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USDA Prime NY Strips at Clybourn for $10.99 a lb. $9.99 for prime ribeye. Fantastic deal.

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I'm not Angry, I'm hungry.

Some items pop up around the holidays, then vanish until the next year. My Mom loves their antipasto, which we find in the fall until just after the holidays. We buy several jars to tide us over to the next time.

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

I was at the Costco on Touhy in Niles today and purchased a package of 9 potato knishes from Gabila's (for $5.99 plus tax), which according to the package is "The Original Coney Island Square Knish." I came home, popped one in the oven, and was stunned by how good it was. The crust was fairly thick and very crispy, and the potatoes were nicely seasoned and had a good mashed potato texture. All in all, a very good square knish which I'd be pleased to find at any deli and at less than $1/knish.

Has anyone seen Trident fish sticks at any area Costco recently?

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"I would gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."

As a matter of fact, YES.

Today, I was at the Costco on Rand Road in Lake Zurich and I noticed that a 4 lb. box of them was priced around 13 dollars.

Chances are if one Costco has them, the rest also do.

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"Goldie, how many times have I told you guys that I don't want no horsin' around on the airplane?" Maj. Kong

Off topic, but I gotta give props to that sig...

"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the WAR Room!!!" - President Merkin Muffley

Hi,

At the Glenview Costco, there is an older employee who hovers around the check out. He will briskly ask for your Costco card, which most people hand over. He efficiently scans it, then tries to upsell you to different membership level. Knowing the drill, I now decline to give him my card. I am simply not interested in discussing my account.

This evening, this employee asked for my membership card. I declined. He wasn't happy when he walked away. When it was my turn to check out, I gave the checkout processor my card. While waiting, this guy came over grabbed my card and scanned it anyway. I asked the cashier if he just scanned my card. She affirmed he did. I was really surprised because I could not have been more specific less than five minutes earlier.

The cashier found the floor manager who apologized and promised to discuss his customer interaction skills. Since she was substantially younger than this guy, who probably has grandchildren her age. It will be interesting to see if she gets the message across to him. I'm not holding my breath.

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

Costco on Clybourn today had signs announcing they will no longer be roasting coffee at that location. I don't recall the date it will cease, but it's soon. I don't know if that means they will no longer have the Kirkland beans there anymore or not because the sign said "sorry for any inconvenience".

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Reading is a right. Censorship is not.

I'm not sure it's considered an "upsell" if you spend enough to get cash back....
I got my card scanned a few years ago and lo and behold, I now get my costco
membership for free and I get about $80 back too.....

I guess there are always two sides to any issue....

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my food shots

That's too bad. Costco's still-warm-when-purchased dark roast Costa Rican is a big part of my morning blend at home.

I've had this dicussion with this guy before. It is my option not to discuss it further, which I felt he violated by grabbing my card and scanning it anyway.

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

Have you been thru a TSA checkpoint lately?
Maybe he's forgetful?
Maybe he's interested?

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my food shots

They just agreed to let them build a new Costco in Mettawa. It is supposed to be open by
November at the intersection of 94 and Townline Rd.

This will cut my drive to the nearest one by 2/3.

there is a new Costco planned for Bolingbrook, Boughton road East of 355 on the north side of Boughton.

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I got a real good mind.

Before Cotton was King: http://www.grubseeker.blogspot.com

Maybe he's obsessive compulsive.

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

More likely you get a sympathetic ear from the manager while he fires or slashes the hours of those who do not scan the required number daily. I've seen that old guy as well. I'm headed there in about a half hour, I'll see if I get the scan request.

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I used to think the brain was the most important part of the body. Then I realized who was telling me that.

As of March 1, 2010 the Costco on Clybourn will no longer roast their beans in-house. The woman roasting beans last Saturday said the reason was due to the closing of the roaster manufacturer. Costco would not have anyone to maintain the roaster and there have been frequent malfunctions.

They will still be offering Kirkland's other coffees. But I'll really miss the Sumatra and my hubby the French Roast. Most reasonable coffee for the quality imho.

