Costco's Most Luxurious Food Court Ice Cream Isn't On The Menu Board

Combine America's favorite frozen treat and a big box retailer with a near cult following, and you've just got one more reason to flock to your nearest Costco. We all scream for ice cream, and Costco knows it — dishing up cups and cones in hefty serving sizes at low prices from the food court, to the delight of its dedicated fans.

The flavor options to choose from aren't endless at Costco. You won't find outside-the-box creations with wacky add-ins or creative twists. Costco sticks to covering the basic cravings, but you won't spot many fans complaining. After all, where else these days can you score massive cups of creamy soft serve for less than three bucks? But there's actually a new, secret menu item you may not have spotted, rounding out the menu of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate choices. With just a little playing around at the self-serve order kiosk, you can order a base of rich chocolate ice cream topped with spoonfuls of syrupy, glistening strawberries for a luxurious play on a classic dessert: chocolate-covered strawberries. 

However, you won't see it listed as an option on the physical menu signage. To order this secret treat, simply choose the strawberry sundae option on the touch screen menu kiosk at the food court. Then, on the next page, where it asks you which flavor base you prefer, choose the rich chocolate Kirkland ice cream. (You can also go with classic vanilla, or a chocolate and vanilla swirl if you can't choose.)

For those who can't and won't choose between chocolate and fruity flavors (and why should you?), the classic pairing of rich cocoa and juicy bright berries are a match made in dessert heaven. Chocolate itself can contain fruity notes, and pairing it with berries only highlights and amplifies this subtle flavor. Strawberries also play well against the deep, creamy richness of a bite of chocolate by providing a burst of brightness and refreshing juiciness. This secret ice cream sundae at Costco is a dreamy frozen play on this classic flavor combo. So, for fans of chocolate-covered strawberries on Valentine's Day (or any day!), it's a no-brainer to make this your next food court treat.

The strawberry ice cream sundae topping replaces the previously offered strawberry ice cream, which was retired earlier this year in favor of the newly-launched chocolate ice cream, allowing for the nostalgic swirling of chocolate and vanilla. It's been speculated that Costco's food court can only offer two base flavors at a time due to the limitations of the ice cream machine, which simply doesn't allow for endless amounts of flavors. Berry lovers can still get their fruity fix with a sweet spoonful of soft, chopped berries in a juicy syrup, ladled onto the thick chocolate ice cream. The flavor is made with premium (and relatively few) ingredients, such as real cream, sugar, and whey.

While the basic menu offers reason enough to treat yourself after your shopping run, it pays to dig into Costco's numerous food court secrets. The food court isn't the only area boasting hidden gems — the store in general is an almost endless treasure trove of hidden perks, like the super cheap bulk frozen pastries and cookies or the trick to scoring inexpensive cookware. With the food court goodies and the store in general, part of the Costco hype is learning to play the retail giant's game of uncovering these many secret tips, tricks, and ways to score beyond the already-low prices. 

While this chocolate and strawberry creation is the latest fan-fave addition to the menu — with shoppers taking to social media to tip off other ice cream lovers about the option — it surely won't be the last. Costco is notorious for changing up its food court offerings, such as the retirement of the beloved churros in favor of a new cookie option, for example, and the swapping out of strawberry ice cream for chocolate. Over the years, Costco has switched out fro-yo for real ice cream, and even served up açaí bowls at one point. Scoop up this sweet, rich, fruity-meets-chocolate creation while you can, and keep your eagle eyes out for upcoming sweet tips and tricks from everyone's favorite jumbo retailer.