45. Costco Food Court
Yourtown USA
Motive. Means. Opportunity. These are often viewed as the pillars of reason when making the determination whether to try a new pizza. Let’s break down those pillars individually and see how Costco pizza fares:
1. Motive. This is never an issue for me, but it can grow definitely grow stronger when I know I can be enjoying a slice in just a few minutes. Pizza is always an appropriate solution, so motive is a constant presence for most of us.
2. Means. The pricing structure has shifted slightly over the years, but a Costco slice remains a bargain. Squint at the stock photo above and you’ll see a slice large enough to cover your head. Yes, I understand the foreshortened angle makes it look even more pronounced, but it’s clearly a generous wedge, and at the current price of $1.50, it’s pretty easy on the wallet.
3. Opportunity. Wherever you live in North America, there is a Costco nearby. My commute home takes me within a half-mile of Costco five times during a normal work week, and opportunity arrives with even greater frequency when carpooling with my wife, who’s not bashful about recommending easy-to-prepare dinner options. In this scenario, we’re both winners.
And a Costco review would be incomplete without mentioning the food court decor. Some folks watch oddball TV shows like 600-Pound Housewives of Atlanta or The People’s Court: Naked, but my guilty pleasure is keenly observing Costco customers with hollowed expressions stroll past with shopping carts filled with eye-popping quantities of items not normally purchased in bulk.
For me, the pizza experience transforms the cold, uncaring and overpainted molded concrete patio slabs into Kirkland’s Garden of Eden. It serves as an inspiring example of brutalist architecture, and is probably the least comfortable place on the planet to dine, and yet I would change nothing about it. My favorite spot is near the trash bin.
But about the actual product: it’s really quite decent. It’s a New York big slice that ticks all the boxes, and as mentioned, is quite fast and economical. It’s become the only place I can recall where I deviate away from my topping norms. It’s not elite pizza, but it’s worthy of the Convenience Best-in-Class. Costco delivers satisfaction every time.
