Costco China
Truffle pizza, earl grey soft serve, Peking duck roll
Make It at Home
Scallion Pancakes
Crispy, flaky, savory pancakes loaded with green onions — Costco China sells them ready-to-fry and they're addictive. Make your own with flour, oil, and scallions. That's really it.
Char Siu (BBQ Pork)
Cantonese-style BBQ pork — glossy, caramelized, sticky-sweet with charred edges. Costco China sells this ready-to-eat in the deli. Make it with a Kirkland pork shoulder and your oven does the work.
What's In Store
China Food Court Menu
Costco opened its first mainland China warehouse in Shanghai in 2019 and it was a phenomenon — the store literally had to close early on opening day because too many people showed up. The parking lot was a war zone.
The food court is wildly creative — unique pizza toppings, multiple soft serve flavors, regional specials, and items you won't find at any other Costco on earth. The Peking Duck Roll alone justifies the trip.
Locations: 7 warehouses (Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Ningbo, Guangzhou)
China-Exclusive Items
| Item | Price (¥) | Price (~USD) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truffle Pizza | ¥22/slice | ~$3.10 | Black truffle sauce base with mozzarella, mushrooms, sometimes topped with Peking duck and shrimp. Truffle-and-duck pizza for three dollars. |
| Seafood Pizza (Okonomiyaki-Style) | ¥22/slice | ~$3.10 | Shrimp, tuna, crab sticks, drizzled with Japanese mayo and bonito flakes — basically okonomiyaki on a pizza crust |
| Red Wine Beef Pie | ¥28 | ~$3.90 | Flaky pastry filled with red wine-braised beef. Think beef Wellington's casual cousin. |
| Peking Duck Roll | ¥28 | ~$3.90 | The signature China exclusive. Sliced duck, hoisin sauce, scallions, and cucumber in a thin pancake roll — Peking duck for the price of a subway ride. |
| Spicy Fried Chicken Bucket | ¥35-55 | ~$4.90-$7.60 | 3 or 6-piece thick-battered thighs and drumsticks with Sichuan peppercorn seasoning |
| Okonomiyaki | ¥28 | ~$3.90 | Japanese-style savory pancake with octopus, corn, mayo, and bonito flakes (Suzhou location only) |
| Pineapple Cheeseburger | ¥28 | ~$3.90 | Grilled beef patty with pineapple ring and melted cheese |
| Bulgogi Bake | ¥25 | ~$3.50 | Korean-style bake with marinated beef |
| Creamy Mushroom Soup | ¥22 | ~$3.10 | Rich, velvety mushroom soup — pairs well with basically everything |
| Clam Chowder | ¥25 | ~$3.50 | New England-style, creamy and loaded |
| Avocado Fruit Salad | ¥22 | ~$3.10 | Fresh fruit salad with avocado — a lighter option amid the indulgence |
| Coconut Pineapple Smoothie | ¥18 | ~$2.50 | Piña colada energy without the rum |
| Lychee Passion Fruit Smoothie | ¥18 | ~$2.50 | Tropical fruit blend — fragrant lychee meets tart passion fruit |
Soft Serve Flavors (China goes wild)
| Flavor | Price (¥) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mango | ¥12 | ~$1.70 — bright, tropical, and the safe choice for soft serve newcomers |
| Melon | ¥12 | ~$1.70 — Hami melon flavor, subtly sweet |
| Milk Tea | ¥12 | ~$1.70 — tastes like a frozen bubble tea without the bubbles |
| Earl Grey | ¥12 | ~$1.70 — floral, bergamot-forward, surprisingly elegant for a food court. A fan favorite. |
| Red Bean | ¥12 | ~$1.70 — with sweetened red bean topping |
| Black Sesame | ¥12 | ~$1.70 — nutty, earthy, and that striking grey color. Rotational. |
| Taro | ¥12 | ~$1.70 — purple, creamy, and sweet. Rotational — grab it when you see it. |
For context: most Costco locations worldwide offer vanilla, chocolate, and maybe strawberry. China said "no thanks" and built a soft serve program that rotates flavors like a gelato shop. The ¥12 (~$1.70) price makes experimenting painless.
Shared Items (¥ pricing)
| Item | Price (¥) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pork Hot Dog Combo | ¥12 | Pork-based, not beef |
| Pizza Slice | ¥18 | Standard flavors also available |
| Whole Pizza | ¥85 | Same 18" pizza |
| Churro | ¥12 | Cinnamon sugar |
Seasonal
- Mid-Autumn Festival (Sept-Oct): Pork mooncakes appear in the food court — savory, flaky-crusted, filled with seasoned pork and sometimes salted egg yolk. These sell out daily during the festival window. The line for mooncakes alone can take 20+ minutes.
- Winter Specials: Hot soup options expand — expect heartier offerings like lamb stew or tomato beef soup
- Rotating Soft Serve: Flavors change frequently. Past limited editions have included taro, black sesame, and lychee. Check the board when you walk in.
- Regional Exclusives: Some items only at specific city locations (e.g., okonomiyaki at Suzhou, certain seafood items in coastal cities like Ningbo and Shenzhen)
Notes
- Membership required for food court — it's inside past checkout, so no sneaking in for a ¥12 hot dog like in the US
- Sells out fast — the Peking Duck Roll and truffle pizza are usually gone by mid-afternoon
- Soft serve is next-level — China treats the soft serve station like a test kitchen, far more adventurous than any other country
- Pork hot dogs, not beef — same as Japan and Taiwan
- WeChat Pay and Alipay accepted — cash is almost obsolete here
- Go on a weekday morning if you want a seat. Weekend afternoons are a contact sport.