📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

By Emily Rella

entrepreneur daily
Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg | Getty Images
Prepared food for sale at a Costco store in Teterboro, New Jersey.

Costco is well-known for many things, but its $1.50 hot dog and soda combo is full on famous — mostly because it has stayed the same price since 1985.

In fact, Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal once infamously told the company's former CEO Craig Jelinek: "If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out."

Taking Sinegal's kind words to heart, the price has stayed the same, even amid inflation and rising supply costs.

Related: Costco Reveals Its Stance On Its $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo Amid Inflation

But in a new interview with Bloomberg, Costco's CFO Richard Galanti isn't making any promises that the price won't change, eventually.

When asked about the future of the $1.50 combo when Galanti steps down on March 15, he responded ambiguously.

"It's probably safe for a while," Galanti said.

Related: Costco's CEO Is Stepping Down After 11 Years – He Has 'Total Confidence' in His Successor

Galanti is set to be succeeded by Gary Millerchip, the former CFO of Kroger.

Still, Galanti insists that during his nearly 40-year tenure at the company, the essence of Costco hasn't changed either.

"The underlying culture of the company hasn't changed," he told Bloomberg. "It is what the founders wrote, the five things that you're going to do, in this order: Obey the law, take care of your customers, take care of your employees, respect your suppliers — be tough, but fair. Then, reward your shareholders."

Related: TikTok Is Losing It Over Designer Finds at Costco

Costco is coming off of a strong fiscal Q2 2024, with a net income of $1.74 billion quarter compared to $1.47 billion at the same time last year, with revenue increasing $55.27 billion from the same time last year.

Costco was up over 55% year over year as of Wednesday afternoon.

Emily Rella

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business Culture

Avoid These 4 Blunders When Creating a Company Culture

To get a complete picture of whether your brand's atmosphere needs work, observe factors like absenteeism, participation, and body language.

Data & Recovery

Manage and Share Files Easier with a Great Deal on This Cloud Storage Subscription

Save 68% on a FolderFort subscription — the best price online.

Money & Finance

This Toxic Money Habit Is Becoming More Common — If You've Picked It Up, Your Finances Are at Serious Risk, Expert Warns

Kaitlin Walsh-Epstein, chief marketing officer at digital banking platform Laurel Road, reveals the frequent mistake.

Starting a Business

They Sold the Legendary CRUMBS Bakeshop and 10 Years Later Bought It Back for Just $350. Now the Company Is Cooking Up $1 Million in Sales.

Founders Mia and Jason Bauer discuss the birth and rebirth the bakery brand that launched a global cupcake obsession.

Marketing

How to Combine Your Online Marketing Tacts With In-Person Marketing

Here's how to combine offline and online marketing approaches for a better outcome for your business.