Drop the hot dog. Step away from the pizza slice. The most-requested sweet treat in warehouse history is officially back, and it costs less than a gumball machine prize in 2026: Costco’s Twisted Churro is returning to U.S. food courts for just $1.49.
Costco confirmed the comeback in mid-September after a cryptic Instagram teaser had fans guessing for days. The cinnamon-sugar twist was pulled from menus back in 2024, and shoppers have spent roughly two years begging for it. Now it’s rolling out warehouse by warehouse, and your local food court may already be frying them up.
The Fast Facts: What You Need to Know
The price: $1.49 each at participating U.S. food courts. That’s the same sweet spot as the legendary $1.50 hot dog combo. The catch: Costco says it’s back for a “limited time,” though no end date has been announced. The rollout: Not every warehouse flipped the switch on the same day, so availability varies by store over the coming weeks.
The Churro is BACK in U.S. food courts for a limited time!Costco, announcing the return on Instagram
Why Shoppers Are… Complicated About It
Here’s the plot twist. You’d expect confetti. Instead, the comment section turned into a full-on food court uprising. Plenty of people cheered, but the loudest reaction was basically “that’s it?” Fans had been guessing the mystery item would be the combo pizza, the Polish dog, or even the açaí bowl.
I SAID COMBO PIZZA TF
Instagram commenter, via Parade
Then there’s the churro purists. Some longtime members remember the original straight churro and aren’t sold on the twisted version at all. One commenter summed it up in all caps: “We want the NON-TWISTED ONE.” Tough crowd. But hey, a warm, sugary snack for $1.49 is still one of the best deals in the building.
How to Get Your Churro Fix (Without Wasting a Trip)
Call ahead or check the menu board. Since the rollout is staggered, a quick call to your warehouse’s food court can save you a trip. Grab it on a regular run. You don’t need a full cart to enjoy a snack-sized win, but if you’re already shopping, you can pair it with a $16.99 pumpkin bar cake from the bakery for a very on-brand fall treat day.
Make it dinner for the whole family. Pick up the $4.99 rotisserie chicken, then reward the kids with a churro each. Dinner and dessert for pocket change. And if you haven’t used every perk on that card yet, check out these 7 Costco membership perks most shoppers forget.
The Bottom Line
A $1.49 churro won’t fix the combo pizza situation, and Costco knows it. But as far as limited-time comebacks go, a crispy, cinnamon-sugar twist for a buck and change is an easy yes. Our advice? Don’t wait. “Limited time” at Costco has a funny way of meaning “gone before you got around to it.”
Your turn: Are you Team Twisted Churro, Team Straight Churro, or Team Bring Back the Combo Pizza? Tell us in the comments, then go grab one while the fryer’s hot.
Photo credits: Menu board image: Fox News / Patrick T. Fallon, AFP via Getty Images. Churro image: Fox News. Reporting based on coverage from Parade and Fox News.
