New hack makes Costco’s $1.50 hot dog easier | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

There are plenty of things to love about shopping at Costco. But if there’s one thing that keeps members coming back time and time again, it’s Costco’s iconic $1.50 hot dog and soda combo.

To be clear, that famous food court meal is not a great deal for Costco. The warehouse club giant consistently loses money on it, given that its price has not changed since the meal was introduced in 1985.

But it’s worth it for Costco to keep that price point intact because it’s a major draw for members and encourages member loyalty.

In fact, a number of people took to Reddit to sing the praises of Costco’s hot dog and soda combo.

“You can’t beat the value,” said one user.

“If I don’t leave with a hot dog or a whole pizza, I feel like I failed going into Costco,” said another.

Costco sources its beef hot dogs from two in-house meat plants.

Image source&colon; Shutterstock

Costco’s hot dog meal is one of the most important items it sells

Costco has built its reputation on low prices coupled with high quality. And the hot dog and soda combo is a prime example of both.

Costco has also gone to great lengths to keep its hot dog and soda combo price steady for 40 years and counting.

As the company stated on its website, Costco sources its quarter-pound-plus beef hot dogs from two in-house meat plants. The buns are then sourced from regional suppliers, and six soda flavors are purchased by Costco in bulk.

This allows Costco to hold the price of that meal steady while reducing product waste.

A brief history of Costco’s hot dog deal

Costco began selling its famous hot dogs in 1985 in carts outside of select warehouses, the company says.
In 2023, Costco sold almost 200 million hot dog and soda combos, according to Mashed.
In 2025, Costco sold more than 245 million hot dog and soda combos, breaking a record, Fortune reported.

Of course, through the years, there’s been speculation as to whether Costco would raise the cost of its famous meal deal.

But during the company’s Q3 2024 earnings call, then-newly appointed CFO Gary Millerchip made a point to inform investors: “To clear up some recent media speculation, I also want to confirm the $1.50 hotdog price is safe.”

New hack makes famous Costco hot dog even easier to enjoy

Costco’s $1.50 hot dog meal may be the best food deal out there. But for some people, it’s hard to enjoy.

Although Costco stores are gigantic, the food courts themselves aren’t so big in terms of seating. And during peak times, like the lunch rush and weekends, snagging a table at the food court can be easier said than done.

That’s a problem for fans of the hot dog and soda combo, who have bemoaned the fact that it’s tough to consume that meal while standing. So San Francisco-area chef Juleon Cotillon came up with a solution, dubbed the Buck Fifty.

The Buck Fifty is a white plastic tray that can fit on the top rack of a Costco shopping cart and hold both a hot dog and soda at the same time. Cotillon uses a 3D printer to produce his invention, which sells for $19.69 on his Etsy and Shopify sites.

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However, as demand grows for the Buck Fifty, Cotillon may need to find a way to produce and sell his creation more cost-efficiently. As of early February, Cotillon already had 600 preorders, according to SF Gate.

Cotillon has reached out to Costco’s corporate team in the U.S. to discuss an official collaboration. So far, he hasn’t heard back.

But one thing’s for sure. If Costco is able to find a way to make its famous meal even easier to consume, it could drive more business to the store.

Maurie Backman owns shares of Costco.