was that the gas is very good quality. It goes through a special process (filtration, etc) and that it lasts longer, and it's better for your vehicle than pretty much any other gas station out here.
The price per gallon is usually just under or a good amount under its competitors, and there is NO FEE for using your debit card (screw you Arco!)
From the L.A. area btw. Love the vid. Costco is indeed the holy land xD
My Costco membership is strictly for gas if there is time left some grocery shopping.
Cuz asians all drive Teslas now 😂 i think Elon should look into free supercharges for Costco customers
I have one Mercedes that does not like Costco gas. Everyone now and then, her Mercedes cannot go over 30 mph when my wife does a fill up at Costco. I keep telling her please do not to buy Costco gas. I have to get water remover and put it in her tank. Therefore I disagree with you on the quality of Costco gas.
@@tiggerfink What if she's putting in regular octane out of confusion or something when it costco and premium in the others?
@@SI0AX That is what I thought, but the receipt shows the correct gas. I have to purchase the water remover. Her receipts show the correct gas. Her Mercedes has less issues when Costco switch to top tier.
A few years ago, the stock market "experts" said Costco would go into decline because the Millennials don't like to shop in bulk and prefer smaller items from boutique stores instead of warehouses. They totally ignored the power of Asian shoppers and immigrants in general. Instead of buying more shares, I tended to avoid the stock. What a mistake! Now some analysts predict this stock is going to $800.
Many millennials moved out of the cities into suburbs during the pandemic. Many are also having families. Costco is going to be just fine. Millennial Costco shoppers I know appreciate its quality, organic products, and the fact that Costco does not exploit its workers like Walmart does.
@@jackwang9536as a millennial, I approve this message.
@@jenkins5265 I'm Gen-X and I remember when Costco's predecessor was Price Club in SoCal. I mentor a couple of college kids, and on a road trip, they wanted to stop by Costco to get pizza. They were so happy, and I was too. I think Costco will be great for their generation too.
And Walmart is Hellmart.
I think you don't have Aldi in US? at least I didn't see one when I was in New York and LA. I used to live both in UK and US. I love the M&S, waitros, whole foods and trader joes!!! but now I am back to Shanghai and have a family, I love to shop in Aldi! the size of the product is not too huge and the price is good!!!! I use to use aesop hand wash which is at least $20 a bottle, while the hand wash from Aldi is only $2 and it feels good! I used to think Aldi is only for dirty cheap product and low quality when I was in UK and never visit one... now I see how silly I was!!!
@@babybokchoiii Yes, we do have Aldi in the US, and it's very popular, great prices.
" they do what it takes to live and they're not afraid to die anymore"😂😂YES!❤
Don't forget about the $5 chicken!! Asian moms always buy more than 1, and use the meat for noodle soup or lo mein several meals a week. Cook noodles, drain, mix with soy sauce and sesame oil and rip some costco chicken and voila!
This is brilliant!😊
The meat slides right off the bones. None of that meat stripping war that happens with the Thanksgiving turkey.
I wonder how many servings of jook (congee or rice porridge) are served each day in America with jook made from the Costco chicken carcasses.
@@DocPetron I do that! Best jook ever. And cheap. I also use the chicken to make enchiladas.
I live in Kirkland which is Makkah or Jerusalem of Chinese 😂 of course our family goes to Costco every Sunday, which is the 1st Costco.
Hallelujah!!!
Which state is it?
Honolulu has the largest COSTCO. With asian food.
they are the best!!! foodcourt is outside but you can't bring drinks/food inside for that reason. I had to check out every single costco in Hawaii!!!
Plus all the hawaiian snacks....
I heard the busiest. Not the largest?
The largest one is in Salt Lake City, at least for now.
I bet there are wonderful varieties of Poke there!
You have helped me see Asian Americans in a whole new light. They are very much like me. I buy clothes for business at Costco. Their shirts are close to Brooks Brothers. No lie!
23 years ago my future wife was fresh off the boat from China. She had a $50 a month food budget in Hawaii and she was able to survive by splitting the cost with her group of Chinese exchange students. They bought a large bag of rice, large bag of raw chicken wings, and large cartons of eggs from Costco. One day she ate a free tuna sandwich from a Catholic Church-who made free tuna sandwiches for college students who would hear their sermon. One day a person would take the group out to lunch. The other days, it was a boiled egg for breakfast and rice and chicken wing for lunch/dinner. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. After her college finished,her salary is considered pretty good. She can her food budget is quite expensive since college.
Kirkland Signature is an unstated brand. Their olive oil is pure and tastes good.
