The Costco Guys are a father-son TikTok duo from Florida who became internet sensations in 2024 with their wholesome Costco food court reviews and catchy “Boom or Doom” ratings. A.J. Befumo and his 11-year-old son Eric (nicknamed Big Justice) turned grocery shopping into entertainment, earning over 2 million followers and mainstream media attention.
Costco Guys
A.J. and Big Justice are the viral meme creators behind the “We’re Costco Guys” phenomenon. They rate food and products using their signature “Boom or Doom” system while shopping at their favorite warehouse store.
The family vlogging team consists of A.J. Befumo, a former professional wrestler, and his son Eric Justice Befumo. A.J. previously worked as a professional wrestler for independent promotions around New Jersey under the name “the American Powerchild Eric Justice” from the 1990s until 2005. His son’s nickname “Big Justice” comes directly from his father’s wrestling persona. The family moved from Colts Neck, New Jersey to Boca Raton, Florida a few years ago, where they discovered their shared love for Costco shopping trips.
Their content centers around authentic reactions to food and products. Unlike many social media trends that feel manufactured, their enthusiasm appears genuine (synonymous with sincere). A.J. works as the main host while Big Justice provides kid-friendly commentary that resonates with younger viewers (semantically related entities). The duo’s chemistry stems from their real father-son relationship, making their videos feel more like family moments than polished content.
How They Went Viral — From Grocery Aisles to Internet Fame
The Befumos’ rise began in January 2024 when they posted a video of them shopping for meatballs for Eric’s mother at Costco, featuring A.J. weight-lifting with two jugs of milk and Eric dancing with Premio sausages. This trending moment launched their career and showed audiences what “going viral” looks like.
Their breakthrough came gradually, building from just over 10,000 followers to explosive growth after their January video received 7.9 million views. The turning point happened on March 1, 2024, when they posted their most famous video declaring themselves “Costco Guys.” As of July 2025, this mega-hit has reached almost 65 million views across platforms, with A.J. noting it’s pushing about 100 million views when counting all social media channels. The video included memorable lines about their warehouse retailer (hypernym of Costco) loyalty and shopping habits that became instant catchphrase reviews.
By May 2024, A.J. had quit his day job, Night Media signed the duo as clients, and they became full-time content creators. Their success happened remarkably fast, transforming from weekend shoppers to full-time content creators in just months. The family-friendly (common attribute) approach allowed them to maintain authenticity while scaling their operation professionally.
What Do “Boom” and “Doom” Mean?
The “Boom or Doom” system rates items on a simple scale where “Boom” means good and “Doom” means bad. This rating system was inspired by another TikTok creator who uses a “Gas or Ass” food review format, though the Costco Guys adapted it for family-friendly content.
Their followers regularly critique their ratings system and accuse them of being too liberal with their booms, since they rarely give anything a “Doom” rating. Their “Boom or Doom” food review of the Costco food court received over 25 million views and 2.4 million likes. The system works because it’s instantly understandable – viewers know exactly what each rating means without explanation.
The “Boom Meter” Rating System
The review format extends beyond simple thumbs up or down. Items that receive “Boom” ratings get enthusiastic reactions, dancing, and memorable one-liners (meronym of catchphrases). The rare “Doom” ratings come with disappointed faces and explanations of what went wrong. Big Justice’s favorite item, the Chicken Bake (a pastry with chicken, cheese, bacon and Caesar dressing), consistently receives praise from fans, while A.J. became famous for his love of the Costco Double Chunk Chocolate Cookie.
Music, Media Appearances, and Expansion of the Brand
They released their debut single “We Bring The Boom” in July 2024, which has been remixed and duetted “hundreds” of times. The song became their signature line and expanded their brand beyond grocery store content.
The song resulted from an impromptu car-ride rap session and has been used as a walk-up song for the local baseball team Boca Beach Boys. The track features multiple remix versions (polysemy – different meanings/versions of the same song) including collaborations with the Rizzler, Jersey Joe, Cousin Angelo, and other social media personalities (lexical term for content creators). The music expansion shows how viral content can evolve into multiple entertainment formats.
