Costco Hints at the Return of a Beloved Food Court Favorite

Costco members could soon enjoy a nostalgic sweet treat, as the warehouse retailer hints that a popular food court favorite may be making a limited-time comeback.

Speculation started on September 16, when Costco shared an Instagram video featuring its food court menu. The post teased the return of a familiar item without revealing exactly what it was.

“I think it’s going to look great right there,” members of Costco’s social media team say in the clip, adding that they “can’t believe we’re bringing back” the mystery menu item.

The video ends with a “To be continued” message, prompting Costco shoppers to investigate the clue for themselves.

A Reddit discussion soon gained thousands of votes, with many users convinced they had identified the returning Costco food court item.

The most popular guess is the cinnamon-sugar churro, a much-loved dessert that was removed from Costco food courts across the US in 2024.

Reddit user TrippingOnGinger initially said they planned to ask their girlfriend, who works as a food court supervisor, whether she knew what Costco was preparing to bring back.

The user later returned with an exciting claim: “It is, in fact, churros!”

The comment attracted more than 1,400 upvotes, while one enthusiastic shopper responded, “THIS IS THE BEST NEWS!”

Another Redditor, bendable_girder, offered a one-word prediction—“Churros”—in a comment that collected over 4,000 upvotes.

A Costco employee added to the speculation, claiming that a manager had also mentioned the possible return of churros during a staff meeting.

Still, some Costco fans remain cautious and are hoping the announcement involves a different discontinued food court favorite.

The moderator of the original Reddit discussion noted that Costco has already dismissed one major possibility, saying there are “unfortunately no plans” to restore Combo Pizza to US food courts at this time.

That has not stopped members from sharing their wish lists. Some shoppers have suggested the bulgogi bake, a menu item available at select Costco locations outside the US.

Churros would be a particularly fitting choice because the sweet has already made several exits and returns during its history at Costco.

The retailer first removed its original churro during the Covid-19 pandemic, when it significantly reduced the number of items offered at its food courts.

The dessert later came back in a twisted version, only to disappear once more in early 2024. Many US warehouses replaced it with a large Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie.

That latest disappearance prompted plenty of online complaints, with some longtime members insisting they preferred the original straight churro to the later twisted version.

Costco’s food court has become famous in its own right, particularly for offering inexpensive comfort food to members after they have finished navigating the warehouse.

Its iconic quarter-pound all-beef hot dog and soda combo has remained $1.50 since the mid-1980s, with Costco’s own historical records dating the first hot dog cart to 1985. 

The 18-inch pizza is another longstanding food court staple, with Costco records showing it was introduced in 1989 at $9.95, while the company is also famous for its giant bakery items and $4.99 rotisserie chickens. 

The retailer has also built a cult following around Kirkland Signature, its private-label brand introduced in 1995, which now covers everything from groceries to household essentials. 

And Costco has shown recently that it is willing to bring back nostalgic food court features, including deli mustard that disappeared from the self-service station during the pandemic. 

For now, Costco has not officially confirmed that churros are the mystery item, meaning members will have to wait for the promised follow-up.

But judging by the reaction online, if the cinnamon-sugar treat really is returning, Costco may have stumbled onto one of its most anticipated food court comebacks in years.