It's all about to make so much sense
For my mother-in-law’s 60th birthday, she asked all of her friends to meet her at the Costco food court to enjoy its infamous $1.50 hot dog combo. The jumbo dog, accompanied by a 20-ounce Diet Coke, just makes her happy. In fact, it makes a lot of people happy, and that’s why Costco hasn’t changed the price of this deal since its food-court debut in 1985.
But which company is behind the Costco hot dogs? For some reason, when I’m enjoying some time in the food court myself, I can never quite place where they come from. The taste is familiar, but that’s also probably because I’ve ordered the Costco hot dog combo dozens of times. Of course one of my favorite Costco products is going to taste familiar! Let’s do a little detective work to uncover the brand behind the dog.
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Who’s behind the hot dogs in Costco’s food court?
Drumroll, please … it’s Costco! The hot dogs are a Kirkland Signature product, and they’re made at Costco’s two meat-processing facilities. One is located in Morris, Illinois, where there are five production lines to make these franks. The other is the Costco Wholesale Meat Plant in Tracy, California. Costco doesn’t make these hot dogs for any other brands, so the taste and texture of the product can be found only at the warehouse club.
Has this always been the case?
Interestingly, no. Costco used to offer Hebrew National hot dogs in the food court. This is because back in 1984, when Costco as we know it was really starting to take shape, a Hebrew National hot dog cart set up shop outside of a San Diego warehouse. However, in 2008, to cut down on supply chain costs and keep the price of the hot dog combo at $1.50, Costco started producing its own hot dogs.
How are the hot dogs different now?
For one thing, they’re not kosher anymore. When Costco started making its own Kirkland Signature hot dogs, they stopped being kosher and also got bigger. Now, the Costco food-court hot dogs weigh a whopping 1/4-pound each! As a testament to Costco’s food-quality standards, which are quite high, its frankfurters are made from USDA Choice Beef and are free of corn syrup, phosphates and fillers.
If you’re looking for a kosher dog, Costo still sells Hebrew National hot dogs in the warehouse, just not in the food court.
Do the food-court hot dogs automatically come with toppings?
Costco’s food-court hot dogs are served plain. However, there’s a condiment station featuring ketchup, mustard, relish and, in most cases, chopped onions as well. Now if you visit Costcos across the country, you’ll notice the type of bun served is different depending on your location. In some cases, Costco serves its hot dogs on a sesame seed bun, which seems like a bold choice, but it’s all about where the company sources this bread locally. While Costco manufactures its own hot dogs, that’s not the case with the buns, which vary geographically depending on the supplier in that area.
Can you buy these food-court hot dogs in the store too?
Yes, siree. You can purchase Kirkland Signature Beef Dinner Franks in a 14-pack in the warehouse. These are 1/4-pound (plus) each, so the package weighs an impressive 3.81 pounds. This item costs around $19. There’s also a 3-pack of Kirkland Signature Beef Hot Dogs, with 12 links in each package, but the hot dogs are smaller than the jumbo 1/4-pound food-court variety. This product is priced around $22, but you are getting more hot dogs.
If you head over to the Costco Business Center, you can find the Kirkland Signature Polish Sausages, which are 1/4-pound each, like the food-court hot dogs. They’re sold in a pack of 14 for $19.
RELATED:
- Costco Is Making a Big Change to This Food-Court Staple—Here’s What to Know
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- This Is Why You Should Never Buy Costco’s Kirkland Products on Amazon
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Sources:
- Whiting-Turner: “Costco Meat Production Plant”
- USDA: “Costco Wholesale Meat Plant”
- Tasting Table: “The Reason Costco’s Food Court Hot Dog Buns Are Different Across The Country”
