After navigating its crowded aisles and spending more than you probably should on bulk groceries, there’s no greater reward at the end of a Costco trip than visiting its famous food court. The menus at these beloved in-store eateries are short but packed with tasty, affordable options. Look no further than its $9.95 whole pizzas, the $3.99 Chicken Bake, and of course, the stubbornly cheap $1.50 hot dog combo.
Some customers are so devoted to Costco’s food court offerings that they’ve created merch in their honor. Meanwhile, others have taken their enthusiasm a step further by inventing their own special “hacks” for the retailer’s food court bites and beverages.
Some of those hacks are so ridiculous that they only seem to exist for the shock factor (looking at you, Jochizza). However, other food court tricks circulating on the internet are so genius and inventive that they’re a must-try for any diehard Costco fan.
We’ve rounded up all of the food court hacks below that every Costco member should try at least once. Just be warned—you’ll need to come prepared with an empty stomach and plenty of napkins.
Cookie ice cream sundaes
In December 2023, Costco replaced its longstanding food court churro with a massive new Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie that immediately began garnering rave reviews. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take members very long to combine the new cookie with another popular Costco food court treat: ice cream.
In a hack that began to take the internet by storm in early 2024, Costco members have been crumbling the Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie on top of food court ice cream cups to make their own loaded ice cream sundaes. The beauty of this trick lies in its versatility. You can keep it simple by topping Costco’s plain vanilla or chocolate soft serve with gooey cookie pieces, or up the indulgence by opting for an ice cream sundae with either chocolate or strawberry topping.
Those who aren’t afraid to get their hands a little dirty can also craft their own ice cream sandwiches by ordering two cookies and spooning a layer of ice cream between them.
Pizza-wrapped hot dogs
Nutrition:
Pepperoni Slice + Hot Dog (Per Item)
Calories: 1,020
Fat: 55 g (Saturated Fat: 23 g, Trans Fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 1,865 mg
Carbs: 79 g (Fiber: 7 g, Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 50 g
Let’s face it: choosing between Costco’s beloved hot dog and a slice of pizza can be quite the arduous task. Thankfully, a popular hack circulating online for years combines the two food court staples, freeing you from the burden of decision making.
To make a pizza-wrapped hot dog, simply de-bun your dog, lay it atop a pizza slice (preferably a larger one), roll them up together so the frank is securely locked inside, and dig in. Sure, it’s an outrageous combination that your doctor probably wouldn’t be too happy to hear about. But for those days when you desperately want to try something new from the Costco food court or have a formidable appetite, it might just hit the spot.
Ice cream floats
Nutrition:
Vanilla Ice Cream + 10 oz. Pepsi (Per Order)
Calories: 680
Fat: 30 g (Saturated Fat: 19 g, Trans Fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 240 mg
Carbs: 128 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 120 g)
Protein: 9 g
Feeling nostalgic? If so, you might be delighted to hear that Costco’s food court sells everything you need to craft your own cola ice cream float.
Simply grab a vanilla ice cream cup and either a Pepsi or Diet Pepsi from the food court, and then combine the two to make an old-fashioned ice cream drink. While some have opted to add a dollop of ice cream directly into their soft drink cup, those who have a little extra room in their ice cream cup can pour soda straight over the top and mix it in. The result is a sweet, creamy, refreshing, and affordable treat that’s remarkably easy to put together.
Onion-topped pizzas
Nutrition:
Pepperoni Slice + Diced Onion (Per Serving)
Calories: 665
Fat: 24 g (Saturated Fat: 11 g, Trans Fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 1,740 mg
Carbs: 79 g (Fiber: 9 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 34 g
Costco delighted shoppers when it brought back its popular diced onion topping for hot dogs in May 2023. Since then, members have discovered another tasty use for the popular accoutrement: upgrading their pizza.
That’s right! Some Costco shoppers do, in fact, sprinkle diced onions atop their food court pizza before digging in. The trick makes sense if you’re a fan of the aromatic veggie to begin with. But the popularity of this hack might have something to do the fact that Costco’s discontinued food court Combo Pizza also included onions. Costco shoppers have never stopped calling for the return of Combo Pizza ever since it was discontinued in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the diced onions could help grieving shoppers add back some of the flavor and texture they miss.
The “Forbidden Glizzy’
Nutrition:
Chicken Bake + Hot Dog (Per Serving):
Calories: 1,210
Fat: 63 g (Saturated Fat: 23 g, Trans Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 3,900 mg
Carbs: 87 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 68 g
Perhaps no Costco food court hack is more awe-inspiring than what shoppers have dubbed the “Forbidden Glizzy.” This viral hack requires you to saw off one end of a Chicken Bake, which is a sort of souped-up Hot Pocket stuffed with chicken, bacon, Caesar dressing, and cheese. Then, you effectively turn the Chicken Bake into a bun by adding a bun-less hot dog inside.
It’s a divisive hack to be sure. Some say it’s “disturbing.” Others call it a “fun excursion.” But doesn’t the controversy make you want to see what all the fuss is about? Maybe just once?
Request your pizza ‘well done’
Nutrition:
Whole Cheese Pizza (Per Order):
Calories: 4,260
Fat: 161 g (Saturated Fat: 83 g, Trans Fat: 6 g)
Sodium: 10,710 mg
Carbs: 467 g (Fiber: 52 g, Sugar: 31 g)
Protein: 247 g
For those seeking hacks that are a little more practical than the Forbidden Glizzy, consider giving this one a try. A common complaint about Costco’s whole food court pizzas is that the crust is never quite crispy enough. Luckily, Costco shoppers have tipped off their fellow members online that they can sometimes request a longer cooking time to get the crust they desire.
As one Redditor explained in a post last year: “Order it ‘well done.’ They put it through the oven one more time and it’s fantastic. Been doing this for years!” a Costco member shared on Reddit.
Shoppers should just keep in mind that Costco food courts can get wildly busy and workers may not always have the ability or time to cook their pizzas for longer than usual. So, employees might be more capable of fulfilling that type of request when the food court isn’t too slammed.
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