Costco Fans Still Can't Get Over The Heartbreak Of Losing This Food Court Icon

Every Costco shopper has a food court go-to: Maybe they're a fan of the classic hot dog combo, a loyal chicken bake lover, or can't leave without an iconically refreshing Costco fruit smoothie. No matter what they order, no Costco run is complete without their favorite snack. As such, it's particularly tragic when the warehouse chain discontinues beloved food court staples (in fact, many would argue that Costco's food court should never change). 

Case in point: Customers are still getting over the loss of a former food court icon, the Polish dog. This extra-garlicky, heavily spiced twist on the classic hot dog was slashed from the food court menu in 2018. Costco justified the menu change as a way to make space for healthier options and said sales numbers demonstrated that most members would prefer the cut. 

The Polish dog's many devoted fans would beg to differ — in a Reddit thread discussing tragically discontinued Costco heartbreaks, the top comment, with nearly 3,000 upvotes, mourned the loss of the Polish dog. One user wrote, "Still miss it. The Polish was my great Costco love." Another lamented that "the removal of Polish sausages STILL stings to this day."

Costco's Polish dog has been notably absent from food courts for nearly eight years at the time of writing, and unfortunately, it seems unlikely that the beloved menu item will miraculously return anytime soon. Luckily for Polish dog lovers still mourning the loss, it is possible to recreate a similar garlic-loaded, flavor-packed hot dog experience at home using a Costco product. While nothing can ever replace the food court Polish dog, Costco does still sell packs of Kirkland Signature beef Polish sausages at many U.S. locations. 

To make a Polish dog dupe, simply prepare a Kirkland Polish sausage using your go-to hot dog cooking method, and then stick it in a bun with your favorite hot dog toppings. You could stick to ketchup, yellow mustard, chopped onions, and relish for the classic Costco experience, or zhuzh it up with premium Polish toppings such as sauerkraut and spicy mustard. While Costco food court hot dogs just don't taste the same at home, internet reviewers generally agree that the homemade option is a decent substitute for the Polish dog and will probably satisfy the craving in a pinch. If you're still searching for a new food court favorite, consider trying the superior Costco food court staple quietly making its return.