Make a dedicated fast-food restaurant that only sells the Costco hot dog.

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ryanderkis@reddit

What about a hot dog vendor that buys his inventory from Costco?

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peanutismint@reddit

I genuinely thought about doing this a few years ago. Sell them at red lights in traffic. You could even say “COSTCO HOTDOGS” on the sign; I’d pay $3 for a cheeky dog on my way home from work.

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safe-viewing@reddit

Any stadium in America that has a professional team has dozens of hot dog vendors doing exactly this, just without the Costco hotdogs sign

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BigPoppaStrahd@reddit

Do you think people get costco hot dogs because they’re great or because they’re cheap?

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galaxyapp@reddit

Food inspector would have some thoughts.

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peanutismint@reddit

True, but then this is /r/CrazyIdeas…..

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GhettoBlastBoomStick@reddit

I promise you that if you said “COSTCO HOTDOGS” you’d get a C&D in about 7 minutes

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Costco is very very nice to their members.....their attack dog lawyers will hit anyone. Hell if they are going to go for a refund on the tariffs you bet your sweet ass they'll shut down your dinky ass hotdogs cart

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peanutismint@reddit

I don’t ever remember signing anything when I paid my $1.50 that said I wouldn’t then go onto sell it to somebody else….

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sandiegodak@reddit

Then do all of that just without the Costco name

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BoomerSoonerFUT@reddit

You can literally do this. They sell the same hot dogs in the store that they do at the food court.

Before 2009, Costco just used Hebrew National even. They made their own facility for the Kirkland hotdogs to keep costs down.

And you can buy the same exact hot dogs at Costco. Both the 1/4lb Hebrew National and the current Kirkland hotdogs.

MANY places serve the jumbo Hebrew National hotdogs, and many places buy hotdogs from Costco and sell them. Like it’s extremely common.

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BoomerSoonerFUT@reddit

So like most hot dog vendors?

Anyone using Hebrew National uses the original Costco hotdog. That’s all Costco used until 2009 when they switched to their own in house Kirkland brand to keep costs lower.

And you can just buy the Kirkland hotdogs at Costco. A lot of places do that.

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bandley3@reddit

I’m a cashier at a Costco Business Center. Many of our members run restaurants, including hot dog restaurants, and buy a good portion of their supplies from us, and this includes the ¼ lb+ dogs in the blue package; these are the exact same ones sold at the Costco food court. I can guarantee that he’s getting more than $1.50 per dog.

You may already be getting a Costco hot dog, without knowing it, when you go to a restaurant. You’re probably getting a lot more variety in the toppings than if you just went to Costco.

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BoomerSoonerFUT@reddit

And that’s even after they made the switch. They just used Hebrew National for a long time until it became cheaper to make them in house to keep the price the same. 2009 I think.

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AstronomicalStress@reddit

The hot dog is a loss leader; this would definitionally not work.

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isactuallyspiderman@reddit

False.

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AstronomicalStress@reddit

Wow. Well argued.

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isactuallyspiderman@reddit

Go watch the CEO eat one. He states that it hasn't ever not made a profit.

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MiscBrahBert@reddit

Via the loss leader strategy, the hot dog itself has a negative margin

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isactuallyspiderman@reddit

Negative again. The hot dog itself makes profit. It's just a common myth that it's a loss leader.

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Bubmack@reddit

I see your point

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ras1187@reddit

Curious how you can assert this as false

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Lorathis@reddit

J Dawgs beat you to it by a few years.

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chowfun420@reddit

It only works bc it is a micro economy. All shoppers already pay over 100 yearly before buying anything . Genius micro economy shit fr. Free samples and cheap cheap food. Now the family can come shop and spend 300/mo on groceries and the kids (or spouse) don’t complain once they eat

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altousrex@reddit

Well 60 or 120. Most get the 60 because the 120 just gives you a rebate at the end of the yeae

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mgslee@reddit

$3k a year at Costco is the break even on getting the $120.

If you do any major purchase (electronic, appliance, furniture) or have a family is very easy to do

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Brilliant-Corner-379@reddit

Get the credit card and buy gas. That fat rebate at the end of the year is sweet

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UglyInThMorning@reddit

I have the 120 dollar membership and the credit card. I ordered a giant couch for my sister in law. 2000 dollar couch= 80 bucks back between the fancy membership and the card rewards.

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FaxCelestis@reddit

I mean I’m about to be spending that on just gas.

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altousrex@reddit

True. I never said it wasn’t a good deal. Just that the cheaper option is popular

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Centillionare@reddit

It also lets you shop an hour before everyone else. That, my friend, is worth $60 alone.

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Decent-Experience-8@reddit

Would definitely be a non-profit.

