"My weekly pilgrimage to Costco..."

Every Monday I make my weekly pilgrimage on bus from Kapa'a town to Lihue to shop at my favorite store, "Costco."

The Costco outdoor cafe is a favorite of many, including yours truly. Where else can you buy a slice of pizza with everything for $1.99, a slice large enough for two sittings. You can also purchase the famous almost 1/2 lb hot-dog and drink for $1.50, in Hawaii this is especially a great deal since anywhere else a drink alone is more than a $1.50.

The problem is with the 3-4 available windows to purchase, it's a gamble on what line to stand in. They do not have it roped off as banks and other short order restaurants, allowing for the next available server for the next person. Instead you are stuck in the line you gamble on. I usually pick the line where the person in front of me is ordering for a tour bus full of tourists, or the single person who is ordering for all their friends still shopping in the store.

Although the prices at Costco are throwback the management skills are  also throwback from the Dinosaur age.

Every week I talk to a manger and write my suggestion down for the suggestion box. The manager always tells me great idea and he will bring it up at the next meeting.

The other problem is I always ask them to give me a fresh hot-dog out of the steamer, I don't want one that's been sitting against the roll for who knows how long, making it stick to the bun like paste. They always tell me it's fresh, they're all the same, eventually after an exchange of stink eye with resentment they comply. The same with pizza, there may be three pies and one has been sitting for 30 minutes another one is fresh out of the oven, I say I want a fresh piece, they go bezerk, and say, "we only serve fresh?"

What ever happened to the good ole days, where the customer was always right and management actually gave a sh-t?

All in All Costco is still my favorite store, probably because of the free samples inside!