First Change To Costco’s Legendary $1.50 Hot Dog Meal Since 1985
on Apr 29, 2026
Costco’s Food Court Hot Dog Will Always Be $1.50
Over the years, Costco’s food court menu has gone through changes, whether it be a change to the price or a change in a food item. The menu has seen additions of salads, chicken bakes, sandwiches, smoothies, brownies, and more.
While some prices of the food items have gone up, there’s one thing that Costco CEOs have vowed to never change: the price of the hot dog meal.
Former CEO Craig Jelinek famously revealed in 2018 that the founder of Costco, Jim Sinegal, told him he’d kill him if he ever changed the hot dog price in the food court.
“I came to (Sinegal) once, and I said, ‘Jim, we can’t sell this hot dog for a buck fifty. We are losing our rear ends,’” Jelinek said. “And he said, ‘If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out.’”
At $1.50, customers get a 1/4 pound all beef hot dog and a 20 oz. soda with free refill.
Since then, Ron Vachris has taken over as CEO, and has vowed to follow in his predecesor’s footsteps.
In a social media video Vachris ordered a hot dog meal and said, “The hot dog price will not change as long as I’m around.”
And while the hot dog price will not change, the meal has…for the first time in 40 years.
Costco’s Hot Dog Meal Makes First Change In 40 Years
Costco quietly made a change to the iconic hot dog meal, which made its debut in 1986. Now, instead of a 20-oz. soda, customers can choose to a 16.9oz. bottle of water.
According to a Reddit thread, warehouses in California, Nevada, and Virginia have already been giving their customers this option.
One person even said their location in Toronto, Canada has had the water option for a while.
Although the soda fountains do have a water option, some customers say they would prefer to have a water bottle instead of using the soda fountain water because sometime the water still tastes a little bit like whichever flavor drink it’s shared with.
Others have said they’d like the convenience of closing the water bottle, rather than the star and plastic cup when they are on the go.
