I Tried Sam's Club's New Food Court Hot Dog & It Had One Major Flaw
Is Sam's Club pulling ahead in the membership club hot dog wars? The Walmart-owned warehouse club and its top competitor Costco have been duking it out in every category imaginable since the inception of both chains in the 1980s.
The stores go toe-to-toe when it comes down to anything and everything from membership pricing and return policies to private-label brands and product variety with several notable differences. But, if you were to name one point of comparison that truly embodies the Costco vs. Sam's Club rivalry, it would have to be the popular hot dog combos in the retailers' respective food courts.
Sam's Club has been slinging hot dogs ever since it opened its doors in 1983, according to the company–although back then the business was conducted from a food cart rather than an in-store café. Meanwhile, Costco didn't unveil its own bun-wrapped American classic until a year later in 1984.
For the majority of this 40-year battle, the two clubs have been at a steady stalemate, both serving similar versions of a $1.50 all-beef quarter-pound hot dog with minor taste and bread differences and, of course, a fountain drink to go with it. All was calm and amicable. That is, until Sam's Club decided to undermine its opponent in 2022 by lowering its hot dog combo price to $1.38. The 12-cent change sent shockwaves through the membership-club community.
Now in 2024, Sam's has made another monumental move. In July, the store's cafe began serving a completely different kind of frank: the Member's Mark Cheddar Cheese Pork Frank (the same variety that's available for retail purchase at the store). To be clear: the newcomer did not replace Sam's standard beef hot dog, but instead offered an additional option. That means double the dogs and double the deals. Since Costco currently offers just one hot dog on its menu, it makes you wonder if Sam's Club now officially has the upper hand in this ongoing hot dog duel.
But, before I get ahead of myself, I have to address the cardinal question: how does this new frankfurter taste? Does it match or exceed the flavor of the all-beef dog? Does it resemble the cheese-packed Frank n' Stuff dogs of the '80s? Is it an addition Costco should be worried about?
I infiltrated the Sam's Club food court to take a closer look. Here's how the new offering tasted.
Member's Mark Cheddar Cheese Pork Frank
Member's Mark Pork Cheddar Cheese Frank (Per 1 Link)
Calories: 350
Fat: 34 g (Saturated Fat: 12 g)
Sodium: 1,100 mg
Carbs: 4 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 15 g
The new hot dog differs from Sam's Club's flagship frank in two key ways, and they are both made evident in its name. First, instead of 100% beef, this alternative is made up of all pork. Second, it incorporates cheddar cheese throughout the meat in some capacity. Needless to say, it also comes tucked inside a bun and is served alongside a 30-ounce soda.
When I arrived at the scene, I was worried when I didn't see the newcomer promoted on the menu board. But, the cashier assured me it was, in fact, available and for the exact same $1.38 price as the standard hot dog combo. I splurged for both menu items, old and new, to compare them up side-by-side.
The look: The first thing I noticed about the pork frank was its shape compared to the beef dog. It's shorter and wider with a different-sized bun to accommodate its measurements. A much lighter pinkish-tan color, it's reminiscent of a pork bratwurst and if you look closely, you can see specks of pale orange cheese poking out from underneath the surface.
The taste: Eager to dive right in, I went for the pork frank first. Big and juicy, it's a certified mouthful. It also has that obvious boiled hot dog texture and taste with a warm yeasty bun. As for the flavor itself, I couldn't shake the thought that it's nearly identical to ham. As an all-pork product, this certainly makes sense. But, I had my taste buds prepped for more of a complex pork sausage type of experience.
The biggest letdown, however, was the cheese, which was far less prominent than anticipated. It appeared in small pockets tucked into the pork and didn't ooze as much as it just smeared–no dramatic cheese pulls like you would get from a well-made fried mozzarella stick. These pangs of cheese are elusive, but when you do get a taste, it's more akin to American cheese rather than cheddar. I would have preferred shredded cheese piled on top Coney-style rather than these small blips of nearly undetectable flavor.
In my eyes, the beef frank still prevails. As soon as I switched over to the original frank, I quickly came to the conclusion that it remained the top dog. Richer, more savory, and somehow even juicier, it's difficult to beat. The promise of a cheese-filled frank is still a major draw, though, and it's a great second option for customers who prefer pork or are just looking for something new from the club's café. But, ultimately, I don't think Costco should be sweating too much or scrambling to whip up its own version of a cheesy pork frank. The hot dog war is not yet over.
Sign up for our newsletter!
