Fans demand Costco bring back nine discontinued food court items they ‘still remember’ after years

CUSTOMERS have been desperate for the return of their nine food court favorites at Costco.

Fans of the wholesale giant took to social media to passionately discuss which foods they miss the most.

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The conversation took place on Reddit, where one user posted a detailed list of items the customer base had lost over the years.

The post, titled “What food court item do you miss the most?” received more than 500 comments from fans of the retailer.

Hand dipped ice cream

The person who created the poll said that the giant hand-dipped ice cream parlor is one of the two things they miss a lot.

Ice cream lovers were heartbroken after Costco discontinued their hand-dipped ice cream. The sweet treat was a plain chocolate dipped ice cream cone, with the option of almonds.

“I still check every time I go to the store to see if they’ve brought it back. It was a Haagen-Dazs bar, hand-dipped in chocolate ten times thicker, with or without nuts. I used to get bags from the meat department and fill them up “Fill up with ice from the food court and take 5 home wrapped in ice. Sooo good,” shared one user.

“It was like a Haagen-Dazs bar, but better. I loved how soft and creamy the chocolate was,” wrote another user.

Though Costco has never issued a formal comment, Victor Valley News Group reported that the rise in grocery costs prompted the retailer to cut the fan favorite.

chicken casserole

During the 2020 pandemic, chicken baking was temporarily suspended. When the food court item was returned, customers noticed a big difference.

“Current ones are frozen and pre-made and just heated,” said one Reddit user.

“They used to be made on the spot from pizza dough. The Caesar dressing was spread on after cooking so it could be served on the side or not at all (my preference). They were MUCH fluffier and crispier on the outside.” “And the chicken was juicier,” wrote another user.

Fans could easily taste the difference in quality and have been craving the original chicken casserole ever since.

Caesar salad

Like the chicken casserole, the Caesar salad was a product that was temporarily discontinued and then reintroduced.

Many, right after trying their favorite salad, complained that it wasn’t nearly as good as before.

“All the ingredients are of poor quality, but no tomatoes or crotons. It’s just romaine lettuce, some parmesan, and some of the pre-separated fried chicken pieces they sell in those vacuum-sealed bags. It just doesn’t taste fresh anymore and the salad was even wilted,” one person wrote.

Fans also complained that the salad was more expensive.

Carne Asada casserole

Costco’s carne asada casserole only lasted two years, but customers will remember it for a long time.

“I started thinking I was hallucinating it,” said one Reddit user. “I loved it so much.”

“We’ve had them all over Washington state, my mouth is watering just thinking about them. I can’t remember if they threw them away because of the pandemic or before,” recalled another user.

The food was discontinued in 2012 and later replaced with turkey and provolone casserole.

chili

Costco’s Chili was removed this year and fans are already missing it.

The meal featured beef, kidney beans, pinto beans, peppers and onions to create the customer favorite.

Some customers would pair it with a Costco hot dog for a pleasing combination.

“Our Costco had a bowl of chili that’s sorely missed on a hot dog,” said one Reddit user.

According to Mashed, it’s thought this was another food that was becoming too expensive to produce, prompting Costco to remove it from its menu.

Berry smoothie

The berry smoothie was introduced in 2007 and served as an option for those wanting something healthier in the food court.

The drink consisted of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.

“It’s so hot where I live,” said one person. “I had [the Berry Smoothie] a lot for lunch or dinner.

The berry smoothie was discontinued and replaced with Costco’s mango smoothie, which was not well received.

Thankfully, the retailer decided to listen to fans and announced they’re bringing the berry smoothie back to Costco.

Polish dog

The Polish Dog was discontinued in 2018. Due to the outrage, Costco released a statement as to why they decided to remove the food court item.

“In order to simplify our menu and make room for healthier options, we decided to offer only pure beef hot togs,” the company wrote.

“Sales show that this is what the majority of members prefer. While we understand that many members liked the Polish Dog, we hope you enjoy our new offerings.”

However, some fans are unconvinced that the regular hot dog contests are happening.

“Polish Dog because the hot dogs have no flavor,” wrote one fan.

Hot Dog Condiments

Not only did Costco remove the Polish dog, but many of its condiment options as well.

“Polish dog with sauerkraut, onions and brown mustard,” one person wrote.

“Am I just imagining it, or was there nothing more than yellow mustard?”

Other Redditors were quick to confirm the loss of spice.

“Deli mustard was in the dispenser,” said one.

“Onions and Dijon mustard for the dogs,” wrote another. “They disappeared around the pandemic and never came back.”

“Why do you have to remind me what we lost?” yelled a third.

Combo pizza

Finally, the combo pizza is among the items that have been discontinued during the pandemic, and fans are still reeling from the loss.

The slice of pizza featured a variety of toppings, including peppers, onions, pepperoni, sausage, and mushrooms.

“Hot Take: The pandemic won’t be over until combo pizza is back,” wrote one fan.

“I didn’t care that I had to rip off about half the olives,” commented another. “The pepperoni and cheese just aren’t enough.”

According to Eat Pallet, the decision to ditch combo pizza was largely to do with the company’s profitability.