Can You Bring Your Own Condiments To Costco's Food Court?

We here at The Takeout recommend you indulge in Costco's legendary food court — especially to try out the strawberry banana smoothie or the ice cream sandwich hack. But some folks just aren't wowed by the limited menu and lack of customizability. While one of the many Costco food court secrets is that you actually can get special toppings on both pizzas and hot dogs at some locations, you can also ensure you get your food the way you like it by bringing your own condiments to the food court. 

The bring-your-own-condiments method has become a popular trend among many frequent patrons of Costco, with some people purchasing items from Costco itself, snagging a couple extra samples from the store, or bringing their own favorites from home. This allows customers to reap the benefits of the low prices at Costco's food court without missing out on the toppings and condiments they love. Bringing your own finishing touches or popping open something you just bought at Costco doesn't seem to be officially prohibited — as long as you keep it low-key, you shouldn't have a problem.

As for what exactly to bring to the Costco food court, opinions vary depending on your tastes and what's available. If you're at a Costco that only provides ketchup and mustard for hot dogs, onions, relish, pickles, sauerkraut, or peppers — ideally sport peppers if you're from Chicago — can all give you a much more complete version of the iconic $1.50 combo. Bringing some hot sauce or sliced pickled jalapeños adds a spicy kick to your pizza, or some bacon bits might be the smoky, meaty upgrade you're looking for.

Items that you might've skipped in the past can be improved by adding a sauce or topping. Take the Chicken Bake, for example. It already has some Caesar dressing, but some folks find it to be a bit dry. Bringing in some buffalo sauce or ranch dressing to dip this bready food court staple into can improve it immensely, maybe even making it your new favorite order.