An unexpected trend causing havoc for Costco.

In any celebration, tradition has a special meaning, and food always plays a central role. Christmas is the best example, with many countries choosing roast turkey as their main course, while other nations have their own symbolic holiday dishes.

Thanksgiving food choices for Thanksgiving in the United States

In the United States, making the right food choices is important at Thanksgiving. It wouldn't be the same without all the extra little details, but do folks place too much importance on one element of the meal?

According to a report from the website Daily Meal, pie hoarding has become a problem for retail giant Costco ahead of the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday. Some people were buying pumpkin pies by cart, which created unexpected supply problems.

The report cites observations on top forums, including Reddit, where a Costco employee claims their store sold 650 pumpkin pies in one hour. It seems like an incredible statement until you see customers showing off their pie supply on social media.

Some stores were quick to respond, with another Reddit user confirming that their local store has imposed a limit of one pie per person. It's a strange phenomenon, but what lies behind it?

Theories about buying lots of pies

So, who was buying so much pie before Thanksgiving 2023? Have we returned to the levels of hoarding and panic buying we saw in the 2020 pandemic?

There are different theories on this strange development. Some believe that charities bought pies to feed the homeless during the holiday season, and these organizations may fit the profile. Such charities would try to keep their purchases hidden, not going public to explain their large purchases.

Others suggest that real estate is to blame. Those selling homes can use the old trick of making fresh coffee and pumpkin pie to create a favorable aroma for potential buyers.

One Reddit user noted, "My real estate agent is my pumpkin pie dealer from Costco," but the numbers associated with this theory don't add up.

The possible actions of Costco

With Christmas coming up, we're still trying to figure out why so many pies were sold. After all, cans of cranberry sauce weren't being sold out by the thousands, so there was no hype about other traditional ingredients.

This remains a mystery, but it requires action on Costco's part, with possible future problems on the horizon. Thanksgiving is behind us, but the holidays keep on coming. Christmas is just around the corner, and Costco executives are no doubt wondering if the pie hoarding will happen again.

The demand for Christmas

Research shows that cheesecake is the most popular dessert at Christmas in many states across the country. Expect stores to respond to the pumpkin pie conundrum by filling their shelves with enough cheesecake to meet possible additional demand while the retail world watches to see if pie hoarding becomes a regular occurrence.