The Subtle Sweetener That Makes Costco Hot Dogs So Delicious

Whether you've worked up an appetite during a big restock or you're hitting that grocery run during your lunch hour, the Costco food court is there to satisfy on a dime. Arguably the most well-known and fiercely beloved offering on that sprawling menu board is Costco's $1.50 hot dog combo — a ¼-pound all-beef dog with a 20-ounce drink. The price hasn't changed since 1985, and happily, those franks clock in even larger than the promised ¼-pound, as each Kirkland Signature All-Beef Hot Dog weighs about 4.3 ounces (a quarter-pound equals 4 ounces). More than its generous size, the secret ingredient that makes Costco's iconic hot dog so craveable is a pinch of dextrose.

The subtle sweetener appears in Kirkland hot dogs' ingredient list. Dextrose is a type of corn- or wheat-derived sugar, a pillar ingredient of corn syrup that also commonly appears in processed foods like (you guessed it) hot dogs. Despite its potentially artificial-sounding "lab" name, dextrose (aka D-glucose) is chemically identical to glucose, the form of sugar naturally found in the body. Here, dextrose lends a sweet touch to savory hot dogs for a mouthwatering balance. That slightly-sweet flavor dimensionality expands even more once foodies pile on Costco's available hot dog toppings, like chopped onions, sauerkraut, relish, pickled jalapeños, ketchup, and mustard. Plus, as a simple sugar rather than a complex carbohydrate, dextrose can be quickly broken down by the body, providing a burst of fast, readily available energy to keep Costco shoppers fueled after their food court visit.

In a world that seems ever-changing, the Costco hot dog thankfully stays the same. It's no-frills, affordable, yet scientifically designed to please, and it's all in the details. Those food court hot dogs are made from Costco's house brand Kirkland Signature Hot Dogs. The food court switched to the Kirkland brand from Hebrew National Hot Dogs in 2008. It starts with a 100% beef hot dog, the same base used to assemble an authentic Chicago dog. Beyond the beef and dextrose, Kirkland hot dogs' ingredient list includes water, salt, spices, garlic, paprika and extractive, the preservatives sodium lactate, sodium diacetate, and sodium erythorbate, and the meat curing agent sodium nitrite.

Even though dextrose is measurably healthier than synthetic sugar substitutes, foodies aren't exactly turning to that famous Costco hot dog with nutritional motivations in mind. The substantial snack has accrued a cult following for a reason. That $1.50 price tag and steamy-foil-wrapped delivery speak for themselves, and Costco sells hundreds of millions of food court hot dogs each year. In fact, according to Costco Food Database, that fan-favorite combo is considered a "loss leader," bringing in less-than-zero profit for the warehouse. That said, its craveable power as a net customer attractor is incalculable, spurring the sale of other, higher-cost items in the store. For diehard dog fans, we have a few home prep tips for enjoying the taste of Costco's food court hot dogs at any time.