12 Costco food court menu items employees swear by

Costco food courts are famous for having cheap, yummy grub.

The food court menus are static in terms of price and offerings. You'll have to travel if you want to find any serious discrepancies between Costco food court menus.

They're definitely a good option for shoppers looking to grab a quick, post-shopping spree meal. And some Costco employees are fans too.

"Everything at the food court is a good deal and a favorite of all who stop by to eat," a seasonal Costco employee from New York told Business Insider. "It is a great convenience for everybody, no matter what time of day it is."

Business Insider recently asked a number of Costco employees to share their favorite food court menu options. We also scoured the internet for employee reviews of the food court items on social media.

"I eat at the food court more then I would like too," one Ontario-based Costco employee told Business Insider. "It's so good. The cheapest menus I have ever seen."

Here are the food court menu options Costco employees love:

Pizza

"Costco's pizzas are pretty incredible considering the price," Costco worker Stefan Winter wrote on Quora. "Crust is yummy, toppings are good quality, what's not to love?"

A total of 2o other Costco employees told Business Insider that the pizza was their favorite food court item. Of those, three employees preferred the pepperoni pizza, while three went with the combo pizza.

"You get sick of the food after awhile, but the combo pizza is always my go-to," one Costco worker in Florida told Business Insider.

"I love the pepperoni pizza," another employee said. "It's very cheesy with nice and juicy crispy pepperonis."

The rest just chose "pizza."

"Fun fact: If you are ordering a whole cheese pizza pie it actually has just over a pound of cheese on it," said one employee who said they ate at the food court on a weekly basis.

The hot dog-and-soda combo

"The hot dog soda combo for $1.50 is a classic," one San Diego-based Costco employee told Business Insider.

Two other Costco employees concurred that the hot dog was their favorite food court item. An Oregon-based employee added that it was the best deal in the whole store.

Bratwurst

One Costco employee in Illinois told Business Insider that they liked the bratwurst and felt disappointed when their store got rid of it for chili.

Another worker who's been at Costco for 12 years told Business Insider that, while they didn't often eat at the food court, when they did, they opted for the bratwurst.

Churros

Three Costco employees who have worked for the warehouse chain for seven and half, eight, and ten years, respectively, told Business Insider that their go-to food court orders typically included a churro.

"Lunchtime is always a safe bet for fresh food," a seven-year Costco employee wrote in a Reddit AMA. "When the lines are long, the churros are good."

Sausages

A Costco food court employee wrote in a 2014 Reddit AMA that they preferred the Polish sausages over the food court hot dogs, adding, "There's more flavor."

A Costco employee who's worked at the chain for 29 years told Business Insider they have been "eating them since 1989."

Another employee said they preferred the Italian sausages.

Chili

"I love the new chili and the pizza," a Costco employee in Ohio told Business Insider, adding that they ate at the food court "every now and then."

Another California-based employee said that the chili was one of their favorite orders.

Frozen treats

"Regardless of what you eat as the 'main course', the pistachio gelato — or any gelato — is to die for," former Costco employee Robert Lu wrote on Quora.

A Washington-based Costco employee who spoke with Business Insider agreed.

Another Costco employee said they preferred the food court's frozen yogurt.

Berry smoothie

Seven Costco employees told Business Insider that they favored the food court's berry smoothies.

One Arizona-based employee said they used to eat at the food court when they were younger and it was "much harder to gain weight." Nowadays, they added that they still "drink the smoothies."

Mocha freeze

Three Costco employees said they went for this new addition to the food court menu.

"The new cold brew mocha freeze — yum," said one Costco employee from California.

Variations on the turkey provolone sandwich

Two employees went for the turkey provolone sandwich — although one employee said they preferred it with pesto and without the turkey.

The chicken bake

"My favorite food court item is the chicken bake with a cup of Caesar dressing," a Costco employee from Washington told Business Insider. "Most of the time, if you ask for a cup of the dressing, they won't give it to you, but as an employee I tend to be able to get one. It makes it ten times better."

BONUS: free samples

Costco samples don't actually count as food court items. But, as one Costco employee wrote in a 2013 Reddit AMA, it's always nice to get "free grub" on the job.

The employee noted that the people handing out the samples get "bored standing there all day. Just talk to them and they'll give you plenty."

Are you a Costco employee with a story to share? Fill out this or email acain@businessinsider.com

12 Costco food court menu items employees swear by

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