41 Responses so far ↓

1. 1 Cynthia // 2009.04.16 at 12:55 pm

   We bought some 2 days ago – but are waiting till the weekend to try them out. I need to buy really long buns as you mentioned. We were actually going to buy the Hebrew National with coupons, but when DH saw these, he wanted these…..

2. 2 Kimberly // 2009.04.16 at 2:46 pm

   Cynthia, did you look for buns at Costco? I know previously, at least at our Costco, they only had the little buns.

3. 3 Patty // 2009.04.16 at 3:39 pm

   Do you know if these dogs are kosher?

4. 4 Kimberly // 2009.04.16 at 3:43 pm

   I don’t know if they are kosher or not. And I haven’t bought them yet, so I don’t have the package to see what they say. I’ll be buying some this weekend though & I’ll be sure to check that for you.

5. 5 Rickie M // 2009.04.16 at 11:13 pm

   If anyone is familiar with the Chowhound website, the new Kirkland dogs have taken quite a drubbing there, garnering all kinds of complaints about how they are inferior to the Hebrew Nationals or other brand of kosher dogs they replaced, how they have no taste, etc., etc. I haven’t tried the new ones yet but I can’t believe Costco would switch products to something that was as bad as people are saying it is. Some are even urging readers to contact Costco HQ and providing the names of the individuals to get a protest movement going. I plan to try them myself as soon as they make the switch (my local Costco still uses Hebrew National in the food court) but in the meantime, it would be interesting to hear what your readers have to say. I notice chowhounds can get rather snooty.

6. 6 Clue // 2009.04.17 at 8:05 am

   Page 26 of the March ’09 issue of the Costco Connection magazine has an article about the switch to Kirkland brand hot dogs. The article states that there is simply not enough Kosher hot dog supplies to meet the demand at Costco Food Courts, due to problems with Kosher meat production, so they will be using their own all-beef Kirkland dogs instead.

   ARTICLE LINK

7. 7 Rob // 2009.04.17 at 12:37 pm

   That is correct – the new hot dogs are not kosher. More importantly (to me anyways), they just aren’t as good. I love a good hot dog, but the new KS ones just don’t hit the spot like the HN ones did…

8. 8 Cynthia // 2009.04.17 at 4:12 pm

   I didn’t. I usually prefer buns from Publix, so I planned to buy them there. However, P does not carry long buns – I checked today. One more trip to Costco…….

9. 9 Robyn // 2009.04.18 at 8:59 pm

   My Costco has the bigger buns like they use in the food court. I do wish they sold that spicy mustard they have in the food court though. It rocks my socks. I will be attempted to steal some in a cup next time.

10. 10 Kim // 2009.04.20 at 2:57 pm

    While Costco sells longer than “normal” buns, they do not sell buns long enough for the Kirkland dogs. I’ve tried the Kirklans dogs on the Costco buns and just didn’t like eating about 4 bites (2 on each en) without bun on it. Personally, I’m sticking to HN. They are the best!

11. 11 Kimberly // 2009.04.21 at 12:03 pm

    We bought some buns with the hot dogs, but they’re not really long enough. There’s about an inch of hot dog overlap on each end of the bun. But these buns were larger than the ‘regular’ length buns at least.

    I like that mustard too. Do you think it’s Gulden’s mustard? Because it kind of looks and tastes like that too me. But all they ever have at our Costco is the bright yellow French’s and Grey Poupon.

12. 12 Teresa // 2009.04.24 at 4:21 pm

    Agree with Rob – the new hot dogs aren’t nearly as good. To me they are overly garlicky and salty. It saddens me because having a Costco hot dog was one of the highlights of the shopping trip!

13. 13 Shawn // 2009.04.25 at 9:53 am

    I love the new hot dogs. I had one the other day and was really impressed. I never did like the Hebrew National. As for the buns, I don’t know if my Costco has the bigger buns.

