The popular food area at Costco is a great place to find deals, with classics like the $1.50 hot dog combo and $1.99 pizza slices. Americans love these cheap options, but Costco members in the U.S. are becoming increasingly envious of the wide range of foreign foods offered at food courts in other countries.
Recently, the California Crab Roll was added to a Costco in Vancouver, Canada, which has made this “menu envy” even worse.
The First California Crab Roll in Canada
Late in September, a customer at a Vancouver Costco noticed that the food hall menu had a new item: a California Crab Roll. They quickly told everyone on Reddit about their find.
The food court menu didn’t give a full description, but it looks like the roll has the usual California Roll ingredients: crab, cucumber, and avocado wrapped in seaweed and rice.
Costco members in Canada seemed to like this sushi-inspired choice, but many Costco shoppers in the U.S. were upset when they found out about it. The Canadian food court added a new, popular item, but the American food court menu hasn’t changed much, making American members feel like they’re missing out on more creative options.
Americans Who Shop Express Their Frustration
Many people talked about the California Crab Roll on Reddit, especially American Costco fans who were upset that their food halls didn’t have as many options. Many people were also upset that the menus at foreign sites were not as creative as those in the U.S.
“That’s not fair. I wish we had California Rolls,” said one Reddit user. Another said, “Costco U.S. has the worst food court selections. ” These comments show that more and more people are unhappy with what they see as a lack of effort to bring new and interesting foods to the U.S.
A Pricey Choice?
The California Crab Roll looks like a fun and trendy choice, but its price of $9.99 CAD (about USD 7.41) caused some people to complain. Some shoppers thought the price was too high for a basic sushi roll. One Reddit user said it was a “terrible deal for a crappy version of the most basic sushi roll out there.”
A different person replied, “Taste was fine.” “For $10, I’d rather have six hot dogs,” he said, stressing that the roll might have been enough for one person but wasn’t worth the price. Value for money is important to many shoppers when they try new foods in the food court, and the California Crab Roll didn’t seem to live up to their hopes.
U.S. Food Court Discontent Isn’t Just About Sushi
Members of Costco in the United States are unhappy with more than just the California Crab Roll. In the summer, Costco added a chicken and bacon sandwich to its U.S. food court menu, but people didn’t like it for long. There were complaints that the 920-calorie sandwich was too dry and had too many calories.
One Reddit user said, “It’s like they don’t even try with our U.S. food court anymore,” which is similar to how many other people feel about Costco’s American food courts: they aren’t as creative as their foreign peers.
Many American Costco members think that the food court’s best days are behind it, even with the addition of this new meal, since there hasn’t been much new in the last few years. People still like classics like the hot dog combo and pizza slice, but they want more exciting new items to keep things interesting.
Different Kinds of Food on International Menus: What Americans Miss
In other countries, Costco’s food courts are known for having menu items specific to local tastes, which frustrates American buyers even more.
People in South Korea like bulgogi bakes, while people in Canada often eat poutine. These items show a level of creativity that many U.S. members feel is missing at home and reflect the cultural tastes of each area.
International food courts are always trying new dishes popular in that country. But Costco’s U.S. food courts seem stuck in a rut, serving the same few classics with the occasional new dish that doesn’t quite work.
The Value Debate: New Ideas vs. High Prices
Adding things like the California Crab Roll and the chicken and bacon burger to Costco’s U.S. food courts raises an important question. Is the main goal to keep prices low and sell the same cheap basics, or is there room for new ideas that don’t cost too much?
Costco has always been successful because it can keep its prices low, especially in the food court. The hot dog package for $1.50 is famous for being very cheap, and the pizza slices are also very popular because they taste good and are cheap.
However, as American shoppers learn more about the wide range of menu options at restaurants abroad, the desire for something new grows.
Will Food Courts in the U.S. Catch Up?
Then, what will happen to Costco’s food halls in the U.S.? American shoppers are getting increasingly frustrated and want more creative food options. Will Costco pay attention and bring new things to the U.S.? Should the U.S. food court menu stick to its tried-and-true classics to keep prices low?
For now, the California Crab Roll in Canada is another example of how different Costco menus are in the U.S. and other countries. Americans may continue to be envious as buyers in other countries enjoy new and interesting food court items until the company takes steps to bring the same creative choices to its American stores.
Conclusion
Many American shoppers feel left out as foreign menu items become more popular, even though Costco’s U.S. food area is still a great place to find cheap food. People in the U.S. want more from their food court experiences, as shown by the recent addition of the California Crab Roll to Canada and the resulting menu envy.
It remains to be seen if Costco will react to these calls for new ideas. However, one thing is certain: the store’s American customers want more variety and creativity, and menu envy will likely keep growing until those needs are met.
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