The Discontinued Costco Food Court Sandwich Shoppers Desperately Miss

Costco's great-value food court understandably draws intrigue. Items like their decades-old $1.50 hot dog and soda deal and dependable $9.95 18-inch cheese or pepperoni pizzas have long satiated amidst a shopping trip. Yet among familiar food court stalwarts, the retailer trials quite a range of dishes, even including unique offerings per region and country of origin. Inevitably, some of these Costco foods become discontinued, and fan disappointment ensues.

For instance, the elimination of their barbecue brisket sandwich drew much fanfare. After all, this generously portioned meal was once touted as the store's best food court option. Just $4.99 got customers a delicious serving of shredded tender brisket, covered in a sweet-smoky sauce, and paired with coleslaw between two hamburger buns. The meat came shredded yet surprisingly moist, while the cabbage retained a nice crisp — checking the right textural boxes. "I don't even like cole slaw, but in this sandwich? It all worked," noted a user on a Costco Reddit thread dedicated to the sandwich's elimination.

Costco only sold these beef creations at certain locations, with sightings once reported in Texas, the East Coast, and SoCal, per a different Costco Reddit discussion. Some users wrote that they never even encountered the dish in the first place. However, among those lucky to sample the creation, there's a feeling of communal sadness regarding its discontinuation.

Throughout its entire existence, the barbecue brisket sandwich retained an air of mystery. Shoppers first spotted the dish in late 2013, and it slowly trickled into more retail locations. Then, while still in circulation, the sandwich sporadically disappeared and reemerged at outlet menus. Discussions on Reddit first noted the dish's final elimination in 2019, when the sandwich surreptitiously left food courts once and for all.

Accordingly, no one's certain why the dish became discontinued. One Redditor — who says they worked at the food court — stated the sandwich entailed lots of prep work (via Reddit). On another Costco Reddit thread dedicated to the dish, an employee cites supply chain issues, specifically with the beef producer, led to the elimination. As the years trickle by, a reemergence seems increasingly unlikely. So while you can still buy ready-to-eat seasoned St. Louis ribs at Costco, this barbecue favorite is probably gone for good.