Don't Eat Costco's Frozen Yogurt Until You Read This

You'd be hard-pressed to make a trip to Costco without being tempted to stop at the food court on your way out. Their $1.50 hot dogs are reason enough to pull over your cart, but with their famous hot dogs saving you so much, that leaves plenty of extra change to treat yourself with another staple item — Costco's frozen yogurt. Though the food court menu has gone through plenty of changes through the years, Costco's frozen yogurt still remains. Still, with all the menu changes it can be hard to keep up with the popular flavors, as well as tips and tricks to make sure you're snagging the best dessert. 

No worries though, we've laid out all of the groundwork for you. Find out when the best time is to get your yogurt, what off-menu yogurt items you have to try, and what to add to make your frozen yogurt taste even better. If you're going to splurge for a sweet treat, you may as well go all out.

This is the untold truth of Costco's frozen yogurt.  

If you're looking for a chocolate fix, save yourself a trip because you won't find it at Costco's food court. Back in 2018 Costco did an overhaul of their food court menu. They jumped on the healthy bandwagon and in order to make way for new items on the menu like vegetarian salads and acai bowls, they needed to say goodbye to a few menu items. Chocolate frozen yogurt, unfortunately, was one of the menu items that got cut.

Fans of the frozen yogurt flavor haven't been too happy about the change, and took to Reddit to share their disappointment. While one user threatened to riot, another suggested members start a petition to bring the beloved flavor back saying "I'd even be happy if they did chocolate and vanilla on alternating days. I would gladly plan my Costco trips on an odd/even yogurt schedule."

Maybe someday Costco will listen to the unsatisfied chocolate lovers and bring the popular flavor back, but for now it seems the wholesale store has made up their mind. So, if you're craving a frozen yogurt and you find yourself at Costco, you'll have to settle for vanilla. 

Chocolate frozen yogurt may have disappeared from the Costco food court menu, but with this trick you may be able to still enjoy a somewhat close alternative. Costco's cold brew mocha freeze combines cold brew coffee, Columbian beans and so-called premium chocolate. When it's time for your order at the food court, ask for the mocha freeze premium chocolate on your vanilla frozen yogurt. The drizzle of chocolate within each vanilla bite can help satisfy that chocolate craving.

This trick may not work for all Costco's, as apparently the chocolate used in a mocha freeze is pretty expensive stuff. During a discussion on Reddit, one person says, "the chocolate syrup is one of our more expensive items believe it or not." This is why Costco doesn't offer this up as an option, but in that same Reddit post, some say if a customer asks for it, they'll oblige. Others say it depends on the employee. "My wife was denied by one employee but the customer next to my wife asked a different employee who said sure, no problem." If you're up for the task, an extra drizzle of chocolate heaven may be worth the ask next time your in line. 

Sometimes it's nice to change it up, and at Costco you can do just that by enjoying a sweet treat that you won't find on the menu. The next time you're in line at the food court, order a vanilla frozen yogurt and a soda (they'll just give you an empty cup). Then head over to the fountain drinks and fill your empty cup about three quarters of the way with root beer. Spoon in as much frozen yogurt as the cup can handle and then slowly top it off with a bit more root beer. For about $2 you just made yourself the classic root beer float. And if you have a shopping companion — or if you just really like root beer floats — you can top off the now-half-empty frozen yogurt cup with more root beer. That's right, now you have two root beer floats. 

Not a fan of root beer? Press the orange soda button for an orange creamsicle float. Stay simple with a Coke float, or test out your creativity with another selection. The bottom line is, you get to enjoy your frozen yogurt and drink it too. Add this off-menu item to your must try list for your next Costco shopping trip.

Costco introduced the frozen yogurt and churro combination to their menu in March 2019, and it's a combination that customers have been creating themselves for quite some time. If you haven't tried the popular flavor combo yet, it's worth the little extra. For only $1 more, Costco will add a churro to your frozen yogurt. Lightly covered in cinnamon and sugar, this crunchy on the outside, warm on the inside menu item makes the perfect dipping tool to scrape up every last bit of vanilla goodness.

