The Discontinued Costco Hot Dog We Wish Would Make A Comeback

The Costco food court is almost as big of a draw as the warehouse retail chain's selection of bulk goods and its beloved Kirkland branded products. Customers love capping off their shopping trips by indulging in pizza, chicken bakes, and ice cream sundaes courtesy of the bustling food court. Costco all-beef hot dogs are another popular food court offering, but some customers feel they pale in comparison to the now-defunct Polish dogs.

Costco angered some of its members when it ceased selling Polish dogs in 2018. Generally, Polish-style dogs feature a greater assortment of spices, and Costco's version was said to be thicker and more robust than its standard all-beef dog. The response was so strong that Costco was compelled to issue an explanation on its website. According to the statement, low sales of the Polish dog showed that the original hot dog is "what the majority of members prefer." The company also said it wished to "simplify our menu and make room for healthier options." While the store's reasoning seems sensible, many Costco members were pretty salty about the decision.

A few years after its discontinuation, Polish dog super fans on Reddit called foul on Costco's low sales explanation. One commenter posited that the store "didn't promote the Polish option" effectively, so some shoppers may not have been aware of its existence. Another person expressed a similar statement, saying, "The old sign...only showed 1 hot dog, and the wording was so weird that you had to really read and think to see there's more than one."

A post on Facebook at the time of the discontinuation was met with equal amounts of consternation. One person stated, "We need to boycott, it will not be a real Costco run without the Polish Dogs," while another commenter lamented, "RIP to the greatest thing about Costco." It should be noted that the furor surrounding the discontinuation has died down in recent years, which could mean that Costco members have come to terms with the loss. Fans of the chain can also take some solace in the fact that Costco's CFO stated the OG hot dog combo will remain $1.50 indefinitely.

Despite the risk of customer outcry, Costco isn't shy about changing its food court lineup. A new chicken and bacon sandwich recently appeared on the menu, and Costco expanded its dessert offerings by adding a massive chocolate chip cookie late last year. As for the Polish dog, Costco has not officially revealed any plans to re-introduce it to the menu, which is bound to disappoint hungry shoppers patiently awaiting its return. In the meantime, the chain encourages members to use its online feedback form to make their dissatisfaction about the discontinued item known.

Whether or not that has the intended impact remains to be seen, but some aggrieved customers took fate into their own hands by launching a Change.org petition in 2018. The petition claimed that Costco's remaining all-beef hot dog didn't "cut the mustard," and urged the chain to bring back the Polish dogs, addressing potential concerns about low sales by stating, "We promise to eat more of them!" When you consider that the petition failed to meet its goal and hasn't been updated for some time, it might be time to bid Costco's Polish dog adieu for good.