5 Tips To Get The Best Costco Food Court Hot Dog

Costco has unique features that separate it from other grocery stores, but its food court is especially noteworthy. Rather than just a place to grab a quick bite while shopping, members of the chain genuinely love the grub. Pizza by the slice (or a whole pie to bring home), baked goods, ice cream, and sandwiches can hit the spot after a hectic grocery run. However, the store's food court hot dog is renowned for its ultra-low price and impressive quality. Shoppers can order it plain or top it with onions, ketchup, mustard, and relish. 

If you easily get bored with the same old options, we have some clever methods to hack your Costco hot dog. Our tips include some viral classics, like the Forbidden Glizzy and a pizza slice-wrapped dog. We also share a few ways to pack even more flavor into this tasty, all-beef frank. Costco hot dogs are not only beloved by members, they're also crucial to the brand. Co-founder Jim Sinegal had harsh words about a price increase when the store's then-CEO asked about raising it for the dog-and-beverage combo. After expressing his displeasure, he said (per 425 Business), "When you think of Costco, you think of the $1.50 hot dog and soda."

To inspire our most hedonistic moments, we look to everyday geniuses like the random person seen eating a pizza slice-wrapped hot dog in Costco's food court. A video of the event was shared on Reddit, which featured a shopper casually munching on two food court delicacies simultaneously. The comment section seemed pretty impressed, with one admirer noting, "Out there playing chess while the rest of us are playing checkers." 

We love the pizza-hot dog hack for how simple it is. Costco singular pizza slices are sizable enough to completely encase the hot dog and bun, which makes for easier handling. The real feat may be finishing the combo due to the size of the meal. But whether it's to replenish from shopping or fueling up for walking the entirety of the store, it could hit just right. The pizza-dog may not become a regular part of your food court rotation, but it's definitely worth trying at least once.

Kimchi is a fermented dish from Korea often featuring vegetables like radish, cabbage, and cucumbers. While recipes vary extensively, kimchi is usually seasoned with ginger, garlic, and dried chili powder, giving it a potent, spicy kick. The fermented slaw also ranks as one of the toppings you should be putting on your hot dog (but aren't). But if you're thinking Costco doesn't have kimchi in American food courts, you're absolutely correct. However, where there are unlimited free condiments, there's a way. 

A TikTok video exhibits the Costco kimchi hack in all its glory. Get two cups of onions and two hot pepper packets with your hot dog, then head to the condiment bar. Grab an empty soft drink cup and deposit three parts ketchup to one part mustard into it, plus a pinch of relish. Add your other ingredients, mix thoroughly, and spoon the topping onto your dog. If you're not a big fan of fiery flavors, use a single hot pepper packet instead of two. This is such an inventive way to create a new flavor profile for this classic food court meal, and we're looking forward to trying it on our next Costco run.

Costco samples allow brands to introduce new products to consumers, but they're also a wonderful perk for members. Its free samples are all-you-can-eat, and some people end up making a whole meal out of the samples alone. That got us thinking — customers could potentially find some great hot dog toppings among the sample kiosks at Costco. 

Costco doesn't choose its free samples randomly. Instead, the store offers samples through a company called Club Demonstration Services, which works with brands directly. These brands pay for its products to be sampled in-store as a means of marketing, which can result in an eclectic mix of items. Visiting the store when samples are most plentiful can also help. While practices vary at different warehouses, your best bet is to visit between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Many stores have overlapping sampler shifts during this time period, which means shoppers will have a lot more to choose from. When hunting for hot dog toppings, gourmet condiments, chips, pickled vegetables, and fancy cheese are all great options.

The viral Costco chopped hot dog (courtesy of YouTube) takes a page out of the chopped sandwich recipe playbook. Much like the name suggests, making a chopped sandwich involves cutting up and combining your sandwich components (meats, cheeses, and vegetables) for better flavor integration. You can also mix your condiments directly into the chopped ingredients to ensure every morsel gets a flavor boost. This strategy is the same for Costco chopped dogs, which requires the following elements: two cups of mustard, ketchup, onion, and relish, plus utensils (plastic knife and fork) and the brown paper bag that Costco frank are served in. 

Use the utensils to cut the hot dog into smaller pieces, add everything to the paper bag, and shake to mix. Once the condiments are evenly distributed among all the ingredients, you can add the saucy mix of meat and vegetables back to the bun and enjoy. We realize that this ordering tip is bound to get messy, so you might want to reserve it for home. If you do attempt it at the food court, be sure to grab extra napkins. 

The Forbidden Glizzy is a mashup of two popular food court items. This hacked item calls for one hot dog and one chicken bake, which is a food court flaky pastry stuffed with diced chicken, bacon, a blend of three cheeses, and creamy Caesar dressing. 

To make this viral creation, simply insert a (bunless) all-beef frank into the chicken bake (after nibbling a bit from one end to access the filling). Congratulations, you can now enjoy a Forbidden Glizzy at a rather affordable price. We wouldn't blame you for questioning the quality of this pairing, but as always, we come with receipts. On Reddit, a new convert described the meal, "Absolutely a 10/10," while another commenter favorably compared the combo to bagel dogs. Not everyone was a fan of this meaty togetherness, however. One commenter announced, "As an employee, this makes me sick to my stomach."