The product recommendations in this post are recommendations by the writer and/or expert(s)
interviewed and do not contain affiliate links. Meaning: If you use these links to buy
something, we will not earn a commission.
Costco’s food court pizza isn’t your average affordable pie—it’s the stuff of legend among the retailer’s devoted members
Available in both cheese and pepperoni, these pizzas have been a longtime food court staple and one of the most widely praised options at Costco’s in-warehouse eateries. Sure, some Costco fans say the food court pizza isn’t necessarily the most mind-blowing slice you’ll ever have in your life. But there’s still a wide consensus that the pies are pretty tasty and an absolute steal for the price and convenience (single slices go for $1.99, while whole 18-inch pizzas cost $9.95).
Some inventive Costco fans have even come up with some neat tips to make their food court pizza taste even tastier, from special ordering tricks to adding their own flavor boosters at home. And in a blessing for other Costco members, some of these shoppers have shared their special techniques with the masses on social media.
We’ve rounded up all of the best tricks floating around right now, so read on for five genius hacks to upgrade Costco’s food court pies.
A common complaint among Costco members is that the crust on the food court pizza is never as crispy as they want it to be. In response, Costco members came up with a handy trick that can get the absolute crispiest crust when you’re ordering whole pies.
Simply ask the food court worker taking your order for a well-done pizza, aka an extra long cook time. Costco members have reported on Reddit that many workers are happy to comply with this request.
“Order it ‘well done.’ They put it through the oven one more time and it’s fantastic. Been doing this for years!” a Costco member shared on Reddit.
Of course, not all employees or Costco locations may be willing or able to cook your pizza longer than the standard time. Some self-identified Costco employees also noted that it’s much harder to cook well-done pizzas when the food court is especially busy. So, making the request at slower times of day could increase your chances of getting a “yes.”
If your Costco food court won’t cook your pizza well done, there’s another simple way to ensure your pie has an extra crispy crust.
Plenty of Costco members have revealed on Reddit that their method for getting the tastiest, best-textured pizzas is reheating the pies at home. Some said they pop them into the oven for a few minutes, while others use air fryers or toaster ovens to get their pizzas piping hot and crispy.
“5 minutes at 400 and she’s perfect,” one member wrote.
READ RELATED: 11 Best Costco Deals To Score in October
This trick can work for both whole pizzas and individual slices. However, if you opt to heat up your pizza in the air fryer or toaster rather than the oven, you might only be able to fit a couple of slices at a time.
Costco’s famous diced onions, which returned to food courts this past May, are a beloved topping for the food court hot dogs. But who says you can’t use them to top other food court options as well?
In a Reddit thread earlier this year where Costco shoppers discussed their favorite food court pizza hacks, several said that they love to top their pizzas with those free chopped onions. Adding the topping might even bring back memories of the beloved yet discontinued combo pizza, which included onions, pepperoni, Italian sausage, green peppers, black olives, and mushrooms.
Costco members can request cups of the diced onions at the food court registers.
Sprinkling diced onions atop your slices is only one of the many ways that Costco members can give their food court pies a flavor boost. In fact, you may already have plenty of ingredients at home that you can easily add to your next pizza.
Costco members say that they’ll add cayenne pepper for a zing of spice or whatever dried herbs they have on hand, like oregano, basil, and thyme. Others go a step further by adding their own veggies—like banana peppers, olives, and even kimchi—or their go-to condiments.
“Drizzle some Mike’s Hot Honey and use good ranch like Litehouse Homestyle for dipping,” a customer suggested.
The biggest takeaway here is that no matter what you enjoy on pizza, even if it’s a guilty pleasure, you’re free to tweak and customize your Costco pie at home however you please.
This final hack might be a little too extreme for some members, but if you love over-the-top foods, it might just pique your interest.
Some of the more adventurous Costco fans have been combining the cheese pizza with the Chicken Bake and hot dog to make one massive sandwich they’re calling the “Jochizza.” TikToker @soyelarturito appears to be the mastermind behind the hack, or at least one of the first to try it, but TikToker @eatitkatie also recently went viral for a video about the item.
To make this monstrous meal, you’ll need to slice open the Chicken Bake lengthwise to create a pocket, and then put the hot dog inside. Then you’ll need to rip the cheese off your pizza and place it directly on top. TikTokers have also been adding generous layers of diced onions, ketchup, mustard, and relish as a final touch.
After trying the pizza-Chicken Bake-hot dog hybrid, @eatitkatie raved that it was the “best Costco menu item.”
