In the world of the member-based chain store Costco, known as “好市多” in Chinese, not only does it attract members with its affordable and quality products, but its food court has also garnered a huge following. The food offerings at Costco’s food courts vary by country; for example, sushi and grilled seafood are available in certain countries’ Costco food courts, but you won’t find them in the food courts of the US stores.
The food court is one of the most iconic features of Costco stores. The hot dog combo, which has remained at $1.50 for over 20 years, has become a classic topic of discussion among Costco fans.
Last year, Costco added chocolate cookies to the menu at its US stores’ food courts and recently started using Coca-Cola instead of Pepsi in all its US locations. Other popular items on the US food court menu include cheese and Italian sausage pizza (available sliced or whole), sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, chicken Caesar salad, smoothies, and ice cream.
While you can find similar American food court offerings at Costco stores around the world, the flavors may vary slightly. For example, in the US, smoothies are mainly available in strawberry banana flavor, whereas in Iceland, New Zealand, and the UK, mango flavor is predominant. In Korea, pizza comes in two variations: cheese pizza and barbecue pork pizza, while in the US, the focus is on cheese pizza and Italian sausage pizza.
However, there are some delicious food items that you won’t find in US Costco stores. Below is a list of 10 Costco food court delights compiled by Nexstar that you won’t find in US locations.
According to Costco, the Aussie beef pie is a large pie with “golden crispy pastry encasing slow-cooked chunks of beef, topped with rich meat juice.”
Menus in Australia and other countries also feature chicken tenders and fries, which are absent in US stores. Online users have noted that US Costco needs chicken tenders and burgers.
Apart from chicken tenders available in some international Costco stores, the Taiwan locations even offer fried chicken buckets.
While some US Costco stores in areas with Chinese or Asian communities sell sushi, it is not a standard item on the food court menu.
In Seville, Spain, a Costco store’s menu shows the California Combo sushi priced at 9.99 euros.
Another post from a Costco store in Vancouver, Canada, reveals the presence of California crab roll sushi on the menu, priced at 9.99 Canadian dollars.
Believe it or not, you won’t find cheeseburgers in the food court of US Costco locations. However, according to a Reddit post, you can find them at the Reykjavik, Iceland Costco store.
This cannot definitively prove that cheeseburgers are absent from the US Costco menu. The Seattle Times reported that Costco experimented with organic cheeseburgers in some Northwest US stores in the late 2010s and removed them from the menu in 2020.
Costco food courts in locations outside the US serve french fries. For instance, in Canada, members can enjoy French fries and poutine (French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy). According to a Reddit post, pairing these potato delights with Montreal smoked meat sandwiches from the menu works great.
Speaking of potatoes, Costco customers in the UK can order Jacket potatoes, also known as baked potatoes, which are whole potatoes baked with their skin in the oven. Once cooked, the skin becomes crispy while the insides turn fluffy, often adding butter, cheese, baked beans, tuna, among other fillings—a popular street snack and home-cooked dish.
However, you won’t find these potato delights in US Costco stores.
Costco food court menus in the UK, Canada, and other countries offer coffee. Options shown in pictures shared by Reddit users include cappuccinos, lattes, and Americanos.
However, you can find a cold brew mocha freeze in the US food court.
The soup options available at Costco food courts may vary depending on the location. For example, the Costco store in Taipei, Taiwan offers clam chowder, while mushroom soup is the choice in Korea.
Taiwan and Korea’s Costco food courts do not offer rotisserie chicken but rather roasted seafood or barbecue meats—thinly sliced meats, usually marinated.
Translation provided by translator with love.