What Happened To Costco's BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich And What Made It So Delicious?
Costco's food courts have been a major attraction at the chain since 1984, when Costco first placed a hot dog stand outside of a San Diego, California store. Since then, the food court menu has expanded, with many items becoming cult favorites among customers and employees alike. Costco's food court following is so dedicated that customers even share their own upgrades for menu items, like this decadent Costco hot dog hack.
Over the years, fans have become accustomed to frequent monumental changes to Costco's food court menu, including the discontinuation of crowd favorites. Sometimes, items are removed because they just don't work out — for example, Costco's discontinued Carne Asada bake was a total flop. Other menu changes are more of a mystery, leaving customers to lament the loss of their favorites online and speculate over their disappearance. Fans are still waiting for the return of the ice cream bar, bucket of wings, and turkey and provolone sandwiches.
The BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich is one such mystery. After the beloved sandwich was discontinued, Costco never confirmed a reason for taking it off the menu — but the internet has several theories. Read on to discover what they are.
What was Costco's BBQ Beef Brisket sandwich?
The BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich first began to appear on some Costco food court menus around 2014, according to online forums dedicated to discussing the retail store. The sandwich wasn't immediately available at every location, but customers in Texas and Washington appeared to be among the first to try the new item.
The centerpiece of the sandwich was its smoked and seasoned brisket, which was generously tossed in a sweet and slightly spicy barbecue glaze. The flavorful meat was then topped with a layer of creamy, tangy coleslaw for an added crunch. All of this was wedged in between a soft, fluffy yellow bun and served in a cardboard circle to keep everything stacked up tidily until the customer was ready to eat it in all of its messy barbecue glory.
The cost of the sandwich was $4.99, which may sound low compared to some of today's Costco prices. At the time, though, it was the actually highest-priced individual serving item on the store's food court menu, which has long been famous for its bargains.
The chain's brisket sandwich quickly became beloved
As the availability of Costco's BBQ Brisket Sandwich grew, so did its popularity. In online communities, Costco fans raved about their new favorite menu item. One person said of the sandwich on Reddit: "It's like I'm tasting a bit of Heaven here on Earth!"
Fans of the brisket sandwich loved it for its heaping serving of tender, juicy meat. They said that the meat's smoky flavor was balanced nicely by the sweet barbecue glaze. Diners also liked that the richness of the meat was cut with the fresh, cold crunch of the coleslaw, which was lightly dressed and had just the right amount of spice.
Best of all, reviewers said the sandwich was a great bang for their buck. They were pleasantly surprised at the portion size for the price, and delighted that they could enjoy this decadent flavor at the modest food court of their local Costco.
Around 2018, it sadly began disappearing from Costco locations
Starting in 2018, people began to comment online about the sandwich disappearing from the food court menu at their local Costco. The discontinuation seemed to be gradual, however. Initially, some customers believed the brisket sandwich might be a seasonal winter item, as it would often disappear and be brought back at certain times of the year. However, by 2022, the sandwich seemed to be gone for good. Fans were devastated, turning to online forums to ask for tips on making a sweet and smoky BBQ brisket sandwich at home that would satisfy their craving for the Costco recipe.
There is still speculation on whether the BBQ Brisket Sandwich could return one day. Costco has been known to bring back other favorite menu items like the Twisted Churro. Some meals have even been brought back in a slightly different form, like when Costco recently brought back the Combo Pizza as a take-and-bake option. However, there's still no indication of whether or not BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich fans can expect to see their long-lost favorite make a comeback.
Supply issues may have led to it being discontinued
While Costco has never officially confirmed a reason for discontinuing the BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich, online discussions may shed some light on this mystery. Costco employees often gather in message boards dedicated to the grocery chain to discuss changes coming to their stores and compare their experiences across different warehouses.
Those users have shared one theory behind the disappearance of the BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich, and it's fairly simple: The bulk grocery chain faced a supply issue with the sandwich's ingredients. Around the time of the sandwich's disappearance, employees said they were told the supplier of the pre-seasoned brisket meat stopped producing the product. "I think I remember something about the supplier for the meat deciding to opt out of selling that particular product," a commenter identifying themselves as a Costco employee shared on Reddit.
Although it's disappointing, it makes sense that losing access to the brisket would cause problems for the restaurant chain in supplying the sandwich. But this isn't the only theory behind its discontinuation.
Preparation issues could have contributed to its disappearance
Although fans of the brisket sandwich expressed their sadness and disappointment at the item's demise, a few online commenters were actually celebrating. The happy commenters were employees who were tired of making the complicated sandwich. Apparently, the BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich was more difficult to prepare than other food court menu items, requiring many more steps than the workers were accustomed to given the typically no-frills menu.
"Good. The Brisket was a pain to put together," said one employee on Reddit, in response to the news of its discontinuation. Another pointed out that its relatively high price tag may not have been due to its ingredients, but rather to the time required to assemble it.
That complexity may have contributed to the inconsistency noted by both customers and employees. Depending on the day or location, the sandwich could apparently be hit or miss. "First one I had about two weeks ago was packed full of toppings. The one I just had on Saturday was pathetic," said one customer on Reddit. Given these challenges, it's possible that the chain opted to discontinue the sandwich to increase efficiency and consistency across its stores.
A shift toward healthier items likely impacted its removal
The timing of the brisket sandwich's disappearance aligns with Costco's shift to healthier food court offerings that started around 2018. That same year, Costco discontinued its Polish hot dog, along with several other popular menu items, to make way for new health-conscious options. According to The Seattle Times, then-CEO Craig Jelinek confirmed at a shareholder meeting that changes were coming to the food courts in the interest of catering to those pursuing healthier and even vegan diets. Among the new menu offerings were açai bowls, organic burgers, and a plant-based Al Pastor salad.
While we don't know for sure if this was the motivation behind nixing the BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich, it makes sense. After all, the sandwich contained 33 grams of fat, 40 grams of sugar, and 1,630 milligrams of sodium (70% of the maximum daily allowance and 108% of the ideal limit for sodium set forth by the American Heart Association for salt). It may not be good for us, but we'll continue to miss the delicious Costco BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich.