Sorry Soda Lovers: Costco's Food Court Is Allegedly Dropping A Major Brand

The social media rumor mill is a-buzzin' with the latest whispers about Costco's food court. While the news has not been officially confirmed by the warehouse retailer, numerous sources across multiple platforms are lighting up with the allegation that Costco will be replacing the Pepsi products in its soda fountains with Coke beverages in the new year. The Costco Insider Instagram account alleges that the incoming drinks will include Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, and Sprite (the last to replace Starry — and, no, for the last time: Starry and Sierra Mist are not the same thing.)

The rumor was echoed on Reddit, where a commenter cited a "well-placed source" in claiming that "early 2025" would see the changeover from Pepsi to Coke. Other social media profiles have since repeated the assertion, mentioning the fact that Costco had switched from Coke to Pepsi about a decade ago, and may now be flip-flopping back.

Again, these are currently all rumors. But sometimes, where there is smoke, there is fire. Moreover, multiple accounts have claimed that the reason Costco might be returning to Coca-Cola makes perfect financial sense for the retailer.

Back in 2013, Costco switched to fountain Pepsi to save money and preserve the iconic $1.50 price point of its hot dog-and-soda combo. Costco Insider alleges that, following a well-publicized 2009 fracas wherein Costco pulled all Coke products off its shelves for a time, Coke has finally lowered prices. This may have caused Costco to welcome Coke products back to its food courts with open arms.

If Costco does switch over to Coke products, perhaps it will recalibrate the soda fountains that have garnered so many complaints, with Costco members claiming that machines dispense either too much syrup or too much carbonated water, resulting in poorly-blended soda. Internet denizens have also complained about the limited selection of drinks available at the Costco food court.

Still, it remains to be seen whether the switch from Pepsi to Coke is a fact or simply rumor. Only time will tell whether fountain drink Pepsi ends up on our ongoing list of discontinued Costco food court items that we aren't getting back. And, according to original research conducted at the University of South Carolina, 61% of respondents prefer Coke to Pepsi. So, this might be a welcomed change if the persistent allegations pan out.