The internet is blowing up over the first change to Costco’s $1.50 hot dog combo in 40 years. But don’t worry — the Issaquah, Washington-based big-box store isn’t budging on the price.
Shoppers who need respite from the chaos of the Costco checkout area can now opt for a 16.9-ounce bottle of Kirkland Signature water instead of a fountain soda to wash down their steaming, often slightly wet hot dog.
You might be thinking, “Who cares?” Apparently, a lot of people. The seemingly minor change has generated major headlines.
That’s not just due to excitement from Kirkland Signature water bottle lovers (if those even exist). The hot dog combo is iconic for remaining at its $1.50 since its introduction in 1984, while other food prices have soared.
The meal has become a joke of sorts. Shirts featuring the Costco hot dog combo with the phrase, “I got that dog in me,” have gone viral. (This reporter may or may not have one.)
A quote about never changing the price of a Costco hot dog, supposedly said by Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal, frequently appears on social media posts. Former Costco CEO Walter Craig Jelinek told media outlets that he recalled Sinegal once telling him that if he raised the price of the hot dog combo, “I will kill you.”
And last month, current Costco CEO Ron Vachris joined in on a viral trend of CEOs trying their company’s food, which was unintentionally kicked off by McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski’s dainty bite of his company’s new burger.
“$1.50? For this hot dog?” Vachris said before taking a bite. “The hot dog price will not change as long as I’m around.”
The video garnered over 800,000 likes on Instagram.
So any news about the combo, even watered down, is a big deal to Costco fans.
Costco did not immediately respond to a request for comment or share whether the change will appear on menus nationwide.
