It would seriously take us days to sit down and think of all the reasons we love Costco. But near the top of the list, we’d confidently write “THE FOOD COURT.” From the delicious pizza to the tasty hot dog and soda combo, we can’t get enough.
Have you ever pondered the origins of food courts and which dishes reign supreme? Dive into these 20 unexpected truths about Costco’s food courts that might surprise you. And make sure not to skip this part! 15 secrets Costco employees won’t tell you .
The combination of a hot dog and soda has remained at $1.50 since 1984.
In the early 1980s, Costco introduced its popular hot dog and soda meal, which has remained consistently priced for over thirty years due to strategic financial decisions and a commitment to serving the Costco customer base. Here are 5 additional benefits that only Costco customers are aware of. .
It ranks among the biggest pizza franchises in the country.
With more than 400 locations, Costco ranks in the top 20 pizza chains in the country. It has more shops than California Pizza Kitchen or Jet’s for comparison. See what our editors’ favorite pizza chain is.
Pizza sauce is applied by a neat robot.
Ever wonder why the pizzas at Costco are always on point with the sauce-to-cheese ratio? It’s because they’ve got pizza-making down to a science—literally. Costco uses a hypnotic robot to apply pizza sauce evenly. Don’t miss additional factors explaining why Costco’s pizza is so delicious .
You can make payment for your meal at the cash register and later present your receipt at the food court area.
When you're checking out with your card at Costco and realize you'll soon need to take out your wallet once more to pay $1.50 for something from the food court, here’s some good news: Instead of using your card twice, inform the person scanning your items about what you'd like to buy from the food court. Then present them with your receipt when heading over to get your meal. Make sure to be courteous as well; after all, nobody wants an unpleasant encounter.
Here’s a list of 11 items that annoy all grocery store workers:
1. Shoppers who park far away from their car.
2. Customers not bagging their own groceries.
3. People removing price stickers from products.
4. Individuals leaving full shopping carts in parking spaces.
5. Patrons with unreadable checks at checkout.
6. Folks using expired coupons.
7. Guests returning damaged goods without receipts.
8. Browsing customers blocking aisles for long periods.
9. Those abandoning unwanted items anywhere but the shelves.
10. Using incorrect weight labels on produce bags.
11. Not following social distancing guidelines during busy hours.
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Fresh chicken dinners vary from frozen chicken dinners.
Chicken bake is among the mainstay offerings at the Costco food court. Nevertheless, those available in the food court differ slightly from what’s found in the freezer aisle. What sets them apart? Food court chicken bakes use freshly prepared ingredients along with discarded pizza dough. Below are some lesser-known insights into this: food court restaurants .
Menu options change depending on where you live.
For example, did you know that Costco locations in Canada sell poutine? And P.S.—Canadians swear by it. Depending on where you live in the world, You might also get to sample other local specialties. , similar to how meat pies are popular in Australia, and teriyaki bowls are favored in South Korea.
Costco produces its own hot dogs.
From the 1980s through the mid-2000s, Costco sourced kosher hot dogs from two different suppliers. As they noticed costs increasing alongside growing demand for their food-court hot dogs, Costco opted to try developing their own recipe. This led to the introduction of their custom formulation in 2009. Costco started producing its 1/4 lb. all-beef hot dog And incorporating it throughout every food court. Looking to spruce up your pet? These are some of the most delicious hot dog toppings you might not have tasted yet.
The key to their fresh chicken bakes is... Caesar dressing.
The Costco food court chicken bakes enjoy a dedicated fan base. Who wouldn’t adore them? With cheese, pizza crust, chicken, mozzarella, and green onions, they’re packed with flavor. However, the real secret behind their deliciousness lies in the drizzle of Caesar dressing. This addition brings just the right amount of saltiness, richness, and zest. what-is-that? -ness that we love.
Food court fans are very passionate.
Just as with many fan communities, enthusiasts of the Costco food court aren't fond of having menu items taken away from stores. There are Several petitions on Change.org focused on beloved menu items that are no longer available, like the Polish Dog and the Very Berry Smoothie.
Don't you have a subscription yet? Take a look at the 7 activities you can enjoy at Costco without membership. .
If your meal isn’t warm enough, you can ask for another one.
Did you end up with a cold churro? Head back to the food court and request a new one free of charge. The staff in the food court—as part of the service sector—are more responsive when treated kindly, so remember to use polite requests as your mother would advise. It turns out, however, that dining options aren’t limited to just the food court within Costco. Discover the 21 insider secrets Costco’s staff hopes you wouldn’t miss out on with their complimentary samples. .
