What Makes a Costco Hot Dog So Good and So Affordable? (2024)

We can all agree that the Costco food court has some of the most delicious options. However, nothing beats the price and flavor of their hot dog.

For only $1.50, you get a taste bud teasing combo of a colossal hot dog and refillable 20 oz. of soda.

What’s more, you get to spice up your treat with anything from their free toppings catalog.

As you devour your Costco hot dog, you must be wondering, “How can something so good be so cheap?”

Like you, we’ve always wanted to know the secret (or not so secret anymore) strategy that Costco uses to keep their finger-licking dogs a constant at the food court at a ridiculously low fixed price for over 30 years.

What’s the Secret Behind the Cheap Yummy Costco Treats?

Every time you go shopping and find a product with ridiculously low prices compared to others in the same category, the first thing that comes to mind is, “How valuable is this product?”

However, there’s no question about the value and taste of the Costco hot dog. So what do they have (or not have) over other hot dog brands in the market?

They’re 100% Beef

Nothing scares a hot dog lover more than eating one whose content you cannot authenticate.

How often have you heard of hot dogs that are a chemical mashup stuffed with spare chicken trimmings and other animal organs such as liver and kidneys?

More times than you can count, right?

The Kirkland signature hot dogs sold at Costco are 100% beef and don’t have unhealthy additives and stabilizers like other more expensive brands in the market.

They rank among the best hot dogs in the American fast-food market.

Costco is in charge of the whole manufacturing process for their dogs and offers you the “cleanest” option to meet your craving anytime you want it.

To assure you a clean bill of health, Costo hot dogs are free of:

• Corn syrup
• By-products
• Phosphates
• Fillers
• Artificial colors and flavors

Yes, it’s possible to enjoy a hot dog without pumping your body with unhealthy chemicals!

They’re Made In-House

When Costco first started selling hot dogs, they used to source them from Hebrew National. However, when the prices began to fluctuate, Costco management decided, why not invest in an in-house hot dog manufacturing plant?

The company has two manufacturing plants in Los Angeles and Chicago to ensure that you have a constant supply of the $1.50 cheap thrill.

By doing away with the Hebrew National partnership and getting a registered trademark to produce their own hot dogs, Costco Co managed to lower the production costs.

They’ve managed to sell the signature hot dog for the same price since 1985. You and your family can continue enjoying a cheap meal after shopping and still get value for every buck you spend on it.

Bigger Hot Dogs for a Fraction of the Standard Market Price

The Costco hot dog and soda combo often sound too good to be true, but this is also a secret ingredient to the yumminess you get with each bite.

Each hot dog weighs approximately 4 ounces, while the standard hot dog weighs 1.58 ounces. Every time you buy a Costco hot dog, you’ll be getting a super big deal at a fraction of the standard hot dog price.

The price tag is more of a marketing strategy for the company than it is a profit-making venture.

Costco figured that nothing fulfills a customer more than having a quality cheap, satisfying meal after making tiresome rounds in the shopping isles.

You might wonder, with a $1.50 hot dog price tag, isn’t the company making losses?

Apparently, they are!

The company makes a financial loss with every hot dog sold.

However, maintaining the price of the hot dog has proven to be a profitable incentive for their shoppers.

Costco’s current CEO, Craig Jelinek, once approached Costco’s founder Jim Sinegal about why the company insisted on keeping the hot dog while it continued losing money. He commented that they couldn’t keep selling the hot dog for a buck fifty.

Sinegal’s response was, “If you raise the price of the effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out.”

The Costco president has never raised the price or compromised on the hot dog’s quality.

This quote was recently tweeted by one Twitter user, and it reminded us why the Costco hot dog remains the cheapest yet most delicious in the market.

The company has never raised the price for its hot dogs, yet it makes millions in sales every year.

They’re Steamed

If we asked you to describe a hot dog in graphics, greasy would be the dominant feature. And you wouldn’t be at fault.

Most of the ingredients in grilled hot dogs are fatty, with a greasy and sometimes non-palatable appeal.

However, your favorite $1.50 hot dog from Costco food courts is steamed, allowing you to enjoy the bursts of flavor without the greasy coating.

Both the beef and bun are steamed to perfection, locking in the moisture for you to enjoy a moist and gratifying treat.

Smoky, Juicy, and Flavorful

The steamed hot dog at Costco is as yummy (or even more yummy) as grilled hot dogs.

Steamed food cooks slowly, allowing the flavors and spices to seep into the food and give it an authentic flavor in every inch.

One bite into the Costco Co hot dog, and you can literally feel all your taste senses awakening.

The juices from the beef are so sweet, coupled with the fresh and soft taste of the steamed bun, that you might end up ordering more than one of these.

If you thought that the Costco pizza is the only thing to look forward to at their food courts, then you thought wrong!

You don’t know mouthwatering goodness if you’ve not had one of these dogs.

Free Is the Trick

If you thought the price tag is the only thing that would keep you going back for more of Costco’s hot dogs, you’re wrong.The hot dog comes with a 20 oz. soda with free refills and free toppings for your delicacy.

Some of the available toppings are:

• Ketchup
• Yellow mustard
• Sweet pickle
• Raw diced onions
• Sauerkraut

Pssst!

If you’re in a foreign country with a Costco outlet, visit their food courts and treat your taste buds to more exciting flavors. For instance, in Japan, they use pork instead of beef for their dogs.

The Kirkland signature hot dog and soda combo are constant across all Costco Co food courts. You only have to ask the attendant on the other side of the counter for more information on what other accompaniments they have for their hot dog.

The Price Justifies Your Costco Membership

If you’re paying a yearly subscription as a Costco shopper, the low price for their hot dog is more compensation than any other product on the market.

It feels like they appreciate you for being a loyal customer with the cheapest and most delicious deal around.

Nothing beats walking out of a Costco outlet with a full shopping cart and a big, juicy, and flavorful hot dog!

No Guilt Involved

After walking hundreds of steps inside Costco, pushing and pulling a shopping cart, why wouldn’t you treat yourself to one of their delicious dogs?

There’s no guilt in rewarding yourself after accomplishing a shopping task and exercising while at it.

Consider this; the Costco hot dog treat is as healthy as they come.

You also didn’t spend your day on the couch accumulating calories. You went out, got into some calorie-draining activity, and now, it’s time to congratulate yourself for a job well done.

Doesn’t the hot dog already feel like a delicious something you earned?

Treat Your Taste Buds to a Hot Doggy Feast

Nothing beats an affordable yet healthy hot dog and soda combo! It’s the ultimate goal for any foodie or any empty stomach.

An excellent hot dog doesn’t have to have all the unhealthy additives and make you feel like you have to choose between your health and enjoying a delicacy.

The Costco hot dog is the one reason why you should love hot dogs again, even if you’ve been disappointed by other brands.

Photo by GoToVan / CC BY

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