14. 14 Kimberly // 2009.04.28 at 9:18 am

    We had these on our camping trip this weekend & everyone really liked the hot dogs. I think they are more like a sausage than a traditional hot dog; the meat isn’t overly processed and smooth like usual for a hot dog. But we all agreed that they had a nice taste. The buns that I got from Costco really let us down though because they weren’t long enough and they split apart too easily, which is always unfortunate for a hot dog bun. Oh, and I miscounted in my original post when I said there were 15 hot dogs in the package, there are really only 14. So, the cost is actually around $0.71 per hot dog.

15. 15 Anon. // 2009.04.28 at 10:54 am

    In the midwest region, Costco’s have the Hoagie Rolls, and now the Brat and Sausage Buns are in season. Both are bigger than regular hot dog buns.

16. 16 Kimberly // 2009.04.28 at 10:59 am

    A hoagie roll would be perfect, I’ll bet. These hot dogs and sausages are around 8.5″ in length, so you need something considerably larger than the 5″ – 6.5″ buns that you usually get for hot dogs.

17. 17 Kimberly // 2009.05.12 at 7:59 am

    For those of you that are curious, the USDA plant on the package of Costco hot dogs is # 7066 which belongs to J & B Sausage Company in Texas; that’s who is making the hot dogs and sausages for Costco. You can find out more about them at http://www.jbfoods.com. They do talk about custom production for private label brands on their website.

18. 18 Tonya // 2009.05.25 at 2:00 pm

    I am so disappointed that Costco isn’t carrying kosher hotdogs anymore. The local employees keep trying to tell me that the Kirkland’s brand is kosher, but it is not. I’m grateful Costco carries kosher frozen chicken – but I wish they’d carry a larger selection of frozen kosher meats and meals.

19. 19 Kimberly // 2009.05.26 at 12:00 pm

    Our Costco was still carrying the Hebrew National kosher dogs, as of a couple of weeks ago. The Kirkland’s brand definitely isn’t kosher since they say that there’s a problem getting enough kosher meat to make the hot dogs from. I didn’t know that Costco had kosher chicken at all.

20. 20 Mindy // 2009.06.02 at 3:07 pm

    I love the new hotdogs. I am allergic to most ingredients in other hotdogs (even most of the HN brands make me sick) but the All Beef Hot Dogs whether HN or KS are GREAT!! I bought a package of the KS hot dogs last night for a family BBQ along with some Bratwurst and the KS dogs were gone long before the brats where. We had to take 7 of the brats home for left overs and I didn’t get any KS hot dogs left over. I love them and am so glad now I can enjoy a hot dog with my kids whenever we go to Costco (minus the bun). ~

21. 21 D. Waterman // 2009.08.30 at 1:19 pm

    The deli mustard at Costco is Hebrew National Deli Mustard which you might have to search for.
    The hot dogs were Bests made by Sarah Lee but discontinued. Why don’t they replace them with Hebrew National or Sabretts. The Kirklands taste mealy and dry.

22. 22 Kimberly // 2009.08.31 at 7:13 am

    I’m not sure why Costco switched away from the Hebrew National dogs in the food court, but I’m not sure that it was their best idea. Or at least, they might want to consider reformulating their KS brand hot dogs. It seems that most people aren’t big fans. I find them to have a consistency more like a sausage…kind of like a cross between a hot dog and a sausage.

23. 23 Raina Robinsons // 2009.09.19 at 7:10 pm

    About 6 weeks ago we finished shoping at Costco and sat down to eat the hotdog and drink for 1.50. The price is wonderful. However my son took three bites and threw up. Then he seemed fine so I didn’t worry about it. A few weeks later we went to Costco and got the hot dog and drink and the same thing happened. I thought it was strange that my son threw up again after eating a few bites. Then at a cub scout BBQ my son ate a hot dog and threw up almost instantly. I asked which brand of hot dogs they used and I was told Kirkland from Costco. So I don’t know what are in those hotdogs but it doesn’t work good with my son. So we will not eat their hotdogs anymore. I wish they would change back to Hebrew National.

