The Costco Food Court Hack Made For Pickle Lovers

Braving the Costco crowds in order to stock up on your favorite food items and pantry staples is no small feat. Despite the appeal of their free samples, pushing a cart through the aisles of Costco on a busy afternoon is exhausting, especially if you are doing a big grocery haul. While some might argue that spending hundreds of dollars on groceries would logically lead to a homecooked meal, it makes sense that tired and hungry customers flock to the Costco food court for a $1.99 pizza slice or $1.50 hot dog and soda combo as a way to refuel and unwind (and reward themselves for surviving) before embarking on the journey home with their perishable items. 

If you are someone who appreciates a few quiet moments alone in your car after an excursion, you can actually step up your food court hot dog even more with a viral Costco food court hack that's perfect for pickle lovers. As demonstrated by a TikTok user named Annie, simply buy a jar of your favorite pickles while you are doing your shopping and once you're settled into your car and ready to eat, add a pickle spear to your Costco hot dog. As you embrace that post-crowd solitude, you can enjoy the delicious crunch of a fresh juicy pickle on your warm food court hot dog.

Pickled items belong on a hot dog

If the idea of adding a pickle spear to your hot dog is a new one for you, we promise you're in for a treat. Just ask anyone who's ever had a Chicago-style hot dog complete with pickle relish, pickled peppers, and a pickle spear. Pickles on a hot dog really aren't that unusual, even if a spear isn't the form you typically see. Many Costco fans have been up in arms since the food court removed the option for relish on their hot dogs. What started as a pandemic hiatus quickly became a new reality for food court fans. However, that didn't stop shoppers from working with what they had. Since hot dog relish commonly comes from finely chopped pickled cucumbers, placing a pickle spear on your hot dog might actually be a more effective replacement.

@race_red_annie

Costco food court hack! #costco #hack #summerrecipes #sundaybrunch #hotdog #pickles

♬ I'm So Hungry – Karter Zaher

While some Costco locations saw relish return to the food court condiment section in 2021, other stores have been slower to bring this fan favorite back. On the bright side, relish is also sold on Costco store shelves along with a variety of other pickled items, from sauerkraut and veggies to pepperoncini peppers and pickled cucumbers in every form imaginable, so the desire to take this pickle hack to the next level and spice up your Costco hot dog is entirely possible. Plus, for true pickle lovers, that delicious tang is so satisfying and the perfect complement to a savory hot dog.