Costco closed seats in food courts when the pandemic spread across the United States in March last year. It sent the menu back on hot dogs and pizza for takeaway only.
Costco chief financial officer Richard Galanti expects the food courts to get a full return: ‘God willing. But it’s going to take a while, ‘he said in an interview on Wednesday.
The company does not break sales at food courts, but it is one of the benefits that can persuade retailers to hand out $ 60 or $ 120 each year for a Costco membership.
“The food courts work. That’s one of the things we’re known for,” Galanti said. “We’re glad they’re back.”
‘Known for that hot dog’
Food banks, anchored by the combination of $ 1.50 hot dogs, are no gimmick at Costco.
The company sold 151 million hot dogs last year and has not increased the price in more than three decades.
Costco puts the food lanes inside stores near the entrances. In warmer areas, such as Arizona or Southern California, they are outside, near the front.
“We want to catch you on the road inside or outside your Costco shopping experience. You’re leaving the food court satisfied,” Galanti told CNN Business in 2018.
Stop at the food court to get the shopkeepers. This extra time increases the chance that they will make an unplanned purchase after they finish their food.
And for Costco members who do not want to spend money on food court, there is hope: Costco is also slowly bringing back food samples – another benefit for members – to stores. These are plexiglass stations at some stores where workers hand out prepared items such as sandwiches, chips, cookies and biscuits one by one.
Costco will then return cooked items for samples such as breakfast sandwiches, noodle dishes and meatballs, Galanti said.