You Can Still Buy Costco's Discontinued Food Court Churros But There's A Catch
Costco's food court is a common stop for members after a big shopping trip. From quick snacks to meals fit for a family, the wholesaler's menu is filled with foods to fuel up on a budget — a treat in itself after buying groceries in bulk. Signature staples like Costco's pizza, which boasts a shocking amount of cheese, and the hot dog soda combo, priced at only $1.50, have a cult-like following thanks to their appetizing affordability. However, certain offerings have been discontinued over the years for various reasons. One sweet treat that didn't make the cut despite its popularity: The Costco churro.
As with other fallen fan favorites, including the combo pizza and chili, the churro's disappearance from the food court menu at the beginning of 2024 caused quite a bit of controversy. But while some former staples, such as the condiment bar's diced onions, have made celebrated returns, it doesn't seem like Costco's churro will be back any time soon. To the dismay of many members, the fried cinnamon-sugar fritter has already been replaced by a hefty chocolate chunk cookie. However, all hope is not lost.
If you're craving a Costco churro, you can buy them frozen from certain stores (even Costco). The only catch? The signature sweet, made by the brand Tio Pepe's, is only available in bulk. However, purchasing them in a large quantity is much more cost-effective than it was to buy individual churros from the food court. Just beware: You'll have a huge amount available to eat at home.
The churros are made by Tio Pepe's but can only be bought in bulk
While it's no longer available at Costco's food court, the wholesaler's beloved churro can still be bought from its manufacturer. The maker of the sweet snack, Tio Pepe's, also supplies Disneyland's churros. The brand offers traditional and twisted versions with or without flavored fillings like Bavarian cream. Sold only in bulk, Tio Pepe's churros are available at restaurant and food service supply stores.
To secure a bunch of the doughy dessert sticks, you might get lucky and find them in person. After churros disappeared from food courts, Costco stocked boxes of them in the frozen section at select warehouses, according to an Instagram post by Costcofans from January 2024. It's unclear if the churros are still sold at the wholesaler today, but at the time, you could buy 60 dual-flavor twisted churros for between about $34 and $38.
If Costco doesn't pan out, your best bet is to order them online. A miniature version of Tio Pepe's churros can be ordered from Walmart. The store will ship out a whopping 200 churros for about $130. Other food service suppliers such as Amazon or Smart and Final also carry the sweet treats in varying quantities at a range of prices. Shopping around could help you get a better deal, but be mindful of packaging when searching for the signature churros. Tio Pepe's is owned by parent company J&J Snack Foods, which rebranded some of its products under the ¡Hola! Churros name.
The controversial change to the Costco churro before it was discontinued
Costco's choice to discontinue its churro was controversial — but for unexpected reasons. Before disappearing from the menu once and for all, churros were temporarily unavailable. Costco stopped selling the treat during the pandemic, eventually bringing it back in 2021 — but with a twist. The churros that returned were 20% bigger, tasted different, and featured a twisted look. They also cost more: $1.49 each instead of the $1 version that preceded them, meaning customers were getting less churro for their change. In contrast, the original churros had straight ridges, a perfectly crispy exterior, and a pleasantly soft interior.
After the replacement churro was rumored to be on the chopping block, many mourned it on Reddit while paying respects to the first version. One user said, "The churros have been dead to me since [Costco] moved to the twisted ones anyway." Perhaps the change was the final nail in the coffin for the sweet treat. Still, customers were displeased to lose the Costco churro, especially considering the company replaced it with a cookie. Not only is the double chocolate chunk cookie more expensive ($2.49 versus $1.49), but it boasts significantly more calories. Plus, it's easy to make gooey cookies at home compared to crispy-yet-soft churros.
Thankfully, Tio Pepe's cinnamon-sugar-coated treats can satisfy any ongoing cravings. Since they're available in twisted and traditional versions, all fans of Costco's churros will be pleased. And although Costco has more changes in store, hopefully, they won't involve any other food court favorites.