Walmart sells Kirkland bottles of water. Even the competitors know.
The Kirkland vodka is good quality too.
Omg you should see the Costcos in Asia. They are constantly FLOODED. They offer good deals for small business owners and I saw a lot of them stocking for their stores. I see students just coming to grab their lunches or stocking for their picnic dates. When I went, there were literally lines going all around the perimeter just to get parking. I heard so many people go to just eat at the food court because it's the only place to get cheap American food which if you were to get it anywhere else, it's super expensive. Also there wasn't a reputable wholesale style of market like this in Asia so Costco really hit the gold mine by opening in Asia. But also Asian societies tend to put western brands/stores on a pedestal which is a whole other topic. Its a bit more expensive there than American Costcos so if ur going to Costco regularly for your groceries means you're rich, so its sort of a luxury. You'll see a lot of rich Asians shopping there. You also see a lot of foreigners shopping there too.
Are you talking about the one in Shanghai? lol they sells maotai, hermes handbag and diamonds when they first open. Ppl went crazy!! each visit my parents would spend at least 3000 rmb per visit.. the 6 pack of baby formula would cost 1000, but still it's a little bit cheaper than anywhere else, and plus they must sells the geniun ones and won't be the fake ones.. because in china, if you see a too good of a deal, I fear it's fake... So I trust costco!
For my dad and I, it was the samples in the late 90's. And early 2000's. You could get a small meal as you shopped just by making a point of visiting every food sample station, all while stocking up on products that could last weeks for a family of 5 or 6.
I never went to costco much when i lived in nyc/texas. But now Costco Japan is my link to still feeling like an american.
Major flex, they have the best sushi
That $1.5 hotdog and soda combo is the most successful marketing strategy ever.
Great list! Loved how you guys deliver this with humor and great respect for your people. I also like that there are better and better Asian foods in Costco. It's so cool that the localized stuff overseas works its way back to the states. Still, gotta shop at H-Mart! Thanks for this video!
Costco sells caskets too. From birth to death, you can rely on Costco. 🤣
Your comment was hilarious
Now that I’m a dad, I got my first Costco dad pants last year cuz I don’t care anymore. NGL the pants are decently cut.
Costco is always jam-packed here in Japan (Iruma). If you visit Costco you will need a lot of budget. Whenever I go to Costco, I have a list of 2-3 items but, after that the receipt is long. Tons of items that are not on my list. Hahahaha.
Agreed. As an actual 90s kid (DOB 1988), my Sundays included going to dimsum, meeting with aunties and uncles, and then someone whips out the Costco card and we all go together and partake in the savings. It is church for Asians and guess what? I still go to “church” to this day. Hallelujah!!!
Haha great video gents . 38yr old irish american , i dont give 2 - F's about where i get my clothes . If i can food shop and buy new kicks ? You had me at hello Costco . The 1.25 hot dog /soda is dope . But you boys forgot my absolute favorite! The .25 cent water bottle vending machine! My membership card alone is worth it to top off my Costco shopping on a hot summer day / waiting on line for 40min . But i always leave happy after buying that 25 cent water at the end . Costco knows how to get ya
$5 rotisserie chicken!
Costco membership is the Asian American dream
Even better, your relative gets a job as a Costco pharmacist and you get free membership!
ha? You are overestimating asians or in this video's description asians = chinese
😂😂😂😂😂
A little known policy of Costco is that they will not ever put a store in a service area of less than 500,000. They refuse to do the Walmart thing and put every small business in smaller markets out of business.
I'm not sure this is accurate. The population in Reno/Sparks NV is currently ~400k and we've had two Costco stores here for a decade.
Well, town/city of some 120,000 here in Canada. 1 Costco that took a while to build due to some decades long property dispute.
@@jimlow6824 A manager at Costco, Albuquerque told me about the 500K thing when I begged them to put one in Santa Fe. Thanks for double checking me.
Interesting factoid, I did not know. That is perhaps why they never put one in here in the PH.
They put in a mercy warehouse in Maine…. One for the team. I wore them out shipping stuff to me.
I am an Indian. I have purchased Asus netbooks and Seagate USB drives at Costco and Target. These were lower than even Amazon and Newegg. Don't forget their excellent and freshly baked chocolate chip oats cookies.
I have agoraphobia that has gotten really bad since covid and I make monthly to every other month plans to go to Costco early in the morning on a weekday so I can walk around and spend 3-4 hours there😅 without stress.❤
good deals on oxtails at costco. Everytime it snows we make pho in the winter ❤
I'm not the only one that sees this!!! The oxtail at Costco is unbeatable! Taste, fat and price is hands down better than anywhere else.
