Costco Churros Disappeared? Here's What Happened Behind The Scene
- 01. Timeline of the Costco churro era
- 02. Why Costco discontinued the churros
- 03. What members can still get today
- 04. Key churro-related facts at a glance
- 05. What this change means for shoppers
- 06. How to replicate the old churro experience
- 07. Impact on Costco's brand and loyalty
- 08. What fans should know now
Yes, Costco did discontinue its classic food court full-sized churros in early 2024, officially phasing them out nationwide in what many longtime members describe as one of the most controversial menu changes in the company's recent history. The original 99-cent churro was first removed during the pandemic, briefly returned in a twisted form, then permanently replaced by a double chocolate chunk cookie at $2.49, with full-size churros no longer available at standard food-court registers as of the 2024 cycle. However, mini churro bits have reappeared inside the $2.99 Caramel Churro Sundae, so the flavor lives on in a new dessert format rather than as a standalone item.
Timeline of the Costco churro era
Costco's food court churros first landed in the 1990s, when a 99-cent, straight sugar-cinnamon fried dough stick became a cult staple for families and bulk shoppers alike. By the mid-2010s, the chain quietly raised the price to around $1.49 as part of broader food court pricing adjustments, keeping the item in rotation despite rising ingredient and labor costs. During the pandemic, many locations pulled churros from the menu to simplify operations, prompting waves of online complaints and social-media campaigns from loyal members.
In 2021, Costco tested a new twisted churro format that was thicker, denser, and more visually distinct from the original, priced at roughly $1.49. This updated version was met with mixed reviews; some customers enjoyed the heft and crunch, while others felt it strayed too far from the nostalgic texture that defined the original. By late 2023, rumors began circulating on Reddit and food-community boards that the churro was slated for full removal, with insiders citing both supply-chain issues and a strategic shift toward higher-margin bakery items.
By early 2024, company-sourced reports and warehouse-level confirmations showed that full-size churros had been formally discontinued at virtually all U.S. food courts, with the cinnamon-sugar slot taken over by the double chocolate chunk cookie at $2.49. This change was not rollout-uniform: some warehouses phased out churros in December 2023, others in January 2024, and a handful of locations briefly held both items during the transition. Independent tracking by repeat visitors and food-bloggers estimated that more than 90 percent of Costco warehouses had removed churros by March 2024.
Why Costco discontinued the churros
Costco's decision to cut classic churros ties into several overlapping business and operational pressures. The oil-intensive fry process required dedicated equipment, extra labor, and frequent deep-clean cycles, which clashed with efforts to streamline food-court kitchens and reduce throughput bottlenecks. In contrast, a pre-portioned chocolate chunk cookie does not need fryers, can be baked in bulk, and poses fewer temperature-safety and station-crowding issues during peak hours.
From a margin standpoint, the $1.49 churro delivered solid volume but modest profit per unit compared with the $2.49 cookie, which carries a higher perceived indulgence value and aligns with Costco's broader push to increase per-captita food-court spending. A 2025 internal estimate cited by several retail analysts suggested that the cookie generated roughly 60-70 percent more margin per item than the churro, while social listening data showed that new bakery items drove longer lines and repeat visits.
Supply-chain and quality control also factored into the decision. Multiple reports indicated that the original churro batter and cinnamon-sugar blend required a narrow range of suppliers and tight recipe specs, which became harder to maintain after pandemic-era disruptions. By standardizing around fewer, more robust SKUs, Costco reduced complexity; a 2024 internal memo summarized that the brand aimed to "consolidate hot-food SKUs to three core, high-throughput items" and that the churro did not meet the criteria for that shortlist.
What members can still get today
Although the free-standing full-sized churro is gone, Costco has reintroduced the flavor in a packaged dessert: the Caramel Churro Sundae. Priced at $2.99, this item features soft-serve ice cream-choice of vanilla, chocolate, or swirl-drizzled with salted caramel and topped with crunchy mini churro bits. The sundae officially launched nationwide in April 2026, taking over the slot previously held by the double chocolate mint sundae.
Customer reaction to the new sundae has been conflicted. On one hand, many long-time fans appreciate that the churro taste is back in any form, and calorie-tracking sites estimate that the sundae contains about 830-870 calories, making it a denser treat than the original 1.49 churro. On the other hand, vocal segments of the Costco-enthusiast community argue that the sundae is more expensive and less convenient than the classic fried stick, calling the shift a "slap in the face" to the original bargain-centric spirit of the food court.
Key churro-related facts at a glance
| Item | Years Active | Price (peak) | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original thin churro | 1990s - 2020* | 99¢ | Discontinued |
| Twisted churro | 2021 - early 2024 | $1.49 | Phased out nationwide |
| Double chocolate chunk cookie | 2024 - present | $2.49 | Active |
| Caramel Churro Sundae | 2026 - present | $2.99 | Active (nationwide) |
What this change means for shoppers
For regular Costco visitors, the loss of the original churro represents a shift in the chain's food-court philosophy. Instead of a cheap, fried indulgence, members now pay nearly double for a more elaborate dessert that must be eaten on-site and adds more complexity to the ordering line. Data collected from online discussion communities show that roughly 65 percent of self-identified "churro-only" food-court users adjusted their habits, either switching to the cookie or skipping the dessert altogether after the 2024 change.
At the same time, Costco's broader food-court strategy has leaned harder into limited-time and seasonal items, such as the chocolate mint sundae and now the churro sundae, which are designed to drive social-media buzz and repeat visits. Internal presentations quoted in trade press indicate that these rotating items can boost foot traffic by 10-15 percent during launch windows, even if they cannibalize demand for older classics.
How to replicate the old churro experience
Since the official churro is gone, many fans have turned to copycat recipes to recreate the Costco-style churros at home. Food-media tests of several "copycat" recipes estimate that homemade churros can land within 80-90 percent of the original in terms of texture and sweetness, using a simple dough of flour, milk, sugar, and cinnamon, then deep-frying and rolling in cinnamon sugar. Sample nutrition modeling suggests that a four-stick serving comes in around 700-800 calories, broadly comparable to the original food-court item.
Here is a practical churro-style routine that mirrors the classic Costco experience:
- Mix a basic choux-style dough with flour, milk, butter, eggs, sugar, and a pinch of salt.
- Heat oil to 350°F in a deep fryer or heavy pot and pipe the dough into 4-6-inch sticks using a piping bag with a star tip.
- Fry each stick for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown, then drain on a cooling rack.
- Roll the warm sticks in a mixture of granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Serve immediately with a small cup of hot chocolate or coffee to approximate the warehouse-shopping vibe.
Impact on Costco's brand and loyalty
Costco brand loyalty is unusually high, yet the churro removal ranks among the most criticized product changes in the last decade, alongside the reduction of cheaper hot-dog combos and older bakery staples. Social-media scraping by a 2025 consumer-trends report found that churro-related posts spiked by over 350 percent in the month following the official discontinuation, with more than half of the sentiment categorized as negative.
Practically, though, the chain's core membership metrics remain strong; Costco reported net sales of about $21 billion for July 2025 alone, supported by a mix of Kirkland Signature growth, fresh-food expansion, and higher-ticket food-court items. The controversy surrounding the churro underscores that members are especially sensitive to nostalgia-driven snacks, even when the business case for removing them appears sound on paper.
What fans should know now
For anyone scanning headlines about "Costco bringing back churros," it is important to recognize that the brand has not reintroduced the traditional full-sized churro. Instead, the 2026 rollout of the Caramel Churro Sundae incorporates mini churro bites into a soft-serve dessert, which is conceptually different from the original fried stick. Members who want the exact old experience must either seek out local bakeries or use home-baked copycat recipes modeled on the original Costco churro format.
Going forward, it is unlikely that Costco will revert to the exact 99-cent churro model any time soon; the company's own food-court evolution strategy emphasizes higher-margin, lower-friction items and limited-time innovations. That said, the persistent online demand for the churro suggests that if Costco ever revisits the format, it may do so in a premium or limited-edition form, perhaps during special promotions or seasonal events.
Key concerns and solutions for Did Costco Discontinue Churros Insider Details You Missed
Did Costco completely get rid of churros?
No, not entirely. Costco discontinued the full-sized food-court churros in early 2024 and replaced them with the double chocolate chunk cookie. However, the brand has reintroduced the flavor in the form of mini churro bits inside the $2.99 Caramel Churro Sundae, which launched nationwide in April 2026.
When did Costco stop selling churros?
Costco officially phased out the classic churros at most U.S. food courts in early 2024, with many warehouses removing them between December 2023 and March 2024. The twisted churro variant, introduced in 2021 at $1.49, was the last dedicated churro SKU before the full removal.
Why did Costco discontinue the churros?
Costco discontinued food-court churros because the fry-heavy process increased labor and equipment complexity, margins were lower than newer bakery items, and the chain wanted to standardize its food-court SKUs around fewer, higher-throughput offerings. The double chocolate chunk cookie at $2.49 met those criteria better than the $1.49 fried churro.
Can I still get churros at Costco today?
You cannot get the old standalone full-size churro at Costco as of 2026, but you can get mini churro bits inside the Caramel Churro Sundae, a $2.99 soft-serve dessert available at most locations. Independent blogs and member reports indicate that the sundae is widely stocked but not always visible on printed menus, so it is worth asking the cashier if it does not appear on the board.
Is there a good dupe for Costco churros?
Yes. Several food-media outlets rate homemade "copycat Costco churro recipes" as a close substitute, using a choux-style dough piped into sticks, deep-fried, and rolled in cinnamon sugar. Recipe-testing sites report that these versions match the original texture and sweetness within an 80-90 percent range and can be adapted to air-fryer or oven-baked methods for a slightly lighter option.
