Costco's Food Court Pizza Uses A Truly Impressive Amount Of Cheese

Costco Wholesale is the kind of store where you can buy 120 eggs or 60 pairs of underwear — and maybe pick up a patio furniture set while you're at it. But real Costco guys (of all genders) know to hit up the famous food court before filling their carts. After all, where else are you going to get a quarter-pound all-beef hot dog and a soda for $1.50? And that's not likely to change: Costco has been adamant about not raising the price.

If you're loading up on that much sodium, you're probably also eyeing that $9.95 pizza, too. Another item frozen in time (an 18-inch pie for under $10 is bananas and a little suspicious), Costco's pizza is a crowd favorite, and the food court cranks 'em out at factory speed. Costco fulfills so many pizza orders that the wholesale store is one of the largest pizza chains in the country.

To make all that pizza, the Costco food court piles more than a pound of cheese on each pie. The food court uses a blend of mozzarella and aged parmesan to make its cheese pizzas. Adding toppings will reduce the amount used, but that's still a ton of cheese.

Cheese pizza is the standard for the Costco Wholesale food courts around the U.S., but in other countries they apparently put their own spin on things. Costcos in the United Kingdom reportedly offer barbecue chicken and five-cheese varieties, while Mexican Costcos are said to carry al pastor pizza. Meanwhile, American Costco shoppers are over here rolling slices of pizza around hot dogs. What are we doing, people?

Regardless of where you get your Costco pizza, the store probably won't deliver it to you now or ever. Pizza may be a big draw for customers like myself, but the food court exists to keep shoppers inside and, well, shopping. In 2023, Costco moved more than 130 million hot dogs. At $1.50 for a dog and soda, that's not pulling down much in terms of profit — but it is driving memberships, and that's where Costco really makes its money.