Reason no. 11. Asians love Costco because Costco loves Asians. I do see lots of Asian mechandises for Lunar New Year at Costco. Some are Chinese food for new year. Some are nice flowers for Vietnamese new year. That means Costco does spend time doing research on different Asian cultures and food.
You missed another reason- The supplements that Asian women buy as gifts whenever they are about to make a trip to visit their family in the homelands.
I'm mexican and for me going to costco has become almost like a religion, my dad showed me the way and now, 15 years later I literally go every week, not weekends because there's too many people. My Japanese gf and I are going to japan in december, first for me and fuck disney tokyo, I'm going to costco. I already went to the first costco ever and costco madrid as well as the first price club, yeah, like a fucking pilgrimage.
Dude, I shop at the San Francisco COSTCO and 60% of the shoppers are Asian... For some reason they are the most friendliest people while shopping
That's reflective of their percentage of SF's population so it totally makes sense.
$5.00 chicken, $1.50 hotdog w/ drink .... that's how you draw people in.
I bought a black Gucci purse at Plano, TX Costco. That particular location has the upscale stuff.
You guys should do one on Ikea. The one in Palo Alto is like Tokyo Disneyland.
I lived in a town in northwestern Minnesota near the Manitoba border. There's probably a costco about 300miles away. My brother said he's sending some care package which included 2 large package of pistachios, 2 large package of preserved mangoes from Thailand and two large package of mix nuts! My brother says that costco have their own delivery trucks.
You should come to Costco in Japan. It’s all high end. And we have Bulgogi Bakes at the food court for $5 (along with the 1.50 hot dogs for the white folk, but no sour crout)
Costco is VERY good at keeping prices consistently low for certain items such as hot dogs, rotisserie chicken, banana, bottled waters and etc... On the other hand, if you don't pay attention, Costco is actually more expensive on other items. (comparing the SAME EXACT branded item in other stores...) So, as a smart Asian shopper, you gotta cherry pick in Costco =P
The $4.99 whole rotisserie chicken is one of the reasons why Asian like Costco. I must say the costco pizza is the one of best pizzas.
And what Costco does the most sales in the world? Hawaii of course. The island is majority Asian and since buying stuff on an island is always more expensive because everything comes by boat or plane, we get good deals at Costco.
11:47 - I love Costco, but since it's been so crowded lately, Sam's Club is actually not that terrible. I just had a great experience getting a new set of Goodyear Assurance tires installed at Sam's Club in Long Beach. The service and experience was pretty much similar to Costco's but at a lower price.
Shop at Sam if you like GMO foods. 😃 I have both Sam and Costco membership, certain things I will get at Sam. But most things are at Costco.
They sell special models of popular appliances, electronics etc. produced just for COSTCO.
In some cases they have added features or for battery powered products it's the same machine but comes with a more powerful battery pack.
Yes…Asian like to walk ❤I totally 👍 agree with you 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
LMAO, I've had my Costco membership for over quarter a century. I almost go weekly.
I got my costco membership during college, been member for 36 years now. Now my two oldest kids are members as well.
I go to multiple times a week. Live near 3 Costcos.
You guys are hilarious. My Costco is in Alhambra, CA, adjacent to Monterey Park in L.A. This makes a lot of sense to me.
omg...it is the American Dream...my aunt will have me get the pizza, drinks, and a table ready by the time she's done paying for an overloaded cart with extra empty boxes...with the option of looking from a distance while consuming pizza examining the displays of tires, travel destinations, and cars you could put on your Costco Card as you exit the store.
I bought an oral B toothbrush from Costco. Then I saw that several models were getting recalled. I am not someone who returns a lot of stuff. So, I told myself I would get around to exchanging it. 9 years later they took back my used toothbrush.
Costco Taiwan, Korea and Japan are where you see disciplined, polite and non-rude shoppers that don't rush, don't elbow, don't stop in the middle of the isle, take more than one sample and stand in line and wait their turn. I was surprised to see these stark differences.
Yeah, that's normal Asian culture. I worked in Taiwan for a year and a half and wanted to stay longer after my tour was done.
Please do another video on Ikea.... with a focus on the food/restaurant
A Central Asian here: I don't love Costco. Their business model is based around getting you to buy stuff you don't need in quantities that you don't need. Never has my wife left Costco without spending $400-500, where about 200 was some random crap that she wouldn't have bought at any other store.
A manager at Costco, Albuquerque told me about the 500K thing when I begged them to put one in Santa Fe. Thanks for double checking me.