Before you bolt out the door to devour this sugary sensation, be sure to check your watch. For the freshest churro to go along with your frozen yogurt order, one Costco employee on Reddit says, "lunch time is always a safe bet for fresh food. When the lines are long then the churros are good." Long lines during lunch time means menu items are regularly being made and haven't been sitting out waiting for you to arrive. That means you won't feel so guilty shelling out the extra $1 as churros will be at their freshest.

Costco may have nixed the vanilla chocolate swirl, but they didn't leave customers out of options when it comes to combining flavors. The new acai blend Costco introduced as part of their healthy menu additions now sits in chocolate's place. So, if you miss the two-tone frozen yogurt that used to fill your dish, you're in luck. Customers can order a vanilla acai swirl. Since the acai mix is also served up like frozen yogurt in the soft serve machine, for just $2.99 in most locations, plus tax of course,  you can enjoy this superfood combination just like one customer on Reddit.

Found in the South American rainforest, acai berries are known to add an extra punch to your daily diet. The tiny berry is filled with fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. Now you don't have to feel guilty when you eat every last spoonful of your vanilla acai swirl. Just think of all the nutrients, instead of calories and sugar, you just fed your body.

A swirl of vanilla in a cup may not be enough to satisfy a craving, but before you head down the street to the local ice cream shop to shell out the big bucks for some fancy treat, try making one of your own right there in the Costco food court. All you have to do is raid your home pantry of all the toppings you love, and bring them with you on your next trip to Costco. One Reddit user keeps her wallet in check by ordering vanilla frozen yogurt from the Costco food court and then adds toppings they bring from home, like candy or flavored syrup.

If you feel a little guilty smuggling in outside items (darn that conscience), you could always peruse the Costco aisles first and pick up any toppings that catch your eye. It may not seem as scandalous when you're pulling out items that can be found on your receipt, and you'll have plenty left to bring along for your next trip. Either way, if you're looking to enjoy a good sundae on a budget, this is a pretty good work around.

Maybe you haven't had a chance to experience the deliciousness of Costco's frozen yogurt because pasteurized skim milk isn't your thing. If you're dairy-free, vegetarian, or vegan, you'll be happy to hear that thanks to Costco's updated food court menu, you may get the chance to see what the food court frenzie is all about. The new acai mix disguises itself as the not-so-evil twin of frozen yogurt, with the same look and texture. It's even served right out of the soft serve machine. Unlike Costco's frozen yogurt, though, the acai swirl is 100 percent vegan. 

Costco uses Sambazon's acai mix for their acai bowl and according to Sambazon's website the product is certified organic and fair trade. The acai bowl is topped with blueberries, strawberries, banana chips, and Kirkland signature granola mix, all of which are also vegan. This new menu item will have you standing on the food court table tops no longer screaming for ice cream, but colorful, plant-based goodness straight from the Amazon.

Have you ever reached for your freshly served frozen yogurt only to find a giant hole in the middle? You may even be able to actually see the bottom of the cup. A part of you probably wants to get back in line for a redo, but don't do it. That hole in the center isn't a mistake. It's supposed to be there. Employees are actually trained to serve it that way, and the reason all comes down to looks. 

According to one Costco employee on Reddit, frozen yogurt is "sold by weight,12-ounces, if we just fill the cup solid with 12-ounces it wouldn't look full." Employees swirl the frozen yogurt around the outsides of the cup so that you think you're getting more frozen yogurt than you really are. Don't worry though, no matter the size of the hole in the cup, you're not getting ripped off. Since frozen yogurt is served by weight, you'll get the full 12-ounces regardless. 

Plus, it's actually kind of helpful bonus. If your frozen yogurt starts to melt as you slowly peruse the aisles of Costco, it'll just fill in that hole in the middle, rather than dripping down the sides of your cup. You can step back out of line now and rest assured that no mistake was made with your precious frozen yogurt.

