Costco brings back fan-favorite food court item with a twist… and customers aren’t impressed

Costco shoppers were thrilled to hear the popular members-only chain was bringing back a favorite food court item, until they learned an unexpected twist.

The Kirkland brand Signature Combo Pizza returned to stores in March 2024 for the first time since 2020.

The pizza is covered with various toppings such as sausage, mushrooms, onions and green peppers.

But unlike previous years, the Combo Pizza will not be available for purchase at the Costco food court.

Customers who buy it will instead have to bake it themselves after buying it cold in the store.

The product’s unavailability in Costco’s food courts wasn’t the only twist that left shoppers unimpressed.

Another issue was the pizza’s $16.99 price tag – well above the original $9.95 price at the food court.

Costco shopper Shannon Fong tried the Combo Pizza, writing on an Instagram page that it was “pretty good, but small for the price” video description on new year’s eve.

Costco brought back the Combo Pizza in March 2024 after removing it from food court menus in 2020

Several Instagram users weren’t afraid to admit that they thought the Combo Pizza was “a bit expensive.”

Several Reddit users also gave harsh opinions on the price, along with the taste of the Combo Pizza.

‘I missed the combination pizza so much that I finally bought it. It’s just average/slightly above average, not worth the money at all,” one customer wrote on Reddit after.

‘The pizza itself is delivered frozen. Additional toppings are simply added. Stupidly easy to do at home,” another shopper commented.

Users recommended Costco shoppers eat a pizza at Lidl or Whole Foods Market instead.

Others joked that they would bring pizza to a Costco food court and ask employees ‘bake it‘for them.

“Costco, stop playing and take the combo back to the food court,” one fan wrote.

The Combo Pizza became a popular product shortly after pizza was added to Costco’s food courts in the 1990s.

The pizza cost $9.95 at Costco food courts before the chain removed it from the menu

During its original run, Costco shoppers could purchase the Combo Pizza for just $9.95 plus tax, according to Chow dog.

It was also the same price as Costco’s signature cheese and pepperoni pizzas at the time.

Costco removed pizza from its food court menus in 2020, leaving shoppers outraged by the decision.

The membership warehouse chain claimed it removed the option due to cost concerns Yahoo life.

One person even has one petition to bring back the Combo Pizza in August 2020.

“The discontinuation of combo pizza from Costco Food Courts nationwide is not only saddening, but total madness, and downright WRONG,” the petition creator wrote.

More than 18,000 petitioners also threatened to cancel their Costco memberships if Combo Pizza no longer appears on food court menus.

The return of the Combo Pizza is one of many changes Costco has made to its stores and food courts.

Costco has made several changes to its stores and food courts, including the first membership fee increase in seven years

One change includes Costco’s controversial move to drop Pepsi drinks and replace them with Coca-Cola products in all its food courts by 2025.

These products include Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Coke and Sprite.

Another change was a new food court menu at one of the Canadian locations, which angered shoppers across the country.

While the food court changes may have come as a shock to members, it may not have been as surprising as Costco’s membership price increase in September 2024.

The price increase was the first in seven years and included a $5 per year increase for a standard Costco membership.

Executive level membership increased by $10, making annual membership $130.