The Costco Food Court Guide 2026: The $1.50 Combo, the Churro Comeback, the Rotating $2.99 Sundaes, and What Is Gone for Good

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Family enjoying a hot dog, pizza, churro, and sundae at a warehouse club food court for the Costco food court guide 2026

The Costco food court guide 2026 starts with one price that has not moved in decades: the $1.50 hot dog and drink combo. Around it, though, the menu has been busier than ever this year. A new water option for the combo, a limited-time churro comeback, rotating $2.99 sundaes, and a few test items have all shown up in 2026. Today is October 22, 2026, so this guide covers what is on offer right now, what is rotating, what has been discontinued, and how to tell what your own warehouse is serving.

A quick honesty note before we start. Costco does not publish an official menu calendar, and menus differ by warehouse and by country. Everything here comes from Costco's own announcements and news coverage, plus an independent fan guide updated October 17, 2026. Use it as a map, then check the menu board at your own warehouse.

The Permanent Core

These are the items that have stayed on the menu and are widely reported as staples. Prices outside the hot dog combo are as listed by an independent guide and can differ by location.

All-beef hot dog and soda combo: $1.50
Cheese and pepperoni pizza: price varies by warehouse
Chicken bake: price varies by warehouse
Soft serve (vanilla, chocolate, swirl): price varies by warehouse
Hot turkey and provolone sandwich: $6.99, reported as returned in March 2025
Double chocolate chunk cookie: $2.49
Rotisserie chicken chef salad: price varies by warehouse

The $1.50 Combo: Now With a Water Option

In April 2026, news outlets reported that the famous combo was changing for the first time in about 40 years. Members can now swap the 20-ounce refillable fountain soda for a 16.9-ounce bottle of Kirkland Signature water. The hot dog is the same quarter-pound all-beef dog on a soft bun, and the price stays at $1.50. Costco's CEO has said the price "will not change as long as I'm around."

What is not clear: early reports came from California, Nevada, and Virginia, and Costco had not published a nationwide rollout schedule.

Ask at your food court whether the water swap is available.

The Churro Is Back, For Now

This is the big one. In September 2026, Costco announced that the churro is "back in U.S. food courts for a limited time," and said launch dates would vary by warehouse over the following weeks. On Costco's October earnings call, the CFO also mentioned the churro returning to all U.S. locations and described it as limited time.

What we know and what we do not:

The item. The returning treat is the twisted churro, which news coverage says was introduced in 2021. The original straight churro, a 1990s favorite, is reported as discontinued, and coverage did not say it was coming back.
The price. Reports put it at $1.49, in line with its price before it left. That figure comes from media reports, not Costco's announcement.
The window. Costco has not said how long it will stay. "Limited time" means just that.
Why it matters. Fans campaigned for the churro's return after it left the menu in 2024. Earlier this year, Costco added churro bites to a caramel sundae, which shoppers said was not the same thing.

If the churro is the reason you are going, go sooner rather than later, and call your warehouse if you want to be sure it has arrived.

The Rotating $2.99 Specialty Sundaes

Costco has been running a rotating series of specialty sundaes at $2.99 each, changing about every quarter, according to an independent fan guide. The reported 2026 lineup:

Double Chocolate Mint: swapped in February 2026
Caramel Churro (churro bites on soft serve): spring 2026
Strawberry Shortcake: replaced Caramel Churro in late May
Vanilla Cookie Crunch: arrived July 2026
Vanilla Apple Pie: spotted around October 13, current as of mid-October

The Vanilla Apple Pie sundae is vanilla soft serve with apple pie filling and pie crust pieces. The guide notes it is not clear whether the rotation is nationwide, so your warehouse may differ.

Test Items and Phase-Outs

Costco uses the food court to test ideas. Reports for 2026 include:

Chicken strips at $6.99. An independent guide says these began testing in May 2026 at select warehouses, starting with six Chicago-area locations, and replace the Combo Calzone at test sites. Treat this as limited and local.
Combo Calzone at $6.99. Launched in May 2025 and now reported as being phased out.
Mango smoothie. Reported to replace the strawberry-banana smoothie ($2.99) for roughly June through September, so it may already be gone at your warehouse.

Gone for Good

According to the same guide, these items have been discontinued: combo pizza, the Polish hot dog, the hand-dipped ice cream bar, the açaí bowl, and the original straight churro. Menu discontinuations are often local, so if an old favorite is missing, ask.

How to Order Like a Regular

Check the menu board first. It is the only reliable source for your warehouse.
Go off-peak. Weekday mid-afternoon is usually calmer than weekend lunch. Hours vary by warehouse, so confirm yours.
Remember the membership rule. The food court is for active members. Gold Star is $65 and Executive is $130.
Know what does not earn the Executive reward. Costco's Executive rewards terms exclude food court purchases from the 2% reward, so do not count them toward your break-even.
Use the app and signage. Costco sometimes teases returns and new items on social media before they hit the warehouse.
Share. Pizza slices and sundaes are large, and the best value is often one to split.

Is the Food Court Still the Best Deal in Retail?

The $1.50 combo is a famous "loss leader," an item priced low to bring people in. Costco's CEO has made a public pledge about that price. The rest of the menu has crept up over the years, but items like the $2.99 sundae and $1.49 churro remain low by restaurant standards. Whether it is the "best deal" depends on what you order and how hungry you are, but few places feed a family of four lunch for under $20 with a drink included.

Assuming a news story means your warehouse has the item today.
Driving across town for a limited-time item without calling first.
Expecting the straight churro to return.
Counting food court spending toward your Executive reward.
Assuming prices are the same at every warehouse.
Skipping the menu board and ordering something that is being phased out.

Why a Costco Food Court Guide 2026 Is Different From a Menu

A menu tells you what exists. A guide tells you what is changing. The food court is one of Costco's best marketing tools, and the company uses rotating items, limited-time returns, and local tests to keep members coming back. Knowing the pattern, which items are permanent, which rotate, and which are tests, helps you enjoy it without wasted trips.

Quick Cheat Sheet

Hot dog combo price? $1.50, with a water swap reported.
Is the churro back? Yes, for a limited time, reported at $1.49.
Current sundae? Vanilla Apple Pie, $2.99, reported mid-October.
Does food court spending earn the Executive reward? No.
Where is the real menu? The board at your warehouse.

At MOJO Sales & Branding, we understand every dimension of the Costco member experience, including the details that make a warehouse trip fun.

732.433.7873 | Susan@MOJOSalesandBranding.com | www.mojosalesandbranding.com

This article is general information. Menus, prices, and availability vary by warehouse, region, and over time; many details come from news coverage and an independent site, not Costco. We are not affiliated with Costco Wholesale.

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