Costco's $1.50 hot dog and soda combo may be immortal, but the churro sitting next to it just got a makeover—and not everyone is happy about it.
The warehouse giant has swapped its long-standing twisted churro for a shorter, thicker, cinnamon-sugar-dusted version at many locations, according to shopper reports and food blogs tracking the rollout.
The original churro was a foot-long, two-strand twist that cost about $1.49.
The new one is a single, fatter stick, often priced around $1.99 to $2.49 depending on the warehouse.
That's a real change at a time when shoppers are watching every line item on the receipt.
Because Costco's food court is one of the last places in America where a family of four can eat for under $10.
When the churro—a cheap treat parents hand to restless kids mid-aisle—gets smaller and pricier, it lands as another small squeeze on the household budget.
Reddit threads and TikTok reviews have turned into a taste test battleground.
Some shoppers say the new churro is fresher and more moist, with a softer interior and better cinnamon coverage.
Others call it a downgrade, arguing the twist had more crunch and felt like more food for the money.
A dollar extra sounds trivial until you multiply it across weekly trips.
For a family that grabs food court snacks every Costco run, that's roughly $50 a year on churros alone—money that used to stretch further.
Costco hasn't made a loud national announcement, which is typical for food court changes.
The chain tests and rolls out items region by region, so your local warehouse may still have the old twist or may have already switched.
That inconsistency is fueling confusion, with shoppers unsure whether their store changed or they misremembered.
Grocery prices have cooled from their 2022 peak, but the cost of eating out and grabbing quick snacks keeps climbing.
Restaurants and retailers are quietly shrinking portions and nudging prices up—what shoppers call "shrinkflation" and "skimpflation." A churro is a tiny data point, but it's the kind people actually notice.
Costco's cheap food court is a membership perk, a reward for the $65 or $130 annual fee.
When a signature cheap item changes, members feel it as a broken promise, even if the hot dog stays put.
If you're a churro fan, check your local warehouse before assuming the old version is gone.
Prices and availability vary by location, and some stores have kept the twist while others moved on.
If the new one isn't worth it to you, the $1.50 hot dog combo and the $9.95 whole pizza remain the best value plays on the menu.
Our take: Costco is testing how much goodwill its food court can absorb.
The churro won't make or break anyone's budget, but it's a telling signal that even the cheapest treats are getting repriced.
Final Thoughts
Watch the next menu change closely—if the hot dog ever moves, that's when members should really worry.