Costco may have added vanilla frozen yogurt and churro combination to the menu, but if you want to step it up even more, here's how to do it. Order your next churro in the Costco food court to add to your Very Berry Sundae. The Very Berry Sundae was discontinued for a while in some locations to make way for acai, but it looks like it's back at most Costcos. That makes now the perfect time to be adventurous and step your frozen yogurt game up a notch. 

The Very Berry Sundae is vanilla frozen yogurt infused with sweet berries. Adding in the churro gives you an upgraded version of strawberry shortcake. You bite into a soft, warm dough mixed with sweet berries and a side of frozen yogurt. The cinnamon and sugar combination adds a burst of sweetness that is well worth a try. The next time you're ordering up your Very Berry Sundae, have them slide a churro in the middle. Bring a friend or two with you, because fans of this combination say it can feed three. If you didn't already know, those churros are huge.

More than likely when you're done shopping at Costco you've worked up an appetite. You've done your best to try to skip the unlimited food samples you walked by throughout the aisles, but the smell of the Costco food court will rope you in. A frozen yogurt can be refreshing, but it's lunch time, and everyone there is hungry. While your items are making their way across the conveyor belt you can already see the line at the food court. Good news, there is a way around it. 

A pro-tip in an AMA post on Reddit recommends ordering your frozen yogurt from the checkout line. You can pay for it with the rest of your Costco run goodies, and instead of heading over to the long line waiting at the food court, you get to sneak into the pick-up line. Show them your receipt and they'll get your order. A Costco employee does warn not to expect it to be ready and waiting though when you arrive. The idea of the prepaid line is to pay it all in one order, and get a little boost from the short line. At least you don't have to stand in line to order!

As Costco's food court menu tries to appeal to a more health conscious crowd, the acai bowl can seem pretty enticing. It's served like frozen yogurt, it swirls like frozen yogurt, therefore it must be frozen yogurt, right? That's not quite how it works here. The acai blend may be served out of the frozen yogurt machine, but not everyone who has tried it is a fan. In fact, one reviewer from Business Insider says it's the one thing from Costco they would never order again. The so-called healthy alternative has 30 grams of sugar and is "overpoweringly sweet, cold, and chemical-tasting." 

Taste of Home seems to disagree. The low price point for a bowl that they say is "super tasty when blended from frozen into a thick smoothie-like texture."

A Reddit debate also found users on both sides of the fence. One user was pro the acai bowl saying "I honestly thought it was pretty good," while another begged to differ saying "it doesn't taste like real acai." It looks like it comes down to personal taste, so if you've never been into acai, you may want to see if they'll let you do one of their famous samplings before you dive in to the whole bowl. 

If you've ever stood in line at the Costco food court, you've probably been hypnotized by the large photo of frozen yogurt on the menu. The perfectly proportioned vanilla swirl  is just screaming at you to take your spoon and dive in. On that photo you see the popular vanilla flavor you know and love, but don't be surprised if what you're handed doesn't look quite the same. 

Some Costco food court goers have pointed out the golden vanilla color they are served when they order a frozen yogurt. One Reddit user noted that golden color had a richer flavor and when they went back again they received the regular vanilla, whitish in color, which was a little more bland. Another Reddit user noted that the change of color also brought a change in consistency. Don't fret though when it comes to the difference in color. The frozen yogurt is still edible. 

One food court employee explains that the yogurt comes fully frozen and sits out on a thawing rack before being placed in the machine. If put in too early, the frozen consistency causes air bubbles and clogs the machine, making your newly ordered vanilla treat a bit more "concentrated and fluffy." Some yogurt lovers couldn't take the more concentrated flavors, but others actually preferred it saying "I would get it all the time if it were always the more concentrated yellow version." If you can look beyond the coloring, go ahead and take a bite, there's nothing wrong with the frozen yogurt.