Costco Churros Are Coming Back, But Fans Are Already Asking for the Old One
After disappearing from Costco food courts, the beloved cinnamon-sugar treat is finally returning, and the reaction says a lot about how seriously people take their warehouse snacks.
Costco has confirmed that its Twisted Churro is returning to U.S. food courts for a limited time. The announcement came on September 18 after the retailer teased the comeback two days earlier, sending shoppers into the comments trying to guess which discontinued favorite was about to reappear. The returning churro will cost $1.49, and different warehouses are expected to receive it over the coming weeks. Costco’s Twisted Churro announcement quickly turned into a celebration among fans who had been waiting for its return.
But there is an important detail: this is the Twisted Churro, not the original straight churro that some longtime Costco shoppers remember most fondly.
The Churro Is Back, But Which One?
For some Costco fans, a churro is not just a churro.
The original Costco churro was long, straight, ridged, and covered in cinnamon sugar. In 2021, Costco replaced it with a twisted version that had a distinctive spiral shape and a slightly different texture. The twisted version disappeared from food courts in 2024, leaving fans wondering whether they’ll ever see it again. The history of Costco’s changing churro helps explain why today’s comeback is exciting for some customers but slightly bittersweet for others.
That distinction is already causing debate. If you loved the twisted version, this is the comeback you wanted. If your favorite Costco memory involves the old straight churro, you may be celebrating with one eye on the menu, wondering when the original will return.
Why a $1.49 Churro Matters So Much
The funny thing about Costco churros is that the food itself is simple, but the memories attached to it are anything but.
A Costco trip can take you through an enormous warehouse, a parking-lot battle, and enough bulk purchases to make your car look like a small delivery truck. Then comes the food court: pizza, hot dogs, drinks, and finally something sweet. The churro became part of that ritual because it was warm, inexpensive, messy, and easy to share.
For families, it could be the reward after shopping. For regular shoppers, it could be the little routine that made a huge warehouse trip more enjoyable. Even simple habits that make everyday routines more enjoyable can become surprisingly powerful when they are repeated for years.
The New Churro Is Still a Bargain
At $1.49, Costco has kept the returning treat firmly in impulse-purchase territory.
The price is higher than the 99-cent era some longtime customers remember, but it is still remarkably inexpensive for a warm food-court dessert. According to Allrecipes’ report on the Costco churro comeback, the returning pastry will be served warm and covered generously with cinnamon sugar, just as fans remember.
Another reason not to wait too long if you are excited: Costco has described the return as limited-time. The company hasn’t announced exactly when the churros will disappear again, and individual warehouses may not start selling them on the same day.
The Texture Is Where the Real Debate Begins
For many people, the difference between the old and new Costco churro comes down to one thing: that first bite.
A good churro is all about contrast. You want a crisp exterior, a soft, chewy interior, and enough cinnamon sugar to stick to your fingers. The shape can even affect the experience because twists create ridges and edges that hold onto sugar differently from a straight pastry.
That is why food nostalgia can be so specific. Someone may say they miss “Costco churros,” when what they really miss is the exact texture, size, shape, smell, and cinnamon-sugar coating they remember from years earlier.
Fans Are Already Asking for More
The churro comeback has also reopened an entirely different conversation: which discontinued Costco food should return next?
Once Costco revealed the mystery item, customers quickly started mentioning other former favorites, especially the combo pizza. The reaction shows how Costco’s food court has become more than a convenient post-shopping stop; its menu has created its own collection of food memories.
That is why familiar foods can be so powerful. A simple ingredient or snack can become part of a routine, and changing it can feel surprisingly personal. Finding ways to make familiar foods more interesting does not always mean inventing something new—it can also mean bringing back something people already loved.
Will the Twisted Churro Stay?
That may be the question Costco shoppers care about almost as much as the comeback itself.
For now, the Twisted Churro is returning to U.S. Costco food courts for a limited time at $1.49, with the rollout happening across warehouses in the coming weeks. Some shoppers will probably take their first bite and feel like an old routine has returned. Others may decide that Costco has only solved half the problem because the straight original is still missing.
Either way, Costco has turned a humble cinnamon-sugar pastry into a genuine nostalgia event. And perhaps that is the secret: sometimes the foods people remember most aren’t the fanciest—they are the little treats tied to ordinary days.
If Costco let you choose the next food-court comeback, would you bring back the original straight churro, the combo pizza, or something else entirely?
