Those who know Sam's Club love it for their overall great wholesale prices and monthly deals, but even more so for Maker's Mark, Sam's Club's private label in-house brand. Maker's Mark is behind our favorite Chick-fil-A dupe, as well as loads of other incredible private label products (believe us, we've tried them all!) But the product on everyone's lips lately is none of than the Maker's Mark All-Beef Franks. In November? Hot dogs? Yes, they're all over the news, and we know why: They're now officially one half of the cheapest hot dog combo around.
For years, Costco has been synonymous with the fast food frank. Its hot dog-soda combo has been priced at just $1.50 for decades and according to a recent statement from the company's CEO, it will stay that price, "forever." Now Sam's Club is coming for the hot dog throne.
Yesterday, the company announced that their hot dog-soda combination—which previously matched Costco's price at $1.50—is now just $1.38. They're (almost certainly) intentionally undercutting Costco, and practically declaring an all-out battle of the hot dog combos.
Why People Care About the Costco & Sam's Club Hot Dogs
Why is this 12-cent price drop such a big deal? Wholesale warehouses are constantly competing for members, but the hot dog combo feels personal. Costco's hot dog deal is one of the superstore's legacy offerings, and along with its beloved rotisserie chicken, one of the major losses the store takes in terms of sunk-costs. These low-cost items help get customers in the door with the hopes that they'll spend more once they're there.
In fact, Costco's founder once reportedly threatened the company's CEO when asked if they could raise the price of this very hot dog combo. The story goes that when CEO Craig Jelinek broached the topic with founder Jim Sinegal, he responded, "If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out." It is that synonymous with the brand.
With inflation where it is now, and food costs skyrocketing, we've gotten used to rising prices over the last few years. However, you would not expect brands to lower prices. So Sam's Club's move in this game of wholesale warehouse chess feels particularly pointed. That left us wondering, how do the combinations stack up when compared side-by-side?
Who Has the Better Hot Dog Combo Deal: Sam's Club or Costco?
In addition to the $0.12 price differences, there are several other differences. Both store's hot dogs feature all-beef franks; Sam's Club's clocks in at ¼ lb. while Costco claims theirs is "¼ lb. plus." The combinations both include your choice of soft drink, with Sam's Club offering a 32-oz. drink and Costco offering a 20-oz. drink with a free refill.
The biggest difference, though, is that Costco requires a membership to dine in their cafeteria, whereas Sam's Club doesnot. So you can take advantage of this all-time low price, even if you're not a member of either store.
Whether you're Team Costco or Team Sam's Club, it would seem the brands have started a hot dog war. And frankly, we're here for it, so long as we continue to reap the benefits a.k.a. those sweet, sweet savings!
Yesterday, the company announced that their hot dog-soda combination—which previously matched Costco's price at $1.50—is now just $1.38. They're (almost certainly) intentionally undercutting Costco, and practically declaring an all-out battle of the hot dog combos.
Walmart, the parent company of Sam's Club, is responsible for the manufacture of the Member's Mark brand. Walmart is a worldwide retailer that generates billions of dollars in revenue every year, and it's no surprise that it has the capacity to manufacture the products in-house.
The idea is that even though Sam's Club or Costco won't make profits on what retail experts call “loss leaders,” like $1.50 hot dog combos, or $4.99 rotisserie chickens, or legs of lamb, customers will shop more often and spend money on higher-margin products elsewhere in the store.
The data has been calculated by Statista based on the U.S. Census data and Simmons National Consumer Survey (NHCS). According to this statistic, 91.04 million Americans consumed Ball Park frankfurters and hot dogs in 2020.
1. HOT DOGS. Costco customers seemed to be the most enraged over the removal of the polish hot dog as fans flooded Twitter to express their anger. The company explained in a statement, "In order to simplify our menu and make room for healthier options, we have decided to offer only the all-beef hot dog."
For just $1.38, the Sam's Club hot dog is definitely a great deal, but it doesn't compare to Costco's. Costco's hot dog is so impressive that it doesn't need them.
We are committed to offering quality products at an exceptional value. We want our products to meet or exceed quality expectations. If you aren't satisfied with the quality of a perishable item, we'll replace or refund it.
In 2008, Costco began using its own hot dog factories, reducing supply chain costs. A Costco meat processing facility in Tracy, California, that had been around since 2004 began producing hot dogs in 2011, and produced both the hot dogs sold in the food court as well as smaller hot dogs sold in packs.
“Overall, uncured chicken or turkey hot dogs would be a better option, because they're usually lower in saturated fat and less processed than beef,” Avena said.
According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, which compiled the list based on sales and per capita sales in 2022, LA sold nearly 30 million pounds in hot dogs during the course of the year. New York came in second followed by Dallas, which surpassed Chicago to take the third place spot.
What is Costco's statement on eggs? Costco is committed to procuring cage‐free eggs and continues to increase the percentage of cage-free eggs it sells worldwide. In the U.S., Costco has increased its percentage of cage-free shell eggs to 97% as of September 2022.
It's all in the ingredients — or rather, lack of ingredients. Whereas most hot dogs contain a plethora of fillers and additives, Costco's Kirkland brand frankfurters do not.
“Effective April 8, 2024, an active Costco membership card will be required to purchase items from our food court,” reads the sign in the image. “You can join today. Please see our membership counter for details.”
Like all baby formulas sold in the U.S., Member's Mark Infant Milk-Based Baby Formula meets FDA requirements, same as the national brand. This product is not manufactured or distributed by the owner of the registered trademark Enfamil. Ingredients not genetically engineered.
In 2008, Costco began using its own hot dog factories, reducing supply chain costs. A Costco meat processing facility in Tracy, California, that had been around since 2004 began producing hot dogs in 2011, and produced both the hot dogs sold in the food court as well as smaller hot dogs sold in packs.
Introduction: My name is Tyson Zemlak, I am a excited, light, sparkling, super, open, fair, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/image001-2000-e5ae1697eecb4d62ab5b981e38f08124.jpg "Why Is Everyone Talking About the Sam's Club Hot Dog? (1)")
