You can’t think of hot dogs without thinking of Costco. The food court item from the big-box grocery chain is not only a culinary icon but it is a key component that makes the economically-friendly, exciting experience of shopping at Costco what it is.
No one can deny the charm and the allure of the $1.50 hot dog combo meal. In all the years Costco has existed as a business, the price of the meal has never once got up. Yes, it’s cheap and dependable but contrary to popular belief, the cheapest place to get a quick fix of a hot dog is not Costco. And it’s somewhere you wouldn’t automatically expect.
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Where to Get the Cheapest Hot Dog
So if where can people get hot dogs for less? None other than the Swedish furniture store, IKEA. It won’t come as a shock to IKEA fans that the store offers quality food, given the number of people who flock to the food court to get their fix of Swedish meatballs before they enter the dreamy room set-ups and swipe their cards to purchase some BILLY bookcases. But at the end of every IKEA trip, shoppers will be met with another food junction, IKEA’s walk-in food bistro. It’s here where a hot dog will be priced for $0.75. What a steal!
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What Makes IKEA’s Hot Dogs Stand Out?
Aside from the low price, IKEA hot dogs have a lot going for them. Similar to Costco, the hot dogs at IKEA are made with all-beef sausage and the franks are boiled rather than grilled. At the food stand in Ikea, shoppers are also offered the same condiments found at the Costco food court.
When it comes to size, Ikea hot dogs are considered to be a tad smaller and less juicer, but if you ask me, it still has a satisfying snap and meaty flavor that more than make up for what it lacks.
Related: Costco’s New CFO Goes Viral Over Comments About Its Hot Dog Prices
Ikea’s hot dog does not automatically come with a drink akin to the Costco hot dog combo meal, which may lead you to wonder if we’re just comparing apples to oranges here. But there’s an easy way to game the system to save even more money. If you join the IKEA Family program, the cost of the hot dog goes down to $0.50. Wait there’s more! The hot dogs come in value packs and the more you buy, the more money you save (as the video below so gently showcases). IKEA’s rewards program also comes with another food-lovers perk: a complimentary coffee and tea during your visit to IKEA.
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@aaauwsome save me 78-count ikea glizzy @IKEA USA
♬ AMERICAAA – Ryan
Maybe you can use some of that saved coin to get an ice cream cone, perhaps the most underrated menu item at Ikea. I’ve double-fisted an IKEA hot dog and ice cream cone too many times to count and I can’t recommend it enough.
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Courtesy of Justine Lee
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