30 Things Costco Refuses to Sell Anymore

When it comes to Costco, saying goodbye to our favorites has never been easy. Sure, things come and go at Costco, and we can all reasonably expect that not everything will restock. However, some things certainly stick around longer than others, and letting go of those things can be lot more difficult to manage. Bringing us simple comfort, the best items were on our shopping list every time – until they weren’t.

Some of our Costco favorites, throughout the years, we came to depend on in many cases, and perhaps even took for granted. And once Costco stopped selling them, we came to lament what we’ve lost.

Often Costco will remove items that aren’t selling as well as they would have liked, but in other cases there are more controversial reasons for taking products off the shelves.

That being said, here we’ve highlighted some of the most talked-about Costco items that the wholesale retailer just plain refuses to bring back. From short-lived controversies to fan-favorites, these Costco products will never see the light of day again. But what exactly happened to these consumer goods? These are the things Costco refuses to sell anymore. Let’s take a look at these items you still won’t find on shelves!

This one is just criminal. The decadent All-American Chocolate cake was a favorite among chocolate lovers with its rich chocolate flavor, velvety, and artfully layered fudge frosting, but then Costco decided to take it away from us, and the bakery aisle has never been the same since.

The cake was big enough to feed about 20 people and was the perfect cake for any occasion, and a old reliable for last-minute cake needs. But then consumers were sent into panic one it disappeared from shelves. Costco discontinued it during global pandemic, while at the same time halting their sheet cakes. And although now you can order a sheet cake, you still can’t pick-up or even order the All-American Chocolate cake.

The Combo Pizza was the next tragic loss as a result of the pandemic. It was a favorite among food court aficionados and honestly one of the best ways for all of us to get in our daily intake of vegetables. But then, Costco decided that vegetables were no longer important, going against everything our mothers told us when we were younger.

Costco removed the Combo Pizza from the menu due to warehouse restrictions during the pandemic. In an effort to reduce the risk of spreading COVID, the fresh vegetables, mushrooms and sausage were all removed, and now you can only get a cheese or pepperoni pizza, like we are all babies now.

In the summer, this cool treat was a godsend, but you certainly had to eat it up fast before it melted. It cost less than $2 and it really hit the spot when you were craving chocolate ice cream. At some point, Costco decided we didn’t need it anymore and now they only offer vanilla soft serve.

What do they have against chocolate anyway? You can get your soft serve covered in chocolate sauce but it’s not quite the same. And if you hate chocolate like Costco seems to, you can get it with a mixed berry topping. Again, definitely not as good as the chocolate ice cream of days long gone. SMH.

These have been gone for a while, last seen circa 2013, and we are sad to report, they are still gone. The chocolate-dipped ice cream bars at the food court were another fantastic treat for ice cream and chocolate lovers everywhere. They were also covered in toasted almonds, so you could even say it was a health food.

Okay, maybe not. But they were delicious and that has to count for something! The best you can do now is buy a box of Häagen-Daz ice cream bars, and while those might be even better, there is literally nothing stopping you from eating the entire box in one sitting, provided you are an adult.

This one pulled off shelves back in 2020 due to controversy, and Chaokoh Coconut Milk has never been back since. Ideal for baking, Chaokoh coconut milk was a low-cost canned option. However, the Thailand-based company Theppadungporn Coconut Co was targeted by PETA for using forced monkey labor.

The company was found to be guilty of cruelty to animals by using monkeys to perform circus tricks for tourists. The animals were kept in cages that were much too small for their size, or chained up and tethered in many cases. PETA also alleged that their handlers had their teeth pulled in some cases after the monkeys defended themselves.

In response to this, Costco stopped selling the company’s coconut milk.

Costco offers a ton of easy and delicious dinners to get you through the week, and their Kirkland Signature Frozen Four-Cheese Ravioli was no exception. You could get a giant bag of ravioli that could easily feed your family for several nights. Nevertheless, making our lives more difficult, Costco decided to stop selling it.

