Popular Costco Items That Completely Vanished
If you've got a Costco card, you've probably got your go-tos to buy in bulk. For some people, it's non-perishable items like toilet paper or shampoo, and for those of us shopping for large families, the company's bulk food options are often a life (and money) saver. But some fan favorites have completely disappeared from shelves over the years. Before you anxiously drive to your favorite Costco warehouse to check that your must-haves are still available, check out our list of vanished items.
Note that because Costco's goal is to carry high-quality goods at reasonable prices, it's not uncommon for the company to rotate items. Sometimes one of your favorites is gone for weeks and then pops up on shelves again. But other times, items head to the Costco cemetery, never to return. The company's Polish hot dog that used to be available (and affordable) at the food court, would no doubt have lots of visitors if a memorial for discontinued items did indeed exist.
Costco's discontinued Polish hot dog
In 2018, Costco decided to switch the menu up a bit and offer some healthier options. Polish hot dog loving people were not having it (via Today). One mom took to Twitter to express her outrage, sharing, "My mom and 3 kids are furious about the polish dog. Y'all will have 2 less membership renewals this year and Sam's club will gain 2! @Costco #SaveThePolishDog." Many other fans of the dog totally freaked out, but the Polish dog still has yet to return.
Costco's discontinued nuts and chocolate ice cream
Remember the delicious chocolate and dipped ice cream bar with nuts you would treat yourself after a long walk through Costco's many aisles? Well, a while back they took that off the food court menu too. Some suspect the rising costs of almonds and chocolate made it less cost effective to carry the item at a tiny price tag of $1.50, and so the ice cream treat was buried next to the Polish dog (via Victor Valley News). RIP.
Costco discontinued Roundup
If Roundup was on your list for your next Costco trip, you might leave disappointed, because the company stopped carrying the weedkiller last year. A couple sued Monsanto (the creator of Roundup) for a whopping $2 billion because they claimed the product caused their cancer. Costco seemed to think better of potentially endangering shoppers, and discontinued the item shortly after the suit (via People). Guess you'll have to find an alternative weedkiller.
Costco discontinued their All American Chocolate Cake
Remember all the times you were at a celebration and asked where the host got the incredible chocolate cake? The answer was more often than not, Costco. So, people were a little less than thrilled when the company discontinued the All American Chocolate Cake. Fans did not let the dessert die without a fight though. A petition with more than 2,000 signatures was started. The creator even went as far as to call the decision to discontinue the cake an insult to loyal customers.
The secret trick to know if your favorite Costco item will be discontinued
So, all these fallen fan-favorites can be a cause for anxiety, but there's a way to find out if your must-buy products are headed to the chopping block. If you see an asterisk on the price label for a product, it means, gulp, the product is about to be discontinued — maybe forever. If this unsettling mark is in fact on one the items you always buy, consider investing in a second freezer and stocking up (via Yahoo Finance).