On a chilly January morning, a Costco member in a puffer jacket does the same ritual they’ve done for years: park, speed-walk past the carts, and whisper a tiny prayer that the rotisserie chickens are still hot. But this time, the vibe feels… different. There’s chatter about new stores, a fuel-only Costco gas station, a pharmacy pricing shake-up, and a food-court crackdown that could change who gets near that legendary $1.50 combo.

So what’s actually coming in 2026—and what’s just internet noise? Here are the four biggest confirmed shifts that (yes) many members will probably love, once the dust settles.

1) Costco’s 2026 Expansion Plan: More Warehouses, More “Why Is It So Packed?” Moments

Costco isn’t subtle when it expands—it’s like dropping a stadium into your suburb. And for 2026, the company has signaled up to 35 warehouse openings (including relocations) as part of its growth plan. 

Behind the scenes, this is the big-business version of reading the room.

When Costco sees booming metro areas, housing growth, and traffic patterns that scream “we can support another warehouse,” it moves in—fast. That’s why Texas keeps showing up in the 2026 opening pipeline: it’s one of the most aggressive population-growth stories in America, and retailers chase that momentum like it’s a limited-edition Stanley cup.

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