The 9 'Retired' Costco Food Court Items Shoppers Miss the Most
They say it's better to have loved than lost, but some Costco shoppers are truly lost without their favorite food court items. A recent thread on the Costco subreddit basically turned into a primal scream for hand-dipped ice cream, combo pizza and other favorite retired Costco food court menu items.
"Which food court item do you miss the most?" said Reddit user u/USSZim. "For me, it's between the cinnamon sugar pretzel from the early 2000s or the giant hand-dipped ice cream bar."
The Redditor also asked Costco to bring back a menu that included retired legends like the Polish sausage, berry smoothie (which appeared back in stores days after this post!) and the beloved combo pizza.
Redditors aired their grievances on the Costco food court items they miss the most.
Related: Listen Up: Here’s the *Only* Correct Way To Take Food Samples at Costco
The #1 Most Missed Costco Food Court Item
Redditors had a ton of thoughts about retired Costco food court fare they'd like back. However, one former offering came up more than any others (with the most emotional pleas for it to return, too): The Combo Pizza. The mega-slice of pizza was discontinued during the pandemic. It featured a combination of toppings, like pepperoni, green peppers, onions, sausage and mushrooms. It was huge, greasy and delicious, and fans still can't believe it's gone.
"Hot take: The pandemic isn't over until the Combo Pizza is back," wrote one.
"It’s been years already, but I can still remember how it tastes," said another.
"Combo pizza. Costco visits just aren’t the same," said a bereaved fan.
"I didn't even care that I had to pull about half the olives off," commented another. "The pepperoni and the cheese just don't cut it."
8 More Discontinued Food Court Items Costco Fans Want Back
Hand-Dipped Ice Cream Bar
The super-popular ice cream bar coated in chocolate was $1.50, and customers could make it their own by dipping it into almonds.
"It was like a Haagen Dazs bar but better," said one. "I loved how smooth and creamy the chocolate was."
"Hand-dipped ice cream bar, no doubt — can’t find anything like it," said someone else.
"I had totally blocked this loss out of my mind, and now I need to go back to therapy — Thanks," read another comment dripping in sarcasm (but, sadly, not chocolate coating).
Polish Dog
The clamoring for the Polish Dog to come back was so great that Costco has a page dedicated to explaining its reasoning for discontinuing it.
"In order to simplify our menu and make room for healthier options, we have decided to offer only the all-beef Hot Dog," Costco said when it retired the Polish Dog in 2018. "Sales show this is what the majority of members prefer. Though we understand many members loved the Polish Dog, we hope you enjoy our new offerings."
It's been about five years, and fans have not found a new favorite.
"Polish Dog because the hot dogs have no flavor," said a rather blunt fan.
FYI, it's still available in Canada. Road trip, anyone?
Condiments for the Polish Dog (or Hot Dogs in General)
The Polish Dog grief session prompted fans to lament the loss of a group of food court items: Condiments.
"Polish Dog with sauerkraut, onions and brown mustard," wrote one person. "Am I imagining things, or didn’t they have more than just yellow mustard?"
No, your eyes are correct, Redditor.
"Deli mustard was in the dispenser," said one.
"Onions and Dijon mustard for the dogs," wrote another. "They disappeared around the pandemic and never returned."
"Why must you remind me of what we lost?" cried a third.
Berry Smoothie
A hit since its debut in the early-2000s, Costco replaced the beloved Berry Smoothie with a mango smoothie, and shoppers are not happy about it. They've especially missed their old standby during the heat of summer.
"It's so hot where I live," one said. "I had [the Berry Smoothie] a lot for lunch or dinner.
The good news? Costco heard shoppers' pleas and recently brought back the berry smoothie. Buh bye, mango smoothie!
Chili
Fall is coming, and you'll have to live without food court chili.
The savory favorite combined beef, kidney beans, pinto beans, peppers and onion for a meal that screamed "football tailgates." Fans who do like hot dogs loved pairing them with chili. These shoppers — good sports about the Polish Dog's retirement — are screaming for the return of chili.
"Our Costco had a bowl of chili that, with a hotdog, is sorely missed," wrote one.
Carne Asada Bake
It's been more than a decade since Costco retired the Carne Asada Bake in 2012 (and replaced it with turkey and provolone). Fans are still sad about it.
"I was starting to think I'd hallucinated it," said a Redditor. "I loved it so much."
Original Caesar Salad
After their pandemic-inspired hiatus, Costco brought salads back to the food court this year. Fans miss the old Caesar salad.
"I used to get one and split it over two lunches for work — so good and always fresh," recalled one. "The new one is the biggest disappointment [in] the food court because I had expectations."
Chicken Bakes
Costco removed several food court items in 2020 but actually brought one back: Chicken Bakes. There was a twist: It was frozen and pre-made. The newest iteration of the favorite grab-and-go item made with chicken, cheese, bacon and Caesar dressing hasn't landed.
"The current ones are frozen and pre-made and merely heated up," said one. "They used to be made on-site with pizza dough. The Caesar dressing was brushed on after it was cooked, so you could get it on the side or not at all (my preference). They were MUCH fluffier, crispier on the outside, and the chicken was juicier."