24. 24 RichF // 2010.02.24 at 3:03 am

    They are still selling the Hebrew National product in some markets. Here in Detroit, they are pushing the Kirkland non-kosher, non-tasting rubbery extruded garbage. It feels spongy in the mouth and it tastes like an imitation hot dog. I have written Costco complaining about the Kirkland horrors and they just write back extolling the virtues of the new product. It is self-serving nonsense of course. Nobody I know can stand the Kirkland product. I have been on line to get a slice of Pizza and heard a mother with a young child the kid that she would not buy a hot dog because it is no good. I actually shop at Costco less often now because I usedc to go at lunch time and have a dog or two while I was shopping. Now I have been shopping elsewhere and lunching where I can stomach the food. My suggestion is to complain to Costco and keep elevating your complaints. The first reply back is a canned self-serving note with false praise for teh Kirkland product. Write back and ask to communicate with a supervisor. Maybe this will get someone’s attention. BTW, I was in the NY metropolitan area recently and they are still selling Hebrew Nationals there. New Yorkers won’t eat garbage evidently. Why should we?

25. 25 Dennis L // 2010.02.26 at 3:05 pm

    My wife and I had our first and last Kirkland Hot Dog the other day. They had a nasty fat greasy taste, that left both of our stomachs upset all day. To us the best one was Sinai 48 followed by Hebrew National. Hebrew National is still being made today, Sinai 48 isn’t. Costco should seriously consider going back to the Hebrew National Hot Dog. I can still taste that nasty Kirkland Dog from 2 days ago!

26. 26 Rich // 2010.05.07 at 12:12 pm

    i like the new KS sausage, they are good, quality and quantity both and not expensive like the other brands.

27. 27 Jeff Reed // 2010.06.20 at 2:25 pm

    If you go from a Kosher Beef/Kosher-processed Hot Dog to a non-Kosher Hot Dog, you are going in reverse relative to Quality. The $1.50 price point is a joke if what you are serving is of lesser Quality.

    By paying to shop there, I am telling Costco that I want Quality! I want Hebrew National Kosher Quality and I understand prices do change (go up) for better Quality. I would gladly pay $2.50 to get better Quality.

    Costco is underestimating who their Member is if they think they can take Quality off the table, while albeit providing a larger amount at the same retail price, and they’ll just say, “OK.”

    Or, is this change a microcosm of where Costco is now headed?…….”As long as we give them a little more and keep the price the same, we can give them cheaper quality and they’ll be fat, dumb, and happy”………….

28. 28 Steve Voelker // 2010.07.14 at 1:38 am

    I may be in the minority here but I always thought the Hebrew National product was overrated- too darn greasy for my taste. I used to love the Best’s Kosher dogs you could get in the meat section at Sam’s. Of course, Best’s had the same problem as Sinai- owned by Sara Lee, which seemed to just buy up all the Kosher purveyors they could, only to run them into the ground! A real pity for a lot of hard-working folks in Chicago and other places…

    Having said that, I haven’t tried the Kirkland dogs yet. I will say the ingredient list looks promising. I hate, hate, HATE the presence of corn syrup everywhere; when I see it in hot dogs and chili I get very angry. The fact that Kirklands don’t have it listed as an ingredient will be a point in their favor. Tales of botched spice balance worry me, though…

29. 29 Jenny // 2010.07.17 at 9:55 pm

    Our family enjoys the Kirkland Signature beef franks. Our Costcos used to serve the Sinai Kosher brand, which is still my favorite and which I do miss from the food court, but I think the KS dog is a good substitution. While it’s not kosher, it has a lot fewer fillers than a lot of the competiting hot dogs out there. I think it’s pretty tasty and of good quality.

    We occasionally purchase the Hebrew National packs to cook up at home, but it doesn’t have that nice “snap” to its casing and my family keeps asking me not to but those anymore.

30. 30 Dennis Kirwin // 2010.07.18 at 12:55 pm

    I am a hotdog aficionado….. Kirkland dogs are great! With all the harsh protests against the Kirklande dogs..I wounder if the folks complaining are….well, pushing a certain agenda with the HN being Kosher and all. ….. makes you wonder.

