Does Costco Or Ikea Have Cheaper Food Court Franks?

We dwell endlessly on the question of why Costco food court hotdogs are so cheap and, yet, still so delicious. An inexpensive lunch at our favorite warehouse grocer is one of life's little IYKYK hacks, a cheap thrill in an age where it seems like everything is getting pricier by the day. And, yet, what if we told you that there were even cheaper hot dogs to be had at a different food court? It's giving that old-school "your princess is in another castle" meme, but, for the deal-savvy, it's knowledge worth having.

You may already know that IKEA, home of the much-better-known Swedish meatball platter that reportedly sells over a billion of those meatballs every year, has a small bistro by its store exits. This is not to be confused with the big café in each store, which serves complete hot meals like salmon filets, chicken tenders, and, yes, meatballs by the plateful. Meant to catch shoppers before they exit the store while pushing their enormous rolling carts of flat-packed, assembly-required furniture with tongue-twisting Scandinavian names, the bistro offers grab-and-go snacks that go toe-to-toe with Costco's food court offerings. These typically include pizza by the slice, soft-serve ice cream, enormous pretzels, and even hot dogs. 

That last entrant happens to be cheaper than the famously thrifty glizzies at Costco. If you can manage to find a parking space at IKEA — admittedly a real challenge during prime shopping hours — you can currently snag those hot dogs for less than a dollar. If you have an IKEA Family membership (which is free!), you can get it for even less money.

Astoundingly, IKEA offers a hot dog for just $0.75 as of writing. Like Costco, it's an all-beef link. There are some reports that the IKEA franks are a bit smaller than Costco's meaty ¼-pound specimens, but, in terms of a price-for-size ratio, the Swedish budget furniture giant wins this one all day long. The bistro offers the same condiment options as Costco, meaning that you can drizzle all the ketchup, mustard, or relish on your 'dog that your heart desires. But, hold up! IKEA Family members pay just $0.50 per hot dog and can get a free coffee or tea when they visit the bistro. That's a deal that runs circles around the $1.50 Costco hot dog combo, which comes with a soft drink.

Given how many hot dogs Costco sells in a year, we doubt that it is really hurting from being undercut by IKEA here. Besides, despite both stores being cavernous warehouses, IKEA and Costco aren't exactly direct competitors. You can't get bulk toilet paper at IKEA and you definitely can't find BILLY bookcases at Costco. One similarity that these stores have in common is that, due to their immense size and accompanying crowds, you are unlikely to go through the work of getting there just to eat a cheap hot dog. Therefore, enjoy your sub-buckaroo wiener if you happen to be at IKEA, and go with the gold standard $1.50 combo at Costco. Your belly will be happy either way.