Costco's Food Court Soda Fountains Are 'The Worst,' According To Reddit
Is there a more iconic duo than a hot dog and soda? Not at the Costco food court, where the combo costs just $1.50. Nearly 200 million sodas and hot dogs were sold at Costco in 2023 alone. But while the twosome is a clear favorite among shoppers, it seems that others think one half of the pairing isn't exactly pulling its weight.
In a Reddit post from August 2024, user u/natedawg247 boldly declared that the Costco food court had "the worst fountain drinks" they'd ever tried. "At least in my area ... the flavor ratio tastes like when normal machines are almost out of syrup," the Redditor explained. They also cited issues with carbonation.
How bad could displeasure with the fountain drinks get? For one customer, words weren't enough to express it. "My last time I got a Pepsi and walked out it was so bad I dumped it out my car window at the first light so I wouldn't be tempted to keep sipping it just because I was thirsty," u/Autumn_Sweater shared in the Reddit thread. Then, u/dodgerdad102 added, "It's shameful. None of their mixes are even remotely close to being good."
Quality isn't the only complaint shoppers have
Reddit user u/natedawg247 received plenty of validation for their complaint about Costco's fountain drinks. Some shoppers even admitted to ditching their drink entirely when ordering the hot dog and soda combo. Still, even with this many people agreeing with the Redditor's observance about the fountain drinks at their local warehouse — including one member who chimed in all the way from Australia – the issue doesn't seem to be present in every Costco store. One Redditor said that their warehouse was home to the "best fountain Pepsi ever." Even we awarded the beverages a respectable fifth place in our ranking of Costco food court items.
While the quality of Costco's fountain drinks might vary based on location, some shoppers have other complaints that apply to every store. Namely, they lamented the chain's switch from Coke to Pepsi products in 2013, which was done to preserve the $1.50 price tag on the hot dog and soda combo. Others expressed a desire for a wider selection of fountain beverages, while some complained about the sippy cup lids and paper straws that the food court uses.