The Costco Food Court Banh Mi You Can Only Get In One Country

Costco offers customers a lot of unique products and opportunities, but its food court is surprisingly one of its most beloved assets of all. What can we say? The people love those warm sandwiches, silky acai bowls, and its truly iconic chicken bakes. While Costco's pizzas and hot dogs are some of the most popular food court options in America, Costco locations in one country down under also have banh mi as an option, too. That's right, Australians are lucky enough to have the traditional Vietnamese sandwich available at their food courts. 

There are two types of banh mito choose from, BBQ pork or juicy chicken, and each comes complete with a handful of julienned carrots and sliced cucumber. Each roll goes for just $6.99 AUD.

Not only do Australian Costcos have banh mi to offer its customers, but you might not even need a membership to try it. Many Costcos in Australia have the food courts built separately from the rest of the store, so some locations might offer this meal to everyone. Does anyone else find themselves looking up flights to Sydney right now?

We're jealous just at the mention of a Costco banh mi, but our expectations were lowered slightly after digging into what people who have tried it have to say. One Costco member commented on the offering on Instagram saying, "Vietnam is crying right now. this is not a proper banh mi." Another internet user shared their impression of the sandwich on TikTok after grabbing one from a Costco in Sydney. They were surprised to see the chicken prepared in a Cantonese style and also pointed out that the bread was super dry. Customers were quick to confirm these negative reviews, with many claiming they could get a better roll for a much cheaper price elsewhere. "You can tell by the look of the banh mi and it's [sic] price that it wasn't going to be worth it. Bet I've had significantly betters [sic] ones for $4 in the city," one user claimed.

Finally, one Costco member from Perth actually shared their excitement for this food court item on Reddit. Some users agreed, with a few saying they actually thought the sandwich was good, and another even dubbing Australian Costcos the "promised land" for even offering banh mi. Other users were quick to provide some humbling insight, with one even calling the sandwich "disgusting. 80k Vietnamese here, and at least 30 banh mi shops I'd go to before having this one," they said. 

So overall, fans seem to agree that it's best to choose something else from Australian Costco's food courts. It's a good thing that the warehouse chain has a lot of other options. For example, looking beyond the classic Vietnamese fare, let's talk about some of the other unique food court meals members around the world can try.

For starters, Australia has a few other intriguing menu items to boast about like refreshing poke bowls and Korean-style chicken wings, which generally have better reviews than the banh mi. Costcos in Spain offer one of the most popular street foods in its food court too: Croquetas. These deep-fried snacks are full of savory meats and cheese and there are plenty of different varieties available. Finally, Costco locations in Japan offer customers a refreshing chocolate-banana soft cream, which seems very similar to the soft serve many have come to know and love here in the States.

With so many delicious food court offerings at Costco locations around the world, there are plenty more menu items to add to that foodie bucket list. And just maybe, they will one day make the list of the best Costco food court items.