This Costco Food Court Hack Unlocks A Hidden, DIY Frozen Treat

The Costco food court is truly the gift that keeps on giving for members of the massive retailer, with delicious, satisfying, and inexpensive menu items primed to be enjoyed after their shopping trip. However, while everyone knows just how good some Costco food court classics (like the hot dog) taste in the wake of an exhausting shopping trip, the food court becomes even better when you introduce custom-made mashups of its items. Arguably the most satisfying of these fan-made mashups is the ice cream float, a perfect frozen treat that is sure to be a new favorite of Costco shoppers — especially in the heat of the summer.

In a similar way that you can make a delectable ice cream sandwich at the food court, this ice cream float is made by purchasing a fountain drink and a plain ice cream cup and combining them together yourself to make a dessert that's as simple as it is delicious. I'd be remiss not to note that since Costco's controversial swap from Pepsi to Coca-Cola in 2025 didn't see the store chain implement root beer into its fountain drink station, you can't enjoy the most iconic form of an ice cream float at Costco's food court at this time. However, if you're a firm believer in either a Coca-Cola float or a Sprite float like many online are, you'll be delighted to know you can try out the hack for under $3.00.

Seeing as many consider the frozen beverages on Costco's food court menu to be pretty subpar (ice cream not included they all fell into the bottom half of our ranking of Costco food court items), the ice cream float hack is arguably the best treat of its kind at the store. You can make the treat even more delicious by buying some extra Costco items for the job. For example, you can add some of Costco's tiny bakery staples like its mini cookies or mini brownies or enjoy them beside it to give the dessert a boost in sweetness. If you want to keep things simple, buying some whipped cream to add another layer of creamy goodness to the mix is never a bad choice.

Alternatively, you can modify one of the two core components just slightly to improve the treat. For example, while most will automatically default to using vanilla ice cream for an ice cream float, the use of strawberry or chocolate ice cream — both of which are available for the same price as vanilla – would provide an interesting flavor twist. Furthermore, if you just really love Costco's food court ice cream (nobody would blame you), you can always purchase sodas from elsewhere in the store to pair with it, although you would have to buy the soda in bulk and bring it home first since the sodas are sold at room temperature.