As the leaves turn golden and the air gets crisper, retailers start embracing everything consumers love about fall.
Grocery stores fill their shelves with pumpkin-spice treats, bakeries bring back apple pies, and shoppers look for comforting seasonal favorites that make the change in weather feel a little more special.
Retailers know that tapping into those seasonal cravings can help make an ordinary shopping trip feel like something to look forward to.
Now, Costco is joining the seasonal fun, and shoppers looking for a little taste of autumn have a new reason to stop by the warehouse club giant’s famous food court.
Costco introduces a vanilla apple pie sundae
Costco has introduced its Vanilla Apple Pie Sundae, a limited-time dessert that combines the flavors of a classic fall favorite with the warehouse club’s familiar soft-serve ice cream.
The $2.99 treat layers creamy vanilla soft serve with apple pie filling and crunchy pieces of pie crust dusted with cinnamon.
The combination offers a portable take on apple pie à la mode, bringing together sweet apples, warm spices, and creamy ice cream in a single cup, reports Allrecipes.
The new offering gives Costco members an alternative to the food court’s familiar staples, including pizza, hot dogs, and other inexpensive meals and snacks.
It also follows a series of specialty sundae flavors that have helped keep the dessert menu interesting.
Early reactions suggest the apple-inspired dessert is attracting attention. Costco fans have shared their enthusiasm online, with some praising the generous apple topping and others comparing the sundae to traditional apple pie served with ice cream.
As with other seasonal food court offerings, though, shoppers shouldn’t assume the sundae will stay on the menu indefinitely. Its limited-time availability gives customers an incentive to try it while they can.
Why Costco needs to keep its food court fresh
Costco’s food court might be a small part of the company’s overall business, but it plays an important role in the shopping experience.
The retailer has built a reputation around providing members with value, and inexpensive food helps reinforce that promise.
The $1.50 hot dog-and-soda combination is the clearest example. It’s become a signature offering, while the rotating dessert menu gives regular customers something new to discover.
That variety matters because Costco’s business model depends heavily on membership loyalty.
Shoppers pay an annual fee for access to the retailer’s products and prices, so giving them reasons to return can help strengthen the relationship.
An appealing seasonal treat may not determine whether someone renews a membership. But it can make a warehouse visit more enjoyable.
Costco’s food court isn’t an afterthought
Costco’s food court might seem like an add-on to the warehouse club experience. But it’s actually a pretty integral part of it.
During the company’s most recent earnings call, Costco CFO Gary Millerchip confirmed that the company was bringing back its churro to U.S. food courts for a limited time.
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“I did want to address the speculation that’s been blowing up our social media feeds and confirm that the rumors are true,” he said.
The announcement illustrates how even a relatively small menu change can generate excitement among members.
Familiar favorites can bring back nostalgic customers, while new flavors create buzz and give members another reason to talk about Costco and visit their local warehouse.
Seasonal desserts also let Costco experiment without committing to permanent menu changes. If a flavor resonates with customers, it can build goodwill and generate buzz. If it fails, the retailer can move on to another offering.
The Vanilla Apple Pie Sundae fits that strategy perfectly.
For $2.99, shoppers get an affordable taste of fall, and Costco gets another opportunity to make a routine shopping trip feel rewarding. As the holiday season approaches, that combination of familiarity, value, and novelty could prove especially appealing.
Maurie Backman owns shares of Costco.