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Boozeburger@reddit

The Costco hotdog (and chicken) and the IKEA meatballs are "loss leaders". They can keep the price down, because they'll make it up with profits from other items.

A restaurant that only sells things without making a profit won't last long.

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Professional-Cap-495@reddit

Make it part of Costco then, add a drive through

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Scrangdorber@reddit

I just moved to near a Costco. I am going to get SO FAT.

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Educational_Note_720@reddit

Yea the ones with rock hard bits in them? Fuck that

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bovicesays45@reddit

Genius. Nobody needs to worry about the details. Costco has the greatest hotdogs in all the land.

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

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Automatic-Carrot-826@reddit

I know a few “single meal” restaurants.

I used to live in a college town with a place called “Guthrie’s”.

At the time the menu was:

Chicken tender box with fries
Coke
Sprite

So, it’s not out of the question.

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ChiefWetBlanket@reddit

Tendees restaurants all do that. Guthrie's nowadays has more than that on the menu. It's "you want 3, 6, or a sandwich of three". And somehow it still takes them 15 minutes to get it to you in the drive-thru.

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Complex210@reddit

Why not a fast food restaurant that just gives out costco free samples? No one pays anything, and everyone gets to eat! We just solved world hunger!

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derekclysdale@reddit

But how much does a costco hot dog cost at the costco kiosk? Will it also so sell coca cola? 'Cos how much does a costco coca cola cost at the costco kiosk? And will they do a meal deal? I need more info.

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Toothless-In-Wapping@reddit

It won’t work. Costco has purposely kept the price of the hot dog the same for decades. It’s subsided

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Limp_Bookkeeper_5992@reddit

This is the truth behind it. They lose money selling $1.50 hotdogs, but it’s subsidized by the membership fees and the profits from the actual Costco that the food courts are attached to. Everyone who shops at Costco is already paying a little bit for a hotdog, so you might as well buy one!

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SumOldGuy@reddit

Welcome to Costco, I love you.

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beamerpook@reddit

I don't think I've ever had a Costco hotdog... what makes it special?

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IamAWorldChampionAMA@reddit

The price. You won't find another meal for 1.50 of that quality.

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Jman15x@reddit

The pizza is insane for the price too

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illusorywallahead@reddit

I do a hotdog, a slice and a soda. $3.50. It’s insane.

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PapaEchoLincoln@reddit

It’s crazy that I have no idea where or even which state you live in but when I read which items you listed, I already knew the final price and it matches

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acrusty@reddit

And the deliciousness

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FaxCelestis@reddit

Honestly the $5 chicken bake is pretty good too, and still not an insane price.

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beamerpook@reddit

I will have to try a costco hot dog the next time I go

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IamAWorldChampionAMA@reddit

Good hotdog, but an AMAZING 1.50 hotdog.

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just_another_user5@reddit

It's solid for SURE. Not mystery meat either. It's 100% beef (allegedly)

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bandley3@reddit

There have been many hot dog tasting compilations on YouTube. My favorite is Binging with Babish. He tried a ton of different dogs ranging from cheap grocery store brands to high-end butcher shops and the only one to score a perfect 10 was the Costco ¼ lb+ hot dog, the same one you can buy at the food court or in the meat department.

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YeastBeast1980@reddit

Re-tasting it for hours every time you belch...

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BBWolf326@reddit

$1.50 for a jumbo dog on a decent roll, free toppings (ketchup, mustard, onion, pickles) and a 20oz soft drink.

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YoelsShitStain@reddit

They’re opening a Costco near me soon I’ll let you know

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Either-Return-8141@reddit

Its large and cheaper than any meal you can buy.

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Usual_Ask_7833@reddit

Why not make a bar that only sells the free drinks that casinos give away to gamblers?

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UnitK-306@reddit

Make it a drive-in with Cosco priced gas pumps too and you have a solid business plan

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illusorywallahead@reddit

Costco could move the hotdogs near the gas pumps and I’d have a hell of a time not grabbing one every damn time I fill up.

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

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kabekew@reddit

A hot dog cart is a lot cheaper

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mangolover@reddit

Do you still need your Costco card?

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bandley3@reddit

If the location has the food court outside you probably don’t need a card. If it’s inside, well, tell them that you’re going to the pharmacy (the pharmacy is open to everyone, by law, without a membership, although the prices are better if you’re a member) and then sneak over to the food court.

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iamtheduckie@reddit (OP)

Depends on if the employees want to bother with that

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kensteele@reddit

Love that idea.

So can I still go eat one at Costco now that I no longer have a membership or has that changed?

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iamtheduckie@reddit (OP)

Yeah we can add those too

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Physical_Floor_8006@reddit

Literally the entire point of the Costco hot dog is so that you buy other stuff.

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madmanmark111@reddit

Hotdog in a cup, $1.51. genius!