Costco Pizza: Prices, Size, Ordering Pro Tips
Costco Pizza Menu, Prices, & Ordering Tips (2023)
Costco’s food court pizza has achieved legendary status amongst Costco members for its unbeatable combination of affordability, convenience, and size. There are only two pizza topping choices: pepperoni and cheese (and a secret half-and-half option), but Costco makes up for the limited topping options by using high-quality ingredients.
This CFDB guide is an everything guide, meaning we’ll give you everything you need to know about Costco’s famous pizza. We’ll go over the menu options and prices, ordering tips, and calorie information, and we’ll even include a price comparison to some of its competitors. We’ll also share our pro tips to maximize your eating experience (taste tips) and ordering experience (shorten wait times).
What Does The Costco Cheese Pizza InclUDE?
Costco Makes Each Cheese Pizza With 1.5 Pounds Of Cheese
The Costco cheese pizza is a massive 18″ pizza made with 10.5 ounces of tomato sauce and 24 ounces (1.5 pounds) of mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan cheese blend.
The cheese blend is unique, and one reason Costco pizza excels over other retailers as most other pizza chains will use just one type of cheese in their pizza pies.
Costco Pepperoni Pizza
Costco's Pepperoni Pizza Has Exactly 60 Slices of Pepperoni.
The Costco Pepperoni Pizza uses the same pizza dough as the cheese pizza but includes 60 slices of pepperoni.
The tradeoff is that the Costco pepperoni pizza is made with only 14 ounces of the shredded mozzarella provolone blend compared to the 24 ounces on the Costco cheese pizza. Worth it? I think yes!
Costco doesn’t just haphazardly throw pepperoni on the pizza like other pizza chains but will strive to cover your pizza with exactly 60 pepperoni slices.
Because all Costco cuts all pizzas into 12 slices, each slice should have 5 pieces of pepperoni on average.
Costco ½ Pepperoni and ½ Cheese Pizza
You Can Order a Half Pepperoni Half Cheese Pizza from Costco
You won’t see the Costco half-and-half pizza option listed on the food court menu signage, but you can order it at the self-service Kiosk. The Costco pizza will be half pepperoni (30 slices) and half cheese.
Since the removal of the Costco combination pizza, there aren’t really any other options for customization with Costco pizzas.
How Much Does a Whole Costco Pizza Cost?
A Whole 18" Pizza Costs Only $9.95
Each whole Costco pizza, regardless of toppings, will cost $9.95 and come in only one size, 18″.
Most other pizza chains classify an 18″ pizza as an X-Large. It’s hard to beat an everyday price of $9.95 for an X-large pizza.
You can purchase a ready-to-go individual slice of pizza for $1.99. Costco usually has these set aside, and the wait time is minimal. Again, the toppings will be the same, cheese or pepperoni.
The Costco Pizza - Best Value In The Entire Warehouse?
A Whole Costco Pizza (either pepperoni or cheese) costs only $9.95. This is an absolute bargain of a price for a pizza of this size.
A lot of people rave about the Costco food court’s $1.50 hot dog, but I think a whole pizza from Costco might provide the best value in the entire warehouse.
Costco Pizza Easily Beats Out Other Pizza Chains
Costco Easily Wins On Price Against Top Pizza Chains
We already know that Costco’s $9.95 food court pizza is an amazing deal, but it really stands out when compared to other pizza chain’s prices. It easily beats out other competing pizza chains in value; dominating in both size and price. For comparison:
- Pizza charges $12 for a 14-inch one-topping pizza.
- Domino’s Large 14″ one-topping pizza costs $13.99
- Papa John’s charges $11 for a 14-inch one-topping.
How Many Slices in a Costco Pizza?
Costco Cuts Their Whole Pizzas Into 12 Slices
Each whole 18″ pizza is cut into exactly 12 slices. Costco uses a cutting guide over the pizza for efficiency and precision. Because of this, Costco doesn’t take requests on pizza slice sizes.
Costco slices the $1.99 individual slices into larger slices than what whole pizza is sliced at. Costco takes a whole pizza and slices that into 6 individual slices which they sell for $1.99.
Comparison photo of a $1.99 individual slice of Costco cheese pizza vs. a full pepperoni slice. A $1.99 slice is twice the size of a slice from a whole Costco pizza.
How to Order Costco Pizza?
Order a Pizza From The Food Court Self Serve Kiosk, Food Court Counter, Or Call It In
There are two ways to order pizzas from Costco. The most common will be to order from the food court self-serve kiosk directly.
Costco members can also phone in their pizza orders ahead of time.
I have provided instructions on how to find your local Costco food court’s direct phone number below.
How Long Is The Wait for Costco Pizzas?
The Wait For Costco Pizza Can Be As Little as 10 Minutes or As Much as 45 Minutes
The wait time for single slices of pizza at Costco food court is usually short, just a few minutes, but the wait time for whole pizzas is a different ballgame.
When the food court isn’t busy, pizza orders can take as little as 10-15 minutes to prepare, but if the food court is swamped with orders, the wait times can be as long as 30-45 minutes. The food court employees are usually pretty good about this and will let you know if the wait times are excessive.
The time and day you place your Costco pizza order will also significantly impact the wait time. Generally, ordering during lunch or dinner hours or ordering on special occasion days like Halloween or The Super Bowl will have the longest wait times.
How to Reduce The Wait Time? (Pro Tips)
Pro Tip Strategies to Minimize Costco Pizza Waiting Times
While you can’t reduce the time it takes for Costco to take your order and make your pizzas, you can be strategic and efficient with your time. Knowing when to place an order for your Costco Food Court Pizza is key to minimizing your wait time.
Call In Your Pizza Order Ahead of Time
The Costco Food Court does allow you to order pizza over the phone. Give your local Costco food court a call to place and schedule your pizza order.
You can have your pizza made to order asap, and it will be ready in about 30 minutes, or you can schedule your pick time in advance.
If you are ordering multiple pizzas from Costco, please make sure to call and give advanced notice. The more time you can give, the better!
I have posted instructions below on how to find the direct line to your Costco food court where you can order the pizza.
Order Your Costco Pizza Before You Shop
Another technique many Costco members like to use is ordering their pizza before they start shopping. They make a quick stop at the food court, put in their pizza order, and then begin their Costco adventure.
Before you order, it may be wise to ask the food court employees how long the pizza may take. If the wait times for pizzas is short, you may be better off ordering during your Costco shopping spree.
Remember: Costco makes all their food court pizzas fresh!
Order Your Pizza While you Shop
I like to take my time shopping at Costco, and I don’t want to feel rushed to pick up my pizza, so I order my whole Costco pizzas in the middle of my shopping experience.
Usually, when I get to the frozen food aisles, I will leave my cart with my wife and run to the food court to place my pizza order.
If it’s just me for the day, I will take my cart to the food court area, place my order, and then continue shopping.
It’s always a great feeling to perfectly time your checkout with the pizza order.
Pro Tip: Phone in your pizza while you are shopping at Costco. This will save you a walking trip to the food court and cut the long line if there is one.
Pro Tip 2: If your pizza order isn’t ready yet, leave the warehouse and load up your car with the new goodies you purchased that day. Reenter the warehouse and pick up your hot and fresh pizza. Just make sure it isn’t sweltering hot out if you have any frozen foods!
Costco Pizza - Great But Not Perfect
I love Costco and their food court, but I also know their food court pizza isn’t perfect. The pizza is hugely popular for good reason – it does get a lot right; but there are also shortcomings that need to be mentioned. Here’s what I think the pizza does well and where it falls short.
What Costco Pizza Does Right
- The $9.95 whole pepperoni or cheese pizza is a bargain
- The Huge 18-inch size feeds multiple people
- Costco uses quality ingredients like 100% real mozzarella cheese
- Convenient, ready-to-eat pizza without waiting for delivery
Costco Pizza Shortcomings
- Only 2 basic topping choices
- Limited to nonexistent customization options
- Pizza can get soggy sitting under heat lamps
- Whole Pizza wait times can be extensive
Do you need a Membership to Order Pizzas From Costco's Food Court?
Yes, you will need a membership to order a pizza from the Costco food court. Most food courts are located in the Costco warehouse, and you will be required to show your membership card at the warehouse entrance.