Our town used to have 200,000+ population and we have 1 Costco store. Now our population has increased passed 300,000 people and Costco is building another one about 4,5 miles away from the current store in Kennewick city of Washington state.
Couple of Costco stores in Taiwan are actually ranked the most revenue generated Costco branch in the world.
Many Asians buy food at Costco for shipment home especially Philippines and Southeast Asia. Many shipping services charging 50 cents to 1.00 per pound.
I've been to costco in Japan couple times. The sushi sashimi and the seafood ... they are cheap and top quality 👍👍.
My membership from Australia also works there without any issues.
Did I mentioned sake as well?
i didnt realize membership is worldwide
Costco is also starting to carry more & more Asian foods especially around lunar new year
and the in-house Kirkland brand is actually good. I still miss their merino slacks; they were awesome
As a former Whole Foods employee I can testify to the older Asian ladies coming in for the loss leader deals. Corn 10/$1? Sea of Asian ladies sitting on the ground shucking corn. Not even lying. They’re committed to the deals and I support it. One day I’ll attain that level of wisdom and no f***s given.
My neighbor has an older Greek immigrant mom, and I am told that Mom likes Costco for many of the same reasons. They go there for a mother-daughter outing.
I am Asian and I love Costco. The smartbros are always right about this stuff 🛒
I am single and live in Atlanta! Costco is awesome but too much food for a single person because everything is in bulk! I just shop at Publix, Aldi, Kroger, and Lidl lol
Asian old guy here. My wife just bought a box of excellent five-nuts moon cakes, good brand, good quality. And...the price is only 1/2 of the same box from 99 supermarket! We shop at Whole food and Sprouts too, but Costco offers good prices and GOOD quality!😊
as an Indian American, it’s the rice, bulk size spices, and western produce that starts your costco journey then you end up a repeat customer for everything else 😂
Costco's layout and display are much less cluttered than in many Asian markets. We go there for gas, water, beer, sodas, eggs, paper towels, toilet paper, coffee, and laundry detergents. Occasionally, we get a hot dog, soda, and a slice of pepperoni pizza. I get all my jeans at the store or online. Finding a parking spot is not a problem for us, as we go there on weekdays in the mid-afternoon. Love our Costco.
All of my Filipino family members and friends LOVE Costco. I appreciate Costco for the good products and good deals (for the most part). I don't like the crowds and I don't like being checked constantly (going in, leaving and at the check stand).
Shenzhen's new Costco had Hermes bags. Can't get much higher end than that.
Honestly, I watch only for David’s remarks. Guy is hilarious!
I'm an Asian and worship Costco. I love it so much that I bought many Costco stocks during the past 10 years and literally made million dollars. I'm always thankful to the store and amazed at what they have done 👍
I like Costco. While I am not Asian, I did graduate from the Bronx High School of Science. Bronx Science was only 40% Asian in the 1980s when I graduated, but is close to 70% Asian today.
Costco, where you see Asians buy three 50 pound bags of jasmine rice.
You two are hilarious and cool at the same time! Subscribed!
Mixed Asian Family here, We've literally been to every Costco in the places we've lived all over the US. The wife wanted to buy a house near Costco when we lived on the Northeast cost and when in Cali it was 10 min away.
Yeah, my 83 year old Chinese mom is there every week. Gotta get that $4 hot rotisserie chicken. And you gotta point about the walking. My mom walks around there to get in her 2 miles a day. But you left out the free samples. We walk around that place eating all the free samples on Sundays. After dozens of years of driving her over there, I bought Costco Stock. Its kicking butt in my single asian guy retirement portfolio. And I bought that cheaper Sony TV there too.
My Asian parents have mostly stopped buying groceries at regular grocery stores (except the import Asian stores) and only shop at Costco.
i like the format of this discussion; funny and entertaining; true to each reason you mentioned (in my case at least); loyal fan of costco here; go there once a week with occasional online shopping; and yes, 8 out of 10 times: hot dog/soda and sundae.
My international colleagues from Malaysia or Asian countries send me a costco list before my travel - they want vitamins, moisturizer, and cereals to carry for them. 😂
Costco has good stuff.
“A really good deal…”his Vietnamese’s accent slips right out 😂
Go to Sunnyvale, Milpitas and Santa Clara - it is either Indians or Asians - we love Costco. The Asian/Indian credit card is Costco Visa
I've never been to USA but my family and relatives send balikbayan boxes full of Kirkland products once or twice a year. I have no complaints. I can say Kirkland products are great when it comes to taste and quality.
Wow, keep stuff for one-seven years and return it!! Gosh! 😆