It’s been gone for over a decade but that doesn’t make us miss it any less. Fans of this beloved Italian frozen dinner have been pleading on Costco’s social media pages for this item to return to their warehouses, but to no avail, Costco still won’t bring it back.

Costco’s hot dogs are almost as popular as their pizza, but they used to have a second option until more recently – the Polish. The cost of these was around $1.50, which in today’s economy is about…$,1000? I’m not sure anymore. But I digress. But Costco decided the hot dog was a “healthier” option, and got rid of the Polish from their food court menu.

The Polish was much like Costco’s all-beef hot dog but it had special spices and a variety of meats instead of just beef. Those who appreciated the extra flavor definitely went for the Polish every time. The good news is that you can still pick these up in the refrigerator aisle – or at least similar ones.

Some people said these were even better than Reese’s. The miniature peanut butter cups were said to have a richer flavor and greater peanut butter filling ratio compared to famous name-brand peanut butter cups. Sadly, if you never had a chance to try them, you may never get to - as Costco stopped selling them completely.

Peanut butter cups are among the most popular candy out there, but I guess most people just preferred the name brand. Nevertheless, this hidden Costco gem will be remembered by fans for years to come. And if you want an off-brand peanut butter cup, you’ll just have to take your tush to another store.

In an effort to support more humane farming practices, Costco has elected only to sell cage-free eggs. Originally the goal was to do this back in 2020, but those plans were halted because of COVID-19. It is said that the cage-free chickens have a better quality of life, given that they are not confined to small cages.

And while that doesn’t quite mean the chicken’s live a life where they can roam the outdoors, it’s still a slightly better life. It is also said that cage-free eggs are healthier too, since the eggs are said to have lower levels of chemical residue from pesticides. Some say cage-free just tastes better too.

Evidently, Costco has been going for healthier but not too healthy. These preformed frozen turkey burger patties were a healthy alternative to the ground beef ones. While they do sell another brand of turkey burger patties, consumers aren’t quite loving them like the old ones.

Perhaps, the sales numbers told a different story, but there exists a petition to bring back the old Kirkland Signature Turkey Burgers. So, some people definitely preferred them. One Reddit User, oldeurofan, said:

I ate them every single day for years. They discontinued them. They were the best! I don't understand. There was even a change.org petition to bring them back. I have so many food allergies and these were safe.

Okay, so maybe nobody really misses this one, but if you thought beer couldn’t get any cheaper, you were wrong. The Kirkland Signature Light Beer was the healthiest and most economical way to get incredibly drunk fast. But Costco started phasing it out in around 2018.

Why? Because it was disgusting. Customers gave the beer harsh reviews, suggesting that it tasted like urine among other things. While it might have been fine to serve to guests that you hate, nobody really wanted to drink this stuff after they tried it. Costco has refused to sell it since and we definitely aren’t complaining.

If you don’t live in a snowy area, you probably never needed these to begin with but studded tires could be effective for traveling snowy/icy roads more safely. Costco sold them for years until concerns arose about the studs of these tires damaging roadways. No longer will Costco sell you studded tires.

If you live in a snowy area and are looking for appropriate tires, you may want to consider putting chains on your tires. If you want studded tires and don’t mind paying more, you can always choose another tire retailer, because it doesn’t look like Costco is about to change its mind.

Another for the will not miss list, but years ago, Costco sold a Cuddle with Me doll that many consumers found to be racially insensitive. The Cuddle With Me Doll sold at Costco was available in three different ethnicities: Hispanic, Caucasian and African American. At first glance, it seemed innocent but upon closer look, you could tell it wasn’t well thought out.

The sets of baby dolls were paired with a little plush toy, and consumers were offended to find that the African American version of the doll was paired with a plush monkey. The baby also wore a hat that read “Lil Monkey” on it. The dolls were removed from shelves as soon an possible and the other versions of the doll were eventually phased out as well.

Kraft is inexpensive as it is, so there was never really a need for this product to begin with. That being said, it’s not a huge loss, even if it was slightly cheaper.  Ultimately, newer generations are staying away from processed foods, or are at least trying to and so the market for these was rather slim.

