The Costco food court does not get a new menu item often. When something does land on the menu board, members notice quickly — and the strawberry shortcake sundae that quietly appeared at warehouses in May has already become one of the strongest food court drops the chain has rolled out in years. One member told us they renewed an expired Gold Star membership the same week they spotted it. That kind of reaction does not happen for a $2.99 dessert by accident.
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What it actually is
The new sundae starts with Costco’s vanilla soft-serve — the same base as the longtime chocolate, vanilla, and twist offerings, which Costco has served at most U.S. warehouses for over a decade. From there, the build is straightforward but well-executed:
- A bed of vanilla soft-serve in the standard food court cup
- A generous spoon of strawberry compote layered on top
- A handful of crumbled shortcake or pound-cake pieces folded through the sauce
- A swirl of whipped topping crowning the cup
Members who have tried it consistently call out two things: the strawberry sauce tastes like real fruit, not artificial syrup, and the shortcake pieces hold their texture instead of dissolving the way many ice-cream toppings do. Both are unusual for a quick-serve food court, and both are why this is generating word of mouth.
Pricing matches the rest of the Costco sundae lineup, which Costco has held remarkably steady for years:
- Strawberry Shortcake Sundae: $2.99 to $4.99 depending on warehouse location and size
- Standard sundae sizes (vanilla, chocolate, twist with topping): $2.99
- Soft-serve cone or cup: $1.50 — unchanged from prior years
- Mango smoothie / Acai bowl (food court regulars): $4.99
Like all Costco food court items, you do not need a membership to order if you have access to the food court entrance (most U.S. warehouses now require a membership for indoor food court access, but exterior windows in California, Texas, and Florida still serve walk-up customers).
The sundae is appearing on menu boards under the “Sweets” or “Desserts” header. At warehouses still using paper menu inserts, it has been added as a printed sticker rather than a full menu reprint — which suggests Costco is treating this as a soft launch and could expand or rotate it based on early sales.
When and where to find it
Coverage so far has been strongest at warehouses in the Northeast, Southeast, and Pacific Northwest, but reports of the sundae appearing in California, Texas, and the Midwest started in mid-May. As of this week, the rollout looks national — not regional — which usually means Costco’s corporate food court team has committed to it for the summer.
A few practical notes from longtime members on timing:
- Best window to try: Weekday afternoons between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. The post-lunch food court is at its quietest, the soft-serve machine is freshly stocked from the lunch rush, and you are not waiting behind 30 people ordering hot dogs.
- Avoid: Saturday and Sunday afternoons after noon. The food court is the busiest part of the warehouse on weekends, and the soft-serve machine occasionally pauses for cleaning between batches.
- If your local warehouse does not have it yet: Ask at the food court counter. Several members report that the menu boards lag behind the actual available items by a week or two — staff can sometimes ring it up before the board updates.
Why this one matters more than a usual food court drop
The Costco food court is one of the most carefully curated quick-serve operations in big-box retail. Items get added rarely and pulled even more rarely. Recent drops include the mango smoothie (added 2022, still on the menu), the acai bowl (added 2023, still on the menu), and the chicken bake (added 2002, still selling roughly 100 million per year). When Costco commits to a new food court item, it tends to stay.
This sundae also lands at a strategic moment. Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of soft-serve season at Costco — soft-serve volume roughly doubles between May and September at most warehouses. Adding a dessert with this kind of word-of-mouth pull right at the season opener is the kind of thing that drives food court traffic for the entire summer. If you are already at the warehouse this weekend for Memorial Day grilling supplies, the sundae is worth the extra five minutes.
Member tips for ordering
A few things longtime food court regulars have flagged:
- Ask for “easy on the compote” if you prefer balance — the standard portion errs on the generous side, which is exactly why most members love it but a few find it overwhelming.
- The shortcake pieces sit at the bottom of the cup. Mix from the bottom up rather than spooning straight off the top for the right ratio in every bite.
- Pair with a hot dog or chicken bake for the classic Costco lunch. Sundae plus chicken bake is roughly $5.98 total — still one of the cheapest sit-down meals in American retail.
- If you want to take one home: Order ahead at the counter, ask for a domed lid, and pack it on ice. The compote travels surprisingly well; the shortcake pieces get softer but remain pleasant.
How long will it last?
That is the question every member is asking. Costco has not announced whether the strawberry shortcake sundae is a summer-only seasonal or a permanent menu addition. Based on past food court rollouts, the soft-launch pattern (no press release, no menu reprint, no announcement) usually means corporate is letting unit-level sales data decide. Strong June and July numbers will likely lock this in as a permanent option. Weak numbers and it disappears by Labor Day.
The takeaway: if you want to try it, this is the right week. It is at your warehouse, it costs less than the average iced coffee at a coffee chain, and the food court line moves fast on a weekday afternoon. Worst case, it is not for you. Best case, you have just discovered the best $2.99 you will spend at Costco this year.
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