Here to stay? Fate of Costco's legendary $1.50 hot dog and soda deal revealed
There’s nothing like ending a Costco shopping trip with a satisfying $1.50 hot dog and soda combo at its food court.
But as a top Costco executive — known as an advocate for the company’s popular and cheap meal option — recently stepped down, will the price of the legendary hot dog and soda deal increase?
Richard Galanti served as the chief financial officer of Costco in the US for nearly four decades and ended his tenure with the big box store on March 15.
He was a strong supporter of Costco’s $1.50 hot dog and soda deal, which was implemented in 1985 when Galanti joined the company.
At Costco Canada’s food courts, the $1.50 meal allows customers to choose between an all-beef or Polish sausage hot dog with a 20 oz. pop (refill included).
The long-time CFO reflected on his time with the company and provided insight into the future of the hot dog soda combo’s pricing in a recent interview with Bloomberg.
Galanti told the publication that one of the driving factors of Costco’s success is its consistency.
“The underlying culture of the company hasn’t changed,” he told Bloomberg.
“It is what the founders wrote, the five things that you’re going to do, in this order: Obey the law, take care of your customers, take care of your employees, respect your suppliers — be tough, but fair. Then, reward your shareholders.”
He also noted that over the years, Costco has always had a “keep it simple” mindset, noting that the company only carries 3,800 items in its US stores and doesn’t offer hundreds of thousands like some of its competitors.
Here in Canada, Costco’s reliable culture has also resulted in the popular big box store being named the country’s most trusted brand.
It looks like the company’s value in consistency also applies to the pricing of its hot dog and soda deal.
When asked if the price for the combo would change, Galanti remained hopeful, stating that
it would be “pretty safe for a while.”
So rest assured, you’re safe to keep treating yourself to those post-Costco shopping spree hot dogs and sodas for a little while longer.