It was, however, a little more convenient because the cheese slices were not individually wrapped, which also made this American cheese option more environmentally friendly. And this cheese certainly has its place when it comes to making fast meals like a hamburger and grilled cheese, so it would be nice not to have to fumble with all those wrappers.

Costco doesn’t mess around when it comes to concerns about animals, and you can also add endangered fish species to that list. Back in 2011, Costco adopted a sustainable seafood policy that ended the sale of wild seafood, especially those fish whose abundance is rather limited.

Fish types such as halibut and Atlantic cod are no longer available at Costco. Additionally, several species of salmon have been banned from the meat section of Costco. Bluefin tun and wild swordfish are other such species that Costco no longer sells. But worry not, there’s plenty of other fish in the sea.

Not every Costco superfan loved the Kirkland Take and Bake Pizzas the store used to offer, but there was no denying that they made up an important part of Costco's identity. They might not have been the most delicious thing in the world, but they were quick, affordable, and easy when you needed a meal! 

However, the take and bake pizzas mysteriously disappeared from store shelves during the pandemic, and they were far from the only product to get the cut during this time. While some items nixed during the pandemic have made their triumphant return, the Kirkland Take and Bake Pizzas are still missing in action. 

When will Costco learn that people aren't looking for "improvements" on their classic, beloved products? That's what happened in 2016 with the Kirkland five-pocket jeans, and customers were not pleased, to say the least! From low-quality materials to poor design, people just weren't feeling these "new and improved" jeans. 

However, instead of reverting back to the originals, Costco just took their famous jeans off the shelves entirely! These iconic pants got the boot in favor of the company's Urban Star brand, and die-hard Costco fans have been complaining about this switcheroo ever since! 

Many times when an item gets axed at Costco, it's part of one of the company's in-store brands. However, sometimes name-brand products get the cut as well. Several years ago, Costco made the decision to stop offering Roundup weed killer after customers petitioned the store to take it off the shelves. 

Costco isn't the only store to stop selling Roundup, and some municipalities have even banned its use entirely. The biggest issue with this product is its inclusion of glyphosate, which the World Health Organization has classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans." Don't expect to see it back on Costco shelves any time soon. 

If you're a cheese lover, you probably noticed that your Costco bill has gone up recently. In 2023, the store cut the beloved Kirkland Parmigiano Reggiano Wedges, and customers were less than pleased about this change! The biggest selling point for these cheese wedges was their price—you couldn't do much better than $12.50 per pound. 

While Costco does have parmesan alternatives, they just don't stack up. Your options are either pre-shredded cheese, which just won't taste as nice or an entire wheel of parmesan, which clocks in at almost one thousand dollars! The cheese aisle just hasn't been the same since they cut this delicious and affordable option.   

Not every Costco location offered BBQ brisket sandwiches in the food court, but those that did had a lot of unhappy customers once it got discontinued. Officially, the delicious sandwich got cut to make more room for healthier food court options, but it was also on the pricier side which could have contributed to its downfall. 

While the BBQ brisket sandwich isn't a staple on Costco food court menus anymore, some people claim that it will pop up from time to time as a seasonal item. So, unless you're hunting for this elusive sandwich specifically, there's a good chance you'll never see another one at your local Costco. 

Fresh-made gelato wasn't an option at every Costco food court, but some locations used to offer this sweet treat, and people weren't happy when it was removed from the menu.  Whether you were looking for a single serving or an entire quart, folks used to be able to waltz out of Costco with this Italian delicacy. 

According to the gelato's superfans, Costco stopped offering the fresh stuff sometime in 2015 after offering it at select locations for about a year. It was apparently just a test run and didn't perform as well as expected, but the folks who loved it would probably disagree with that assessment! 

You wouldn't think that a bunch of golf balls could cause major drama, but that's exactly what happened when Costco released its Signature Performance One golf balls in 2016. Customers loved them, but competitor Titleist was less than thrilled and sued for patent violation, which led to Costco changing how they manufactured them. 

