‘Literally Undrinkable’: Superfans React to Costco's Mango Smoothie

Last summer, many shoppers were excited about Costco's new mango smoothie. The news generated widespread excitement as Costco users in Hawaii shared pictures of the tasty drink at test locations. 

But now that it’s available nationwide at all Costco food courts, superfans are finding that the smoothie doesn’t live up to expectations — and that’s putting it mildly.

In the few weeks since the product’s rollout, the r/Costco subreddit has been flooded with posts calling the smoothie “terrible,” “kinda gross,” and “literally undrinkable.”

Originally a hit across Costco food courts in Australia, the mango smoothie made its U.S. debut in June 2022. After being released, it immediately caught the attention of users in California and Washington state who eagerly shared their thoughts on the new drink. Priced at $2.99, Costco said its smoothie delivers four servings of fruit and nine grams of fiber, all made without added sugar, additives, or preservatives.

But users' scathing reviews are surprising, in part because it seems hard to screw up a smoothie that features just one ingredient: mangos. But maybe that’s part of the problem.

Even Costco employees said they were "let down" by the highly anticipated frozen treat. Though mangos are naturally one of the sweetest fruits grown, a recurring complaint is that the new smoothie isn't sweet enough and looks like baby food. Unhappy customers may be better off just buying fresh mango and customizing the Vitamin C-packed smoothie at home, users said. 

Multiple Redditors compared the flavor to “dried mangoes,” with one commenter writing that the fruit in the drink tastes “sour and unripe.”

“Tried this yesterday and it wasn't good,” wrote another. “It was real tart. The wife said it tasted like baby food.”

With its thick texture and brownish-yellow color, the smoothie indeed does look a bit like baby food in some photos.

But not everyone hates the new drink, which Costco has said will become a “rotational” item along with the berry smoothie.

“I think people are just so used to having bananas added as cheap filler that they’ve forgotten what smoothies taste like,” one of the smoothie’s defenders wrote, adding that “it tasted fine.”

Others welcomed the smoothie’s simplicity and clean ingredients. According to Costco, the drink contains four servings of fruit and a "big dose of vitamin C."

“There's no added sugar at all. There's no artificial coloring. It tastes like actual mango. Revelation,” an r/Costco user writes.

Whichever side you’re on, the reality is that Costco members will have to live with the new beverage until the berry smoothie returns.

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