Every pizza uses 1.5 pounds of cheese.
You read that right— an impressive 24 ounces of cheese Is included with every pizza. As stated in the Costco Connection, each cheese pizza includes a mix of reduced-fat mozzarella, provolone, and newly grated Parmesan.
Are you a fan of cheese as much as we are? Take a look at 101 Cheese Recipes We Can't Resist Most .
Costco takes good care of its food court staff (and indeed—they enjoy the meals themselves).
The company provides a broad range of benefits to its employees, creating an enjoyable workplace for most people. During a Reddit AMA A worker at the Costco food court admitted to frequently indulging in the eats, noting that although staff members don't receive a special discount, they can enjoy perks similar to those of an executive member. Discover more candid revelations from a previous Costco worker. .
You can locate Costco food court recipes in the Costco Connection magazine.
Costco releases a complimentary magazine called the Costco Connection, which includes details about the company itself, engaging human-interest articles, and recipes featuring their Kirkland Signature line of products. Additionally, you might come across recipes based on popular items from their food court. such as dips for churros Moreover, you can discover a Here’s a copycat recipe for making your own homemade churros: .
The top-selling item on the menu is the combination of a hot dog and a soda.
Is it truly unexpected? For merely $1.50, you can purchase a hot dog and a soda—moreover, at many establishments, you cannot buy just a soda for that amount. As reported by CNN, this remains true. In 2017, Costco sold over 135 million combo meals. .
If you find yourself unexpectedly wanting hot dogs, consider shaking things up by trying something different. One of these methods to make hot dogs more enjoyable .
You have the option to preorder pizza as you browse.
On Fridays and Saturdays, demand for pizzas peaks. If you decide to get a pie from Costco during these evenings, be prepared for a waiting period of about 20 to 30 minutes—however, there’s an alternative method available. You have the option to place your order at the food court before starting your shopping trip. Alternatively, calling ahead and reserving your pizza via telephone also works well with this plan.
Try One of our premier pizza recipes the next time you plan to prepare this meal at your house.
A single menu spot is consistently reserved for test items.
Costco’s classic offerings such as pizza, hot dogs, and roasted chickens will remain unchanged, but the store consistently reserves space for seasonal items. Some outlets have been experimenting with cheeseburgers, whereas California stores have introduced acai bowls to their selection.
The menu at the food court isn't very nutritious.
While we eagerly await the day when pizza is recognized as a wholesome evening meal, today isn’t quite there yet. (Pizza still beats out cereal from a health perspective, however.) The menu at Costco’s food court doesn’t lean towards being particularly nutritious, but some choices do have fewer calories. If you're seeking something relatively healthy, consider getting the chicken Caesar salad or an acai bowl instead.
You can request nutrition information from employees.
If you’re curious about the nutritional contents of your meal, you can ask for it! Food court employees can provide you with a printout that has all the information you need.
Costco's food court focuses on maintaining affordable prices.
These affordable prices? Costco shows no signs of increasing them anytime soon. Actually, they actively work to ensure outside influences do not push for higher pricing. They began producing their own hot dogs so they wouldn’t have to buy from vendors hiking up costs; additionally, when Pepsi’s prices went down compared to Coke’s rise, they switched over to Pepsi products instead. On a strict budget? These evening meal dishes won’t strain your budget. .
The food court is a hot date spot.
The food court at Costco brings people together. For example, one couple from San Diego went on their first date in the food court, then got married there three years later . And Costco was into it—they set up chairs, created paper bouquets and scattered rose petals for the couple.
If you succeed in securing that second date, amaze with one of these dinner options perfect for a memorable date night .
Each pepperoni pizza consists of precisely 60 slices.
We've previously discussed the importance of accuracy with robots; however, did you know that Costco emphasizes this level of precision when preparing their pepperoni pizza? According to The Costco Connection issue from August 2011, they disclosed this detail. That same source also mentioned that their combination pizza tips the scales at an impressive 4.49 pounds. Make certain to check out the 15 items you're missing out on at Costco that you really ought to consider purchasing .
The food court began with just one hot dog stall.
It shouldn’t be surprising that the food item which ignited the popularity of the Costco food court was the humble hot dog. This occurred back in 1984. Costco hired a hot dog vendor to sell outside of its San Diego warehouse . By the late ’80s, Costco opened its first food court—Cafe 150—that sold a hot dog and soda combo for $1.50.
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