Customers hated the changes and claimed that the new golf balls were much less durable than the originals. Eventually, Costco pulled the golf balls entirely, and they haven't been available ever since. However, the store does offer other brands, but they're just not the same as Signature Performance One! 

For years, cookbooks used to be a Costco tradition. Every Thanksgiving weekend, the store would distribute Cooking the Costco Way to customers to help give them some creative culinary ideas in the kitchen. However, these cookbooks got cut in 2015, and now, recipes are distributed through the store's monthly online magazine. 

While customers may still get plenty of new recipes to try, people really seemed to love the books and hated it when they got cut. While the recipes themselves are still floating around the internet, actual copies of the cookbooks have become a bit of a collector's item! 

You never know what's going to be a big hit with customers at Costco until it's discontinued and people start losing their minds. While store-brand body lotion doesn't sound like anything to write home about, Kirkland garnered a lot of fans with its no-frills moisturizer that Costco offered until 2017. 

Despite the pleas of fans, Costco doesn't appear to have any plans on bringing back the Kirkland body lotion, as it didn't hit the sales targets the store laid out for it. However, the lotion is still available in some Canadian locations. So, if you live near the True North, you may want to plan a lotion run! 

Like many Costco products, the Kirkland Mediterranean oil blend was cut from shelves suddenly without an explanation why. As a blend of canola, grapeseed, and olive oil, customers loved that this product was versatile enough to both cook with and use as a salad dressing. And then, it disappeared without a trace. 

However, hardcore fans of this oil blend weren't about to let it go without a fight. After it was cut from shelves, people took to social media to try and recreate the recipe, as the ingredient list is pretty simple. Unless Costco has a surprise return for this product, we may have to learn to live with the homemade version. 

Costco is a magical place, and that's largely thanks to its amazing food court. Even if you don't feel like cooking, you can still manage to nab a delicious meal here. However, the food court got a little less sweet when Costco decided to cut out their cinnamon sugar pretzels. 

At over 500 calories per pretzel, you might think that these got cut because they're unhealthy. However, it appears that they've been replaced by churros, which are not exactly health food themselves! In reality, the cinnamon sugar pretzels probably got axed because they were simply too expensive to produce. 

This is yet another Costco product that got the axe...or is it? It appears that Kirkland Signature Comté Cheese is still around sometimes and in some places, but it's going to take quite a bit of searching to locate it. While it appears available on some grocery delivery apps like Instacart, it's rarely listed by Costco themselves. 

Some people speculate that the cheese is hard to find in stores because of its lack of pasteurization, but that doesn't explain why it seems to be available periodically. If you do happen to find it at Costco, count yourself lucky because it's been a challenge to get your hands on since at least 2018. 

Let's get one thing straight—there is no shortage of protein bars available at Costco in almost every flavor you can imagine. However, if you're looking specifically for the Kirkland cinnamon roll-flavored protein bars, you're out of luck because they're nowhere to be found these days! 

It may seem a bit random, but people really loved these cinnamon roll protein bars, and the other flavors just don't add up. According to the folks at Mashed, these were dubbed "the best tasting protein bars Costco has ever sold." That's high praise for a product that doesn't even exist anymore! 

Costco has no shortage of trail mix options, but people want what they can't have, which is probably why they're still complaining about Kirkland Trek Mix being discontinued. While not the healthiest option out there, Trek mix was packed with chocolate chips, granola clusters, and all sorts of other sweet, delicious goodness.  

No one is really sure why Costco decided to pull the plug on this product, as it appeared to be wildly popular with customers, but, like many products, this is one thing you won't be seeing on Costco shelves anymore. There are plenty of alternatives out there to try, but they just can't beat the original Trek Mix! 

Costco may be famous for their pizzas, but they were once at the top of the calzone game as well. Back in the day, you could find calzones for sale at the food court at a very affordable price of 2 for $7. However, those days are in the past, and you won't be seeing any calzones around the food court now! 

Some people think that the calzones' incredible price might have been their downfall, as Costco just wasn't making enough money off of them. Regardless of the specific reason, fans were sad to see them go and still hope that they'll make a reappearance some day. We're not holding our breath, though!