Damn! Costco's store roasted coffee beans are our standard coffee supply, and I usually try and buy what's still warm because then I know just how fresh it is. Pretty decent coffee and so cheap compared to anything else whole bean. Do I brave the Clybourn store this weekend for one last bag?

Yeah, that's totally obnoxious and not in keeping with what i think of as Costco's fairly low-key approach. There may be some pressure for employees to talk you into that stuff but it usually doesn't show. Not like those retail stores where you have to turn down three or four increasingly desperate attempts to upsell every time.
A friend who works at Costco told me they used to have a sticker you could put on your membership card to indicate that you were not interested in the upgrade so you wouldn't have to go through the drill ever again.

And maybe he's paid by how many he scans, making his desire to scan HIGHER than his desire to please...or maybe he had to scan a certain percentage of all people who checkout, again making his desire to scan higher than customer service...

I was furious with my husband when I sent him alone to Costco and he got talked into the Executive Membership a few years ago, but honestly, it's worked out really well for us. While our Executive Membership has never been free, we only paid $13 last year for it (receiving a check for $87 in the mail right before renewal time). I figure anything they send us over $50 makes it worth the price. The check comes as a a Costco check, so we would only be spending it in the store anyway.

I'm going to look for those potato knishes -- are they vegetarian? I think my daughter would really like them, but she's off meat these days.

Suzy

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" There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life."
- Frank Zappa

I upgraded to the executive membership last year. The check I received was only for $37.00. When I cashed in the check at the membership desk I received $50.00, the cost of the upgrade. So, the upgrade did not cost me any extra money. If I used the check for purchases I believe I would have only received $37.00 off my purchases.

There were pretty low key at the Clybourn store when they sold me on the upgrade. I was pretty shocked when they scanned my card and told me how much I had spent there in the previous year. The upgrade worked well for us, we got about $350 back last year, we spend WAY too much at Costco.

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It is VERY important to be smart when you're doing something stupid

- Chris

No noticeable meat in them so I'm assuming the answer is vegetarian . . . vegan I don't know.

Here's a link to their nutritional info/ingredients:

http://www.gabilas.com/nutritionlabel/nf90001.htm

You can cash the check at Customer Service - not something they readily advertise...

Saw Manny's Corned Beef at the Costco on Clybourn yesterday. $8.99 for 1 1/4lbs.

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"And if you don't know, now you know." -BIG

Update on Costco Card swiped after stating I didn't want it swiped

Nobody lost their job over my comments, they simply amended their ways.

At checkout he came up to me and politely inquired, "If you allow me to scan your card, I can check if Executive Membership will offer you savings." I replied, "No, thank you." He let it drop, didn't take it as a challenge, and walked away. No fuss, no muss.

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

thanks BR for the review of the gabila knish. i sought them out today at the clybourn store and was equally stunned at how good they are. i would have to disagree that the crust was 'fairly thick'. most knishes have a doughy exterior- this was a thin, crispy, crunchy exterior which i found far preferable. i would have preferred a chunkier filling- but the potatoes were well seasoned and flavorful. the fat and calorie content is relatively low and the taste is definitely neither greasy nor heavy. i hope costco continues to carry them.........
unlike AmyLu's amazingly delicious buffalo chicken meatballs bursting with real blue cheese flavor (all natural, made in chicago). i called them today to tell them how much i love them ( and i never eat meatballs), only to discover that they have been discontinued. the helpful woman i spoke with told me they were made only for regional costcos (chicago area) and will be replaced soon with a chicken burger. but she is FedExing me what she referred to as a 'care package', which will contain their cranberry/jalepeno meatballs, sold only in california. sometimes it pays to pay a compliment. though i will miss those meatballs. justjoan

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"the only things money can't buy are true love and homegrown tomatoes" (guy clark)

I second the knish recommendation. They were really flavorful and nicely textured. Plus, the hubs and I are doing Weight Watchers, and a whole knish (pretty hefty) is only three points. Woo hoo!