There aren’t many food items these days that haven’t been subjected to some degree of inflation. But despite all odds, Costco has somehow kept its sacred $1.50 hot dog and soda combo completely unchanged for more than 40 years.
Now, for the first time in decades, shoppers have noticed that the trusty cheap meal added one small modification: diners can now choose a bottle of water instead of a 20-oz., refillable fountain soda.
That’s right! Rest assured that in this changing world, where gas is averaging more than $6 a gallon, and rents are chronically skyrocketing, you can still rely on the good ol’ Costco hot dog deal.
The price is still $1.50. You can still enjoy the quarter-pound beef hot dog and soda if you wish. The only difference is that now, you have the option to swap the soda for a 16.9 oz. bottle of Kirkland Signature water. Everything is ok!
Shoppers first started noting the change on Reddit earlier this year, and news outlets are reporting seeing it reflected in locations all over the country, including in California.
40 years of $1.50 hot dogs
The Costco hot dog has been an emblematic part of the grocery chain’s shopping experience since 1984, as detailed by a lengthy Wikipedia page dedicated solely to the food item. The quarter-pound beef hot dog has a cult following, with an average of 135 million hot dogs sold every year.
According to an article by NPR, the hot dog should cost around $4.40 these days with inflation.
However, Costco’s management has staunchly preserved the $1.50 price tag for decades. In fact, the story goes that when Craig Jelinek replaced Jim Sinegal as CEO in 2018, and suggested raising the price, Sinegal responded, “If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out.”
