Why Costco Gave Up On Its Other Food Court Hot Dog

Costco is one of the only stores where you can casually buy a couch and a year's worth of toilet paper, then sit down for a full-course meal before heading home. It's no secret that the supreme superstore sells nearly everything under the sun, but its most iconic item is found at the food court. Sold with a 20-ounce soda for only $1.50, Costco's hot dog has as much of a cult-like following as the company itself, inspiring T-shirts to viral food challenges. Its cultural significance isn't so surprising considering the inflation-proof price hasn't changed since 1984 and that Costco sells more hot dogs than Major League Baseball. But even diehard fans of the all-beef frank might not know that it hasn't always been the only hot dog sold at the store's food court.

Before the summer of 2018, Costco's hot dog shared menu board real estate with a distinctly flavored frankfurter: the Polish sausage. Compared to the Kirkland Signature beef hot dogs sold at the food court, the Polish ones contained more garlic. This made them similar to a smoked kielbasa-style sausage, a staple meat in Polish cuisine. But despite the spicier taste, Costco discontinued the Polish dog in U.S. stores in July 2018, a decision that didn't go over well with people who preferred the flavor-packed sausage to the standard frank. (It can still be found at Costco Canada locations, however.) As part of a plan to introduce healthier items, the company decided to change up the food court menu, leaving the less-popular hot dog behind in favor of new foods.

Any fan of Costco knows their cafeteria-style eatery has undergone its fair share of changes over the years. Even the wholesaler's most favored food court offerings, from the churro to the combo pizza, haven't been unaffected. But discontinuing the Polish sausage in 2018 spurred a significant revamp of the menu that involved swapping out heftier items for healthier ones.

While the company doesn't always discuss menu adjustments, the Polish dog's removal merited a rather informative explanation about Costco's vision for the food court. "In order to simplify our menu and make room for healthier options, we have decided to offer only the all-beef Hot Dog. Sales show this is what the majority of members prefer," reads the wholesaler's website. It seems that when looking to trim the menu's fat, a question was raised: Why have two hot dogs when one will do? And, naturally, in a beefy showdown, the classic fan-favorite frank was a clear winner.

Although it felt random to the members who loved it, the Polish dog decision didn't happen in a vacuum. The year marked a trend toward Americans aiming to eat with nutrition in mind — especially concerning meat. Citing rising sales of veg-friendly foods and meat substitutes compared to conventional animal-based products, Forbes even recommended that businesses "go vegan" in January 2018. Costco's choice to look to the future may have led to the introduction of new menu items at the unfortunate expense of the Polish sausage.

As part of Costco's move to offer healthier menu items, a couple of items were introduced immediately around the time that the Polish dog disappeared from the wholesaler's food courts. In addition to a nutrient-packed açaí bowl, which replaced the original berry sundae at a higher cost, the new savory offering was the al pastor salad.

Made with a plant-based soy protein, chopped romaine lettuce, black beans, and banh mi vegetables and dressing, the meatless meal first appeared on menus in July 2018, becoming one of the few filling veg-friendly options at the store's food court. Former Costco CEO Craig Jelinek mentioned the new item during a shareholder meeting that month, highlighting it for its healthiness and good taste (via The Seattle Times). However, the al pastor salad didn't make enough of a mark to stick around for very long, potentially due to its conflicting Mexican and Asian culinary influences or price, and disappeared from menus within a few months of its introduction. The decision was likely the result of a lack of popularity, but, as with the Polish sausage, there were members (particularly ones who eat plant-based diets) who were disappointed.

Between all of the items that have come and gone from Costco's food court, it's clear that menu changes aren't always well-received when people's favorite foods are at stake. Still, as anyone who works in the restaurant industry knows, you can't please everyone — especially when it's time to test something new.