Their mainstream media appearances include The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon alongside fellow creator the Rizzler, though host Jimmy Fallon was criticized for his perceived lack of enthusiasm during the interview. The duo was also parodied in a TikTok-focused sketch on Saturday Night Live, with A.J. & Big Justice being portrayed by Marcello Hernández and Chloe Fineman. Most notably, A.J. made his All Elite Wrestling debut at AEW Full Gear on November 23, 2024, and returned to wrestle at AEW Revolution on March 9, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where he teamed with Orange Cassidy and Mark Briscoe to defeat Johnny TV and MxM Collection.
Who Is Watching and Why It Resonates
Their audience spans multiple generations, from kids who relate to Big Justice to parents who appreciate A.J.’s family-first approach. The content appeals to viewers seeking positive, wholesome entertainment without controversy or drama – the antonym of divisive content.
The Costco Guys represent authentic American suburban life in a way that feels both relatable and aspirational. Their content celebrates simple pleasures like family shopping trips and trying new foods. A.J. explains their philosophy simply: “We call it the Boom. It’s happiness.” This approach resonates because it focuses on spreading joy rather than creating conflict or controversy.
Their success also reflects broader meme culture trends where family-friendly content can achieve massive reach. The catchphrase has become so well-known that a roller-coaster operator at Universal Studios announced their ride would “gonna be a big boom” when recognizing them. The cultural phenomenon (connotation of widespread influence) extends into professional sports and celebrity culture, showing their mainstream appeal.
The Costco Connection and Business Success
While A.J. declined to specify whether they have a financial relationship with Costco, he says they are on “very, very good terms” with the brand. Their brand partnership (holonym encompassing multiple business relationships) strategy extends beyond the warehouse chain (hyponym of retail store).
In July 2025, Great Clips announced a back-to-school partnership with the viral duo, helping families simplify the season by using the Great Clips app to check in before heading to the salon. The duo became top creators on Cameo, the personalized video service, currently charging at least $150 for custom videos. However, their Costco adventures haven’t been entirely smooth – in March 2024, they were banned from a local store for about a month due to complaints about their energetic antics.
Recent Developments and Future Plans
At the post-event media scrum following AEW Revolution, A.J. confirmed that he, Big Justice, and The Rizzler were signed to AEW contracts and that they would continue to make appearances, with A.J. wrestling sporadically. This represents a rare attribute – few social media influencers (etymology: from Latin “influentia,” meaning flowing in) transition successfully into professional wrestling.
In April 2025, false rumors about A.J.’s death circulated on social media but were quickly debunked, demonstrating the challenges that come with internet fame. The duo plans to expand into longform YouTube videos while continuing their shortform content, music, and wrestling appearances.
Bottom Line: Simple Success
The Costco Guys prove that authentic family dynamics and genuine enthusiasm can create massive internet fame. Their success comes from keeping things simple, positive, and family-friendly while building a brand around shared experiences that sincere audiences crave. By focusing on happiness over controversy, they’ve created a sustainable social media presence that appeals to multiple generations and continues growing through music, mainstream media, wrestling, and brand collaborations.
Five key takeaways about the Costco Guys:
1. Authentic family content wins: Their real father-son relationship creates genuine moments that audiences connect with more than scripted content.
2. Simple rating systems work: The “Boom or Doom” format gives viewers an easy way to understand and participate in their reviews.
3. Positive content scales: By focusing on joy and enthusiasm rather than drama, they’ve built a sustainable brand that appeals to advertisers and mainstream media.
4. Multi-platform expansion: Their success demonstrates how viral creators can grow from TikTok into music, television, wrestling, and business partnerships.
5. Generational appeal matters: Content that works for both kids and parents has broader reach and longer staying power than age-specific material.