A fan-favorite Costco food court item has returned after five years – but there’s a catch.
The hot turkey and provolone sandwich, which disappeared from menus during the pandemic, has made a quiet comeback in recent weeks.
The sandwiches have been spotted across California, in Alhambra and Huntington Beach, and Oregon.
Fans on Facebook and Reddit have reacted with excitement — but also frustration.
The main issue is the price. It has jumped from $3.99 pre-pandemic to $6.99.
‘What a price increase!’ one customer vented on Reddit about the sandwich, which features oven-roasted turkey breast, provolone cheese, red onions, tomatoes, and basil garlic mayo on a toasted roll.
‘Damn, I would have been okay with $5.99, but $6.99 is steep,’ another agreed.
‘It’s hard sell for me when the pizza/hotdog is so affordable,’ a third added.
The hot turkey and provolone sandwich is officially back in Costco food courts
Costco strives to focus its food court items on affordability, notably the much-loved $1.50 hot dog and soda combo.
Food court changes can cause quite a stir among Costco’s loyal followers.
Recently the warehouse-based giant has been battling fans disappointment over its decision to swap out Pepsi drinks for Coca-Cola products.
It is perhaps no surprise the turkey sandwich price increased after years of rampant inflation that the Federal Reserve are still battling to contain.
Costco also raised its membership fees in September for the first time in seven years.
The warehouse-based retailer’s standard membership has risen by $5 a year, taking it from $60 to $65.
The Executive level – which offers a 2 percent rebate on all Costco purchases made that year up to a total of $750 – will increase by $10 to $130 a year.
Costco membership allows customers to shop for discounted groceries and electronics in store.
Costco strives to focus its food court items on affordability
The fan favorite sandwich was initially just $3.99 but that has now jumped to $6.99
It also gives access to services such as hearing tests and home insurance.
Costco nets around $4 billion-plus a year from the fees – a figure that will likely go up following the increase.
Until this latest rise, there had been seven membership fee hikes since Costco’s founding in 1983 – each time by $5 for the standard membership. On average they took place once every five years or so.
The longest period over which the annual membership fee has remained unchanged was between 1983 and 1992.
Its $25 annual fee in 1983 would be about $78 today, according to US Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation data.
