Costco's Hot Dog Combo Is Under Scrutiny, Courtesy of Sam's Club

[{"selector":"#anim-1f449b88-aa1f-46cf-95a9-ffe821832f0a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c181161e-6f93-48de-9bbd-1fdc0b4ec397","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3ec9e98-994a-4e65-97fc-fc650dbd57a4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c06ff7e3-beb2-4573-b89c-3b6b6039bb4a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The Costco hot dog is more than just meat and spices stuffed into a casing—it's the stuff of legend. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-70527d68-8c37-4ece-8d3c-25a372866836","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b5be02f-4451-4b02-b398-513e5599b616","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-597898c0-1aee-4fd5-bd3d-a06bee7d2c80","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba70c184-9503-421f-950d-8278b837c58b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The meaty food court frank and fountain drink cost $1.50, unchanged since the 1980s, demonstrating Costco's dedication to value. Despite Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-ab556757-a784-4ec6-9a9d-566ede8b1e65","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a6c53295-2422-46e6-9376-8608c86d6aea","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e87613d-3f49-4b6b-bb3e-5bb4fb82798b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3818c8e6-7029-4e67-b699-122fabab5ad6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] decades of inflation and Costco's losses, that pricing has stayed constant. The cheap bite does more to attract and retain customers than anything else. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-42a9a1ca-9c71-4c28-8c90-6549ab8b09db","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f4b8e5ce-c9da-45b1-be64-4db5fc859625","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a6b58cbf-3516-4f27-b351-b9da080d59c3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d2c20a06-6390-43da-8c4f-560ba42d2eaa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Costco's founder reportedly threatened CEO Craig Jelinek in 2018: "If you raise the [price of the] effing hot dog, I will kill you." Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-ae643ec4-f307-435d-aede-02d643b1d933","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4839f015-c1b8-4d46-97aa-6d130393df31","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b31ed7a-a327-437c-8c51-f3789e38f011","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c2b35527-af33-4ab1-836b-532931c87ee7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Jelinek has not lost the price, his life, or his work. He told shareholders at the company's recent meeting that the booming warehouse chain sold 157 million hot dog combos last year. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-15dba817-be9e-484a-a055-158ed7c4e789","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-732a8a43-41c3-40f7-8951-2eaa8435d9d4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2758e505-e740-4370-8756-31731a3291d6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-783f1a74-0769-4695-96cb-52b02f4dd4b7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Now that Sam Club has lowered its price, Jelinek may be tempted to do the same. In November, Sam's Club lowered its hot dog combo to $1.38 to rival Costco. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-71608c56-e040-4e5a-9b7c-0a2c40e7dd54","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-33174969-c4d6-41ae-947d-46afd43fb981","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6f22540-9fda-4861-833a-77ccc892050f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4413c0e1-0995-47cc-bf47-89580f619873","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] This week, The Los Angeles Times' high-profile review of both hot dog sellers fueled their rivalry. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-88e73ed7-8339-4fc3-9da3-b03fde5e75d7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6b8ee90-a604-4c3a-ad04-2819fc90779c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-17016110-1f8f-4ca5-a131-2246a212a4c6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-490e487b-892e-450d-8365-8c2040fb007a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The competing wieners "tasted virtually identical" but Sam's Club's toppings and soft drinks were "superior"—a verdict that "almost hurts," Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-2e06c043-7ead-4687-ad79-282f068acb18","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3cc06817-a7af-489e-9034-13a4c5a668cc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3284f334-9a37-4893-b8aa-c0788345fc26","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-03a3ce5d-e21a-40c3-81d8-e2dd5940c545","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] After the review, fans on both sides argued online over the hot dogs, soda, and which warehouse club is best. Learn More Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-537e2b23-f94e-428e-ac29-f83a07397c5d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3dfa3fd9-364e-4333-b0c7-46e2ed127d3d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b82b841d-2109-4221-b0dc-131bc55005ed","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3269578c-f1e8-4331-9c5e-4372bf658549","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Someone on a Sam's Club Reddit thread said the Walmart-owned club's hot dog wins in a "taste comparison," to which another replied, Learn More Arrow

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