The Free Topping Upgrade You Should Be Getting On Your Costco Pizza

Costco visits give you a lot to look forward to — from stocking up on bargain-priced groceries to getting tempted by Kirkland favorites like Costco's iconic tequila. The highlight for many, however, is the chain's legendary food court with some of its offerings reaching near cult status. Several food court favorites were discontinued during the pandemic, and we may never get back Polish hot dogs or fresh combo pizzas. That said, the chain has gradually reinstated many other crowd favorites, and one that has been welcomed back with almost disproportionately fervent enthusiasm is diced onion.

Meant as a free topping to go along with your Costco hot dog, you can ask for diced onions irrespective of what you order from the food court. The next time you order a Costco pizza, we recommend getting some chopped allium with it. This isn't the caramelized or thinly sliced onion you may be used to seeing on a pizza. However, it does add an interesting complexity to your bite. And since your choice of Costco pies is currently limited to cheese or pepperoni, we suggest trying this free upgrade to change things up a bit.

Pre-pandemic, diced onions were available in the Costco food court through a metal dispenser. Post-pandemic, the chain has decided to keep them refrigerated in plastic cups to give to customers upon request. Therefore, when you pick up your pizza, simply ask your server for a cup and you'll be obliged with raw, diced white onions, the kind used to top hot dogs and tacos. These onions have a slightly sharper taste and pungency than yellow onions, but are more tender, making them ideal for eating raw. You also don't need too much — one cup is enough to top that healthy 18-inch Costco pie. The fact that they're refrigerated instead of sitting out in the dispenser also means you'll get fresher, snappier onion pieces.

If you're skeptical about raw onion on your pizza, here's some food for thought. The salty, chewy bits of meaty goodness on your pepperoni pizza contrast deliciously with the onion's zingy freshness. If the pungency is too much and you plan on eating the pizza at home, you can use the commute to mellow the onions. Top your pizza with the onions before leaving the food court and then close the pizza box lid. The onions get gently steamed by the heat from the pizza, making them slightly softer, less pungent, and mildly sweet. This works particularly well with the cheese pizza, and a quick reheat in the oven at home melds the cheese and onion flavors even more.

Food hacks abound in Costco's food court as long as you're willing to get a little creative. While you can go all out and conjure up Frankendishes like the Jochizza or the pizza-wrapped forbidden glizzy, there are other, more subtle hacks you can try involving a Costco pizza. Keep in mind that you'll spend a lot less per slice if you get a whole pie, and you can even order it in advance so it's ready by the time you reach the food court. 

Onions are not the only free condiment available, so help yourself to mustard, ketchup, or relish to upgrade your cheese pie to a burger pizza. For the ultimate pizza upgrade, look no further than Costco's fresh rotisserie chicken, which is never more than 2 hours old. Since it is ready to eat and well seasoned, you can simply tear off chunks of delicious poultry and top your pizza with them. At $9.95 for the pie and $4.99 for the rotisserie chicken, you can have yourself a large roast chicken pizza à la Costco for under $15.