Costco Wholesale Corporation, the Washington-based warehouse retailer, has introduced a new Caramel Churro Sundae to its food court menu, priced at $2.99. The new offering arrives after years of customer demand for the return of its iconic churros, which were discontinued in early 2024. However, the updated version, featuring mini churro bites rather than the full-sized fried dough pastry, has elicited sharply divided responses from loyal shoppers.
The Caramel Churro Sundae consists of a choice of vanilla, chocolate, or swirl soft-serve ice cream, drizzled with salted caramel sauce and topped with crunchy mini churro bites. This marks a significant departure from Costco's original churros, which first appeared in the chain's food courts in the 1990s. These traditional fried dough pastries, typically rolled in cinnamon sugar, quickly became a staple for many customers, initially priced at 99 cents before being reformulated and repriced prior to their discontinuation.
The reintroduction of a churro-themed item was met with immediate online discussion. Laura Jayne Lamb, who manages the popular Instagram account @costcohotfinds, posted a video of the new dessert, captioning it, “The Costco food court did it again!” This post quickly became a focal point for customer reactions, highlighting the strong emotional connection many shoppers have with the food court's menu items.
The sentiment among many long-time fans leans towards disappointment. A comment on Lamb’s Instagram post, accumulating nearly 5,000 likes, directly captured the frustration: “We don’t want bits of churros. We want the whole churros back!” Similar reactions were observed on Reddit’s dedicated Costco forum, where a top comment responding to the new item stated plainly: “Bring back the churros!” One Reddit user described the new offering as “such a slap in the face to give us ‘churro bites’ and no churros,” indicating a feeling of betrayal among some patrons. Another commenter underscored the generational impact, writing, “One of my kids is 6 and every few months he just yells, ‘Why did they get rid of the churros!?’ It was like his first great betrayal of life.”
Beyond the form factor, the new sundae's pricing and nutritional information have also drawn scrutiny. At $2.99, the Caramel Churro Sundae costs nearly double the $1.50 price of the former churro and triple the original 99-cent version. A humorous customer comment highlighted this price gap and the desire for the original: “Can I get a Caramel Churro Sundae, no caramel, no sundae, original recipe.… Thank you, here’s one dollar!” Calorie counts also became a point of contention, with one commenter writing, “850 calories. I’m sure it’s tasty, but it’s also self harm.” Another added, “If they didn’t show calories on the menu, I would get these all the time.”
Despite the criticism, not all reactions have been negative. Some customers expressed enthusiasm for the new dessert, with comments like “That looks fire!” and “OK, I need to try this IMMEDIATELY” appearing on social media. This indicates a segment of the customer base open to new menu innovations.
The Caramel Churro Sundae follows the recent appearance of Costco’s Double Chocolate Mint Sundae in the food court rotation. Costco is known for cycling its sundae offerings seasonally, and it remains unclear how long the Caramel Churro Sundae will be available or if its availability will vary by location. This rollout also occurs amid a notable rivalry in the warehouse retail sector. In February, Sam’s Club Café launched its own limited-time Caramel Palmier Sundae, featuring vanilla frozen yogurt, caramel sauce, and crunchy cinnamon palmiers for $1.58, less than half the price of Costco’s new churro creation.
Costco has faced similar customer debates in recent years. The company previously drew scrutiny when it replaced its original churros with a $2.49 double chocolate chunk cookie, a swap that also sparked considerable customer discussion. The introduction of the Caramel Churro Sundae continues this pattern of menu evolution and customer response, balancing innovation with the strong nostalgia and loyalty tied to its long-standing food court items.
