Costco's Food Court Has a New Drink (and We Don't Mean Coke)

A stop at the food court to score a $1.50 hot dog combo or a slice of pepperoni pizza is a Costco shopping trip necessity. It’s a super cheap and filling meal that even the kids will love.

Whenever there’s a change to the Costco cafe, people take notice. Costco insider websites and Redditors are reporting a recent change in the beverage lineup, and most of the feedback is great. Here’s the deets.

There’s a new smoothie on the menu at Costco’s cafe, and it’s a classic flavor combination: strawberry banana. There’s always been a smoothie on the menu, but this is a new flavor for the chain. According to a photo on the menu board, it’s a bright pink color, just like you’d expect from a smoothie with lots of strawberries. 

The strawberry banana smoothie is taking the place of the (generically named) fruit smoothie. In general, reviews of the fruit smoothie were not great, so this is a welcome change. Before that, Costco’s food court has also tried out other smoothie flavors, including mango, and berry. 

This is the ingredients list of the Costco strawberry banana smoothie, according to Costco Insider.  

• Water, Pear Puree, Strawberries, Deionized Pineapple-Juice Concentrate, Apple Puree, Banana Puree, Pear Puree Concentrate, Sugar, Apple Puree Concentrate, Contains 2% or Less Of: Citric Acid, Fruit and Vegetable Juice Concentrate (Color), Ascorbic Acid, Pectin, Natural Flavor

Here are the nutrition facts. 

• Weight 435g 
• Calories 320 
• Sodium 5mg 
• Carbs 77g 
• Fiber 6g 
• Sugar 69g 
• ADDED sugar 25g 
• Protein 2g 
• Calcium 34 mg 
• Iron 2mg 
• Potassium 633 mg 

The price hasn’t changed on Costco’s smoothie. Just like the fruit smoothie, the price is still $2.99. While that’s a decent price for a smoothie, it still seems overpriced when you compare it to the hot dog combo that’s half the price. 

The general consensus from shoppers on Reddit’s Costco forum is that it’s pretty good. “Was worried it would be worse than the OG like the mango but it was actually very good,” said u/Ipersia. Other people have an aversion to bananas, and therefore aren’t too pleased. 

Many people are complaining about the high amount of sugar in the strawberry banana smoothie, which is 23g higher than the fruit smoothie, according to Costco Insider. “Geez,” said u/Adventurous-Ease-259. “With all that fruit why add more sugar.” 

If Costco changing up its beverages sounds familiar, that’s because the company recently made the announcement that it’s switching its soda fountains from Pepsi to Coca-Cola. But while you’ll find the new strawberry banana smoothie in your store already (or soon), the switch to Coke products won’t happen until this summer.