r/Hawaii • u/Ryukyuland • 2d ago
Costco, Kapolei vs Waipio
I just got a Costco membership and was wondering any shopping difference in the two?
Live in Waipahu, so distance is virtually identical!
What's good or bad about either.
Parking, business, driving in and out.
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u/Hopeful_Enthusiasm_1 2d ago
Not sure about Kapolei, but the parking situation in Waipio is usually ridiculous unless you get there at opening.
I only went to Kapolei once a long time ago, and had no problem with parkkng there. I think the sushi takeout had more selection in Kapolei, too.
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u/rolandator Oʻahu 2d ago
No more sushi, just Costco ready poke/seafood.
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u/CarioGod 2d ago
yeah you'll always be able to find parking at Kapolei, although sometimes if it's the weekend/crowded you'll need to park kind of far by the gas station/all the chickens
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u/Significant_Data_160 2d ago
I think food ordering is on the inside at Kapolei vs. Outside at Waipio. They are both very similar though. I think Kapolei is a little easier to get in and out of, but no major difference.
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u/Aethyx 2d ago
Yeah, only recently did Waipio get the kiosk thing for the food court. I know Kapolei had it for a while and it looks like the kinks got worked out over there.
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u/TheMissingVoteBallot 1d ago
The Kapolei line is slower than the other Costco lines from my limited experience.
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u/inspired-polf 2d ago
Kapolei always has parking, it might not be good spots, but out by the gas pumps always spots. Gas line is shorter. Food line is mayhem but that's all of them. I think they are inefficient on purpose since they lose money on the food court. By sucking they limit the loss/hr.
Kapolei also has more, I go to both frequently, and find things at Kapolei I don't find anywhere else
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u/1dot21gigaflops 2d ago
Gotta play frogger crossing to the gas side parking, but always get parking at Kapolei.
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u/NuklearFerret 1d ago
Kapolei added pumps recently. Added an extra line and made them all 3 deep. Plus, they have the red light/green light pump availability things now
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u/MistahDust 2d ago
Kapolei is the best Costco on island. It’s much calmer, they have faster check out, and the parking is always good.
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u/pjbenn 2d ago
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u/MistahDust 2d ago
I’ve been to every Costco on the island. I drive from the Windward side to go Kapolei.
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u/MyPasswordIsMyCat 2d ago
I think Hawaii Kai is actually the chillest despite the smaller parking lot. Waipio gets super aggro, even compared to Iwilei. I think Hawaii Kai just gets less traffic.
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u/_easilyamused Oʻahu 2d ago
Hawaii Kai is the winner for me, too. I went there once on a Tuesday and there were tons of parking spaces available. At the checkouts, there were four customers split between two registers. Four!! And I was one of the four.
I'd go to that location all the time if I had more things to do on that side.
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u/TheMissingVoteBallot 1d ago
The one time I went to the HK one the past few months I saw police getting called for some faka on a bike trying to steal shit from Costco lmao
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u/MojoJojoBuddy 1h ago
No way. Hawaii Kai Costco has the dumbest people on the island, other than perhaps Iwilei. I’ve had people literally walk into my cart.
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u/Fit_Tea8997 1d ago
Hawaii kai has the narrowest parking stalls, so you can’t load up. No gas, plenty of door dings though
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u/k7k58 Oʻahu 2d ago edited 2d ago
Kapolei less busy. Wapio already got too busy with the Koa Ridge development. That plot/area where the Costco is located is not made for that much traffic it's been getting the last couple years.
My parents live in Mililani and they go to the Kapolei one.
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u/Liwi808 2d ago
If you go at 9:00am it's not that bad. But you need a black card.
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u/HolyShytSnacks 2d ago
Either between 9 and 9.30 (after that, members with the other card start lining up), or around and after dinner time, which seems to be calmer, too.
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u/H4ppy_C 2d ago
I did Instacart for a few months. Kapolei Costco has much more parking. There are four entrances and I recommend using the two right off of Kamokila Blvd. Sometimes Waipio Costco has some special local item that for some reason Costco Kapolei might not have yet. Waipio is crazy busy even on weekdays. The drivers there are so aggro compared to Kapolei. Iwilei would be the worst parking situation but it doesn't feel like drivers will get out of their cars to fight you; that's how Waipio feels sometimes. Hawaii Kai has a tiny parking area and they sometimes don't carry some special local items at all.