31. 31 Kosherdogette // 2010.08.14 at 12:35 pm

    Just ate a KS polish and digestive system did NOT like it. Koshers were consistently yummy and safe in my tummy. KS brand = thumbs down.

32. 32 r b // 2010.09.04 at 6:22 pm

    :O
    Oh my.
    Tell us how you really feel steve h… don’t hold back.

33. 33 Kimberly // 2010.09.08 at 4:09 am

    I deleted Steve H’s comment because despite what he said, I felt his comment was indeed pretty racially charged and certainly doesn’t fit with my blog.

34. 34 Chris // 2010.10.14 at 2:37 pm

    This ingredient list is from HebrewNational.com for polish sausage: INGREDIENTS: Beef, Water, Contains 2% or less of: Spices, Dextrose, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Garlic Powder, Sodium Erythorbate, Salt, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Diacetate, Smoke Flavor, Sodium Nitrite. CONTAINS: SOY.
    APPARENTLY – The only thing that is kosher is the beef INSIDE the Polish Sausage and NOT the Sausage as a whole. Yikes, I won’t eat the Hebrew National anymore… that is just a marketing gimmick which is clear if you go to their web site and read their ingredients.. corn and soy. It doesn’t say it is NON-GMO corn or NON-GMO soy either.
    hahahah holy crap. I also see that Hebrew National is a ConAgra company. Kosher? hahaha! I hate to admit that I actually bought into this one. Even their web site has signs wagging that say “no fillers” “no artificial flavors”. WHAT A JOKE. Since when isn’t Soy Protein a filler?????????????

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36. 36 James Junkin // 2011.03.11 at 4:30 pm

    I just discovered the Lone Tree, Colorado Costco has switched to the Kirkland hot dogs. It almost made my wife sick. I’ve been eating the Hebrew National brand at Costco for about 10 years, but that is the last Costco hot dog for me. I will be making a lot less trips to Costco from now on.

37. 37 Bob Andreoli // 2011.03.12 at 10:21 am

    I have just returned from Hawaii. During my stay, I purchased a hot dog at one of attractions. This is the second year in a row that I have eaten at the same location and each time, I had one of the dogs. Last year I named it the Royal Hawaiian Hot Dog. This year I asked the vendor what brand it was and was informed that it was a Kirkland Hot Dog from Cosco. I was amazed at the taste and quality of the hot dog. Delicious and the best dog that I have ever had. I am now looking forward to purchasing a package at my local Cosco. I have already informed the family and friends of the find. Thanks to Kirland.

38. 38 Shirley Cairns // 2011.03.17 at 5:32 pm

    I had a Kirkland hot dog today, only because I was starving and had to wait for Rx. It was very salty and strange taste and texture – not at all good or even compares to National Hebrew. They were also out of the deli mustard bin. Does this mean they’re switching from National Hebrew on mustard as well? I never had hot dogs except at Costco because they were good and kosher. Now I’ll never eat them again (at Costco anyway). Also, cannot find sodium, fat, etc. content anywhere (store or internet) and WHERE and by WHOM are they made? Final comment – tummy not feeling that great right now – 2 hrs after eating it. Major bad move, Costco!

39. 39 Dan Jericho // 2011.05.29 at 11:54 am

    Unlike many others, I found the taste of the Kirkland dogs FAR SUPERIOR to that of the Hebrew National hot dogs. They have fantastic flavor and texture. In my opinion the newer hot dogs in the food court are a big step up from the former dogs. These hot dogs are the tastiest ones I have ever had! Thanks to Costco for upgrading a good product with a great one!

40. 40 mike // 2012.01.04 at 12:51 am

    New Hot Dogs much greaser.

41. 41 Kevin Price // 2012.01.30 at 5:20 pm

    I also agree that the New Costco hot dogs are better than the old HN. I think Costco’s true intention was to maintain availability for all their stores and provide a quality product that their customers would like. You cannot please all of the people all of the time as the saying goes. I was happy with the HN before and happier now with the new Kirkland Hot Dog. Kudos to Costco