Some Costco locations have outdoor food courts, but many of those locations now require you to scan your membership card before placing an order.
The official rules state you must have a membership card. There may be times when you can enter Costco without showing a membership card and order a pizza once inside, but that is technically not allowed as well as unethical.
Costco Food Court and Pizza Ordering Hours
The Food Court Has The Same Hours As The Costco Warehouse
You can order a pizza during Costco’s regular food court operation hours. The food court will have the same hours as your local warehouse.
The hours to your local Costco food court and Costco can be found in a simple google search or by using Costco’s Warehouse Locator.
How To Find The Phone Number To Order Costco PIzza
Check The Wall Behind Checkout For a Costco Pizza Phone Number
The direct phone number to Costco food court can usually be found posted on a large sign on the wall near the food court.
Or Find The Food Court Phone Number Online
Additionally, you can find the direct line on Costco’s website using the link above.
Once there, find your local Costco warehouse from the provided results and hit the store details page.
Hit the expand button next to the food court menu option to reveal the direct phone number to call to order a pizza from Costco.
Where to Pick Up Your Costco Pizza?
Pick Up Your Costco Pizza At The Food Court Whole Pizza Pick Up Window
You can only pick up your pizza at the Costco food court. Most Costco locations will have both a regular pick-up area and a separate window for pizza pick-up. They will call the order number on your receipt when the pizza is ready.
How Many People Can The Costco Pizza Serve?
Each Pizza Can Feed Approximately 5 People
Costco cuts each whole pizza into exactly 12 slices. Most people, on average, eat 2-3 slices of pizza, so I would say that a whole Costco pizza can comfortably feed 4-6 people.
Costco pizzas are a great alternative to ordering from Costco’s sandwich party platter menu.
Calories in Costco Pizza
The Calories For a Costco Pizza Slice Range from 650-710
As listed on the food court menu, a whole Costco pepperoni pizza will have 3880 calories, and a whole cheese pizza will have 4260.
Each individual slice of Costco pepperoni pizza contains 650 calories, and a slice of cheese pizza will have 710 calories.
Check Our Costco Pizza Calorie guide if you want the full calorie information and nutritional breakdown for all of Costco’s pizza options. We also have the nutritional profile and calories for all of Costco’s food court items.
Does Costco Deliver Its Pizza?
Costco Doesn't Deliver It's Pizza
Costco does not deliver any of the pizza or food court options. You can order ahead of time but will still have to physically visit a Costco warehouse to pick up your pizza.
This is probably the biggest drawback to ordering pizza from Costco.
Costco Combo Pizza
Costco Has Discontinued It's Combo Pizza, And Is Unlikely To Bring It Back.
The Costco combination pizza was made with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, and olives, and was a crowd favorite. The combination pizza was also 18″ in size and cost the same price as the other pizza options at $9.95.
Unfortunately, Costco removed the combination pizza from their food courts in 2020, shortly after the start of the Covid Pandemic. This change was meant to streamline the food court and pizza operations and was one of many changes Costco made at that time.
Costco’s decision to remove the combination pizza from the food court was done without notice and led to quite an uproar among the Costco community.
Many Costco members have voiced their displeasure online and have even created a change.org petition to bring back the beloved Costco combo pizza.
Costco has not made any official statements in regards to removing the combo pizza or if it will ever return.
Many Costco members and even Costco food court employees believe that the combination pizza will not be brought back to the Costco food court.
Costco Pepperoni Sausage Pizza
No More Customized Costco Pizza Toppings
Another casualty of Costco’s decision to remove the combination pizza is the loss of the customized pepperoni and sausage pizza. This was not an official menu item in the food court but was something that could be specially requested when ordering your Costco pizza.
The sausage toppings were packaged separately from the vegetable toppings for the combination pizza, allowing members to order a “meat lovers” pizza with just pepperoni and sausage. It was my favorite of the pizza options.
Because the assorted combo vegetables came together in one bag, you could not pick and choose which vegetables to add to your pizza. It was all or nothing.
Final Thoughts
I hope this helps you understand how to order pizza from Costco and pick up a few tips along the way.
If there is anything I missed or need clarification, let me know in the comment section.