What Brand Is Behind Costco's Food Court Hot Dogs?

When it comes to food court mainstays, Costco hot dogs are in a league of their own. Flavorful and affordable, each one is packed with pure beefy convenience. One of the item's biggest claims to fame is that shoppers can snag a hot dog combo, complete with a fountain drink for less than $2. This longstanding deal makes heading to the food court after a long morning of bulk shopping a no-brainer. It may come as a surprise that this beloved food court item is produced by none other than Kirkland Signature, Costco's private label.

Yes, the hot dogs you buy from the food court are the exact same Kirkland Beef Hot Dogs and Kirkland's ¼ pound Beef Dinner Franks you can pick up in the refrigerated section. If you've tried this brand before and are thinking they don't taste quite the same as the glorious food court version, the difference might come down to your cooking method. Not to worry, we did some digging and compiled some top tips for how to enjoy the taste of Costco's food court hot dogs at any time. And if you're a longtime fan wondering why the food court hot dogs don't taste like they did back in the day, it's because several years ago the brand switched up their supplier in an effort to keep prices low and satisfaction high.

Tasty franks have been available at Costco locations since the mid-1980s, shortly after the chain opened its doors. Hebrew National originally supplied Costco with food court hot dogs, but after a couple of decades, the brand faced a crossroads that led to an important, and ultimately transformative decision.

According to a March 2009 issue of Costco Connection, the magazine produced by the retailer for its members, the dwindling availability of kosher materials meant that Costco would need to come up with a new solution to meet the increasing demand for its hot dogs. Costco began producing its own Kirkland Signature hot dogs and started rolling them out to locations in 2008. The magazine explains that the new 100% beef hot dogs, which experienced positive feedback in blind taste tests, are not only produced without fillers, binders, and artificial flavors, but are also approximately 10% heavier and longer than the previous offerings. Most importantly for customers, taking hot dog matters into their own hands allowed the company to present a high-quality product without raising its legendary price.

So while Costco's hot dogs are no longer kosher, shoppers can rest easy knowing that just like their delicious rotisserie chicken,food court hot dogs are safe from price hikes for the foreseeable future.