No trip to Costco is ever complete without a visit to the food court for a hot dog and a drink.
But fans of the wholesaler are currently mourning the loss of the ‘ultimate’ treat from its warehouse stores.
That’s because the company has axed Pepsi Max from all of its drinks machines across the USA and UK and replaced the beverage with Coca-Cola Zero.
Customers can also choose from Diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite but many aren’t happy with this change.
Social media user @uknewestfoods took to Instagram to share a look at the new Coke Zero-branded machines and cups, asking: ‘Costco, what have you done?’
More than 800 people liked the post, with dozens proclaiming: ‘Nooooooooooooo.’
@xo13bec replied: ‘Oh nahhhhhh Pepsi Max is GOAT.’ Similarly, @kelly7anner said: ‘Ah no, Pepis Max is the ultimate drink.’
@louiep777 admitted they were ‘not happy’, while @gemsyh85 was ‘devastated’, saying: ‘Nothing better than a chicken bake and Cherry Pepsi Max after a big shop.’
‘Bring back my Pepsi Cherry Max,’ demanded @just_frank_who_goes_to_the_gym, and @uknewestfoods agreed suggesting they start a petition for its return.
Others were outraged that regular full-fat Coke wasn’t one of the new options, only Diet and Zero.
Costco’s American CEO announced in January that they would be switching the drinks fountains to Coca-Cola products.
And the roll-out of the new drinks began in early July, making its way across Costco food courts in 14 countries, including the UK.
In a statement given to USA TODAY, the company claimed the change was an ‘ice-cold Coca-Cola upgrade’.
Costco first switched from Coca-Cola to Pepsi in 2013, in order to keep their famous hot dog and drink deal at the low price of £1.50.
There are currently 29 Costco stores across England, Scotland and Wales, with the business reportedly having plans to open more sites in the future.
What did Metro's food writer think of Costco food court?
Metro’s specialist food writer, Courtney Pochin, went to Costco for the first time and was surprised that a pit stop at the back of the store was the highlight of her visit.
She said: ‘I was sceptical about the kind of food we’d receive from what was essentially a hatch at the back of a warehouse, especially given that it was so cheap – £1.50 for a hot dog and drink and £1.99 for a slice of pizza – but the food really blew me away.
‘The pepperoni pizza was better than the likes of Domino’s, Pizza Hut or Papa John’s.
‘My husband felt similarly about the beef hot dog, which can be ordered with or without onions, and along with a soda of your choosing for less than £2. He could have added in an ice cream as well and the price would still have put supermarket meal deals to shame.
‘There’s plenty more on the menu, including a chicken sandwich, jacket potato, chicken and bacon bake, gelato, plus those famous cookies, which can be bought individually.’
She added:’Everything was under £5, except for whole pizzas which cost £9.99, but in today’s climate, that still felt like a steal.’
‘The only downside was that there were only a handful of seats in the food court, and like the rest of the store it was heaving with people. Being too hungry to wait for a table, we tucked in there and then slumped over the handlebar of our trolley.
‘The pizza was messy and the awkward standing position made for one of the most undignified eating experiences of my life, but I enjoyed the meal none the less.
‘Will I be going back to Costco again any time soon? I’d go back for another slice of the pizza in a heartbeat.’
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