The One Customer Complaint Costco Shoppers Have About The Hot Dog Combo
The Costco hot dog combo has been a staple of the company since the '80s. And yet, one customer complaint has followed the beloved combo for years. The complaint that you should be able to get a hot dog without a drink for less than $1.50 has grown a little louder recently, perhaps due to one key update the company made to the combo. The original poster in a Reddit discussion about the hot dog/soda combo summarizes the complaint, stating that the two items should be priced individually at $1 for the hot dog and 50 cents for the drink, allowing shoppers to get the hot dog alone, without the soda in tow.
It seems Costco was listening to its customers when in April 2026, it added the option of a bottle of water in place of a cup for the soda fountain. For those who prefer to avoid soda because of its sugar content, a bottle of water rounds out your meal without that added sweetness. And since the bottle is resealable, you can also take it with you if you don't want it at the moment and drink from it when you do get thirsty later in the day or even while you're shopping. Unfortunately, not everyone was happy with this update to the food court's signature combo, and it also apparently strengthened the argument that you should be able to buy a hot dog without a drink. After all, if Costco can provide a second option of drink, then it can also provide the option to skip the drink altogether.
But at $1.50, is the complaint valid?
Costco's hot dog combo has been $1.50 since 1985. And with today's prices, it's a better deal now than when it first debuted. When you adjust the price for inflation, that meal should be just shy of $5 — and it would still be a bargain. McDonald's currently offers a $5 meal deal, and Popeye's sometimes offers its Big Box for $6 for about a month. Selling 245 million hot dog combos in 2025 alone, Costco's loss leader generates sales but not major profits. Those come from memberships and the shopping that happens inside the store.
The best way to look at the hot dog combo is to stop thinking about it as two individually priced items. Really, you're paying $1.50 for the hot dog and getting a free drink. If you simply don't desire a drink, think of it as your chance to pay it forward. If you believe a water bottle or unused cup creates waste, you have the opportunity to refuse the drink when it's offered to you, and it goes unused until the next customer. You can also accept the cup and offer it to someone nearby in the food court. You wanted a dog and no drink — you might find a Costco buddy and build a new friendship with someone who wants a drink and no dog.