Is Costco Open on Memorial Day 2025? Hours & Closures

Every year around late May, Costco members face the same question: should I make a run before the holiday or wait? The answer is simple—Costco closes its doors on Memorial Day, and that choice is deliberate.

U.S. Costco warehouses: 643 ·
Major holidays closed: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day ·
Memorial Day 2025 date: May 26, 2025 ·
Costco gas stations closed on major holidays: Yes ·
Official source: Costco Customer Service

Five key data points sum up the closure policy at a glance.

Is Costco Open on Memorial Day?

No. Costco U.S. warehouses are closed on Memorial Day, and that includes all 643 locations. Memorial Day 2025 falls on Monday, May 26 (LiveNOW from FOX). The closure covers the entire warehouse, the gas station, and the pharmacy.

Why does Costco close on Memorial Day?

• Costco’s policy prioritizes giving employees the day off on major holidays (JUS Now TV YouTube).
• The company treats Memorial Day the same as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the other six holidays when warehouses shutter.
• It’s a paid holiday for staff — part of a broader employee-benefit package that includes premium pay for Sunday work and above-average wages (GOBankingRates).

The implication: Costco’s decision to close is a deliberate trade-off between sales volume and worker morale. For a retailer that generates $200+ billion in annual revenue, forfeiting one of the busiest shopping weekends sends a clear signal about where its priorities lie.

What are the exact dates for Memorial Day 2025?

The federal holiday is observed on Monday, May 26, 2025 (LiveNOW from FOX). Costco will be closed that entire day, from open to close.

What this means: if you normally pick up a bulk pack of burgers on Monday afternoon, you’ll need to shift your run to the weekend.

What Are Costco’s Holiday Closures?

Costco closes on seven specific holidays each year. The list is consistent across all U.S. warehouses.

• New Year’s Day
• Easter Sunday
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day (July 4)
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

GOBankingRates (personal finance publisher) confirms this list, which has held steady for years. No other regular holidays — such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, or Veterans Day — cause closures.

Does Costco close on other federal holidays?

• Costco remains open on nine other federal holidays: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, and others (GOBankingRates).
• Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve see early closures, typically 5–6 p.m., depending on location (GOBankingRates).
• The day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) is a normal operating day — Costco opens at 9 a.m. for members.

The pattern: Costco applies a hard rule — if the holiday is one of the seven, the entire warehouse goes dark. Short of those, it’s business as usual.

Are Costco gas stations closed on these holidays?

Yes. Costco gas stations follow the exact same closure schedule as the warehouse (GOBankingRates). That means no gas on Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, or any of the other six major holidays.

What Holidays Do You Get Off at Costco?

From the employee side, Costco’s holiday policy is a major part of its benefits package.

How many paid holidays do Costco employees receive?

• Full-time employees typically receive 7 paid holidays per year, aligned with the seven closure days (GOBankingRates).
• Part-time employees may also receive holiday pay, but the exact number can vary by location (GOBankingRates).
• Policy may differ by state — some states have stronger pay requirements that influence how holiday pay is calculated.

The trade-off: Costco employees get a paid day off on the biggest shopping days of the year, but members lose access. Many workers consider it a net positive — better to have a guaranteed day off than the chaos of holiday retail.

Do part-time employees get holiday pay?

It’s not publicly detailed. GOBankingRates notes that holiday pay for part-timers can vary by location. What is clear: Costco’s overall compensation — median hourly wage over $25 — is well above retail average, and holiday pay is part of a package that includes 401(k) matching and health insurance.

Is Costco Open on New Year’s Day?

No. New Year’s Day is one of the seven closure days (GOBankingRates).

What other major holidays does Costco close?

• The same seven listed earlier: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas.
• No closure on Black Friday — Costco opens at 9 a.m. and stays open until 8:30 p.m. or later.
• Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve close early but are not full closures.

Why this matters: if you’re planning a New Year’s Eve party, you can still shop Costco on Dec 31 — but expect reduced hours.

What about the day after Thanksgiving?

Costco is open on Black Friday with regular hours (9 a.m.–8:30 p.m.). Unlike many retailers, Costco does not offer doorbuster deals on that day; instead, it runs its usual weekly promotions.

What Are Costco’s Holiday Hours for 2025 and 2026?

Costco has already set its closure calendar for 2025, and the pattern holds for 2026. Here are the confirmed closure dates for both years.

Six major holidays, all falling on the same day of the week each year, create a predictable schedule.

Source for 2025 dates: LiveNOW from FOX (Memorial Day); GOBankingRates (full list). 2026 dates are extrapolated from the same pattern — Costco traditionally publishes no changes.

The implication: members can plan their holiday shopping years in advance. The closure list hasn’t shifted in decades.

How Costco Compares to Other Retailers on Memorial Day

Not everyone closes. Here’s how Costco stacks up against major competitors on Memorial Day.

A quick look at five large retailers shows Costco is the only warehouse club that fully closes for the holiday.

What this reveals: Costco is the only grocery-focused retailer among the set that shuts down entirely. Sam’s Club, its closest competitor, typically opens with reduced hours.

Timeline of Costco Holiday Closures (2025–2026)

All 643 U.S. Costco warehouses will be closed on the following dates.

• 2025-05-26 – Memorial Day – Costco closed
• 2025-07-04 – Independence Day – Costco closed
• 2025-09-01 – Labor Day – Costco closed
• 2025-11-27 – Thanksgiving Day – Costco closed
• 2025-12-25 – Christmas Day – Costco closed
• 2026-01-01 – New Year’s Day – Costco closed

Source: GOBankingRates (policy); LiveNOW from FOX (Memorial Day confirmation).

Confirmed Facts vs. What’s Unclear

Confirmed facts

• Costco is closed on Memorial Day 2025. (LiveNOW from FOX)
• All 643 U.S. warehouses are closed on the seven major holidays. (GOBankingRates)
• Gas stations and pharmacies follow the same closure schedule. (GOBankingRates)
• Walmart, Target, and Whole Foods are open on Memorial Day. (LiveNOW from FOX)
• The U.S. Postal Service is closed on Memorial Day. (LiveNOW from FOX)

What’s unclear

• Exact number of paid holidays for part-time employees varies by location (GOBankingRates).
• Future policy changes beyond 2026 are not yet announced.
• Whether online-only holiday deals will match in-store prices — Costco occasionally runs “Member-Only” online sales during holidays, but specifics for 2025 are not confirmed.

What Experts Say About Costco’s Holiday Policy

“Costco’s holiday closure list is one of the most generous in big-box retail. Employees get seven paid days off, and the company doesn’t budge on them.”

GOBankingRates (retail policy analysts)

“On Memorial Day, Costco is the only major grocery chain that closes entirely. Everyone else stays open with normal or reduced hours.”

USA Today reporter, via LiveNOW from FOX

“Costco’s online store does operate on holidays — members can still order appliances, mattresses, and pantry staples while the warehouses are shut.”

JUS Now TV YouTube (holiday shopping tips)

Summary

Costco’s Memorial Day closure is not a logistical oversight — it’s a deliberate policy born from decades of treating holidays as employee time off, not revenue opportunities. For the Costco member planning a Memorial Day barbecue, the choice is clear: stock up by Sunday, order online Monday, or pivot to a competitor like Walmart or Target. Otherwise, you’ll face locked doors and a long wait until Tuesday.

Frequently asked questions