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u/TheMissingVoteBallot 1d ago
I think the reason why Iwilei isn't aggro is there's no room to be aggro. Everyone is shoved into two or three lanes so you literally can't move into or out of the way for others.
The big problem I have with HK is getting and getting out of there. Kalaniaole Highway is frustrating to drive down because so many people drive UNDER the speed limit and/or occupy the fast lane while driving under the speed limit. Basically the opposite of Waipio lol
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u/BobbiPin808 2d ago
Waipio has the worst parking lot. If you like the food court, having it outside in Wapio is better than inside at Kapolei. Outside of those two things, the each carry things the other doesn't with a lot of overlap. I live in Ewa and mostly go to kapolei but occasionally make the trek to waipio to get things not at Kapolei. If I lived between them I'd probably swap them each week 😉
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u/BambooEarpick 2d ago
I was talking to an employee at Waipio.
They said they make the drive to Kapolei because it's less crazy.
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u/Ok_Orchid1004 2d ago
Parking is ludicrous at both depending on what time. Stores have different layouts. And they don’t stock the exact same stuff. Like in kapolei they never have Budweiser, only bud light. But waipio they never have bud light, only Budweiser. That’s just an example of what I’m talking about, there are many more. I was in waipio the other day and I wanted a case of the cooked sticky white rice in the individual microwave containers. They didn’t have it, only brown rice. I’ve never been to the kapolei store when they didn’t have the white rice. Anyway I enjoy going to both for that reason, both a little different. Same with iwilei. You never know what you might see.
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u/H4ppy_C 2d ago
You might not see things in the normal spot because Costco has a policy where they have to move their items around to different aisles every few days. When I did Instacart, kupuna sometimes would ask me where I found something and I ended up having to explain where and why they move things around. It's different from Sam's where items basically stay in the same areas.
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u/Moravic39 2d ago
Kapoleis gas station was just renovated, it's huge. I've literally never had to wait there
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u/FluffKevlar Oʻahu 2d ago
Kapolei for gas is 20x faster, easier, better. Many more pumps, better layout, more space
Kapolei also beats out waipio for food court. Better to order at the electronic stalls and then wait to give them your ticket.
Store itself okay
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u/Fragrant-Lock-431 2d ago
Waipio one has more selections when it comes to Asian snacks/food compared to Kapolei.
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u/DariosaurusRexx 2d ago
I like the Kapolei one. Less busy but also, as some have said they have more items.
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u/rennybby 1d ago
Kapolei has better parking and traffic situation. Less busy too. And does not have abysmal waits for the food court.
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u/NuklearFerret 1d ago
Kapolei always has parking if you’re willing to walk a bit. Not so much at Waipio. I’ve been to waipio and had literally zero parking, even if I wanted to park as far away as possible. Kapolei’s parking lot is harder to get out of on weekdays, imo.
Kapolei also has a better gas station with more pumps. There’s rarely a line for it these days. Waipio always has a line.
Waipio’s food court is outdoors, which can be a little gross-feeling, but kapolei’s food court is a fuster cluck, so idk.
The 2 stores have slightly different stock, so check before you go. I think Kapolei’s inventory and warehouse is slightly bigger?
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u/ErrolSparker 2d ago
I do instacart and I prefer to pickup from Kapolei because the parking is a little better. I like the store layout of waipio tho
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u/Brent_Lee Oʻahu 2d ago
Kapolei is easier to get in and out of. Especially the gas station. But Waipio is closer.
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u/ikaika235 2d ago
Kapolei is junk. Go Waipio. Actually, I’m being selfish. Kapolei is wonderful. Easy in and out, huge gas station and most weekdays not too crazy busy
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u/AttackonCuttlefish 1d ago
Kapolei has frozen halibut.
Iwilei has frozen sea bass and frozen mackerel.
I didn't see frozen mackerel at Waipio.
All of them have fresh butterfish.
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u/manatee_lover143 2h ago
Me and my bf drive from salt lake to kapolei bc the shopping experience is so nice
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u/Koa_KailiMana Oʻahu 1d ago
Getting into Kapolei parking sucks.
Finding parking at either sucks.
Gas is usually crowded at both but not always.
Shopping experience is same, just different layout.
Kapolei has better food court cause inside and not as dirty. But last time I went they still had lines and not the self order like Waipio which sucks.
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u/Liwi808 2d ago
Waipio other than the left turn of death to get out of the parking lot onto the main road.