Lynnwood’s new $10 roast beef sandwich is Costco sticker shocker

LYNNWOOD — A new $9.99 cold-cut sandwich is taking some heat at the food court famous for $1.50 hot dogs and other cheap eats.

What’s up with that?

Social media has a mix of backlash and FOMO over the roast beef sandwich sold at the Lynnwood Costco and a select few others.

The poster pinup of deli beef on an artisan roll is on the menu banner between a $3.99 cheesy chicken bake with bacon and a gorgeous whole pizza for $9.95.

It looks tasty, but pricey. Like buying the most expensive home on the block.

The $10 math equation is a conundrum in the land of Costco.

For the same cost, get an 18-inch pizza. Or six hot dogs and drinks. Or four hot dogs and two giant slices of pizza. Or two plump rotisserie chickens.

Costco shoppers not only want deals, they expect them.

Yet they love to try new things and fear missing out, which is why this spendy sub is getting plenty of takers.

The sandwich was marked “out of stock” on the order kiosk two times I went. The worker said about 70 are made daily and often sell out.

Persistence paid off. I finally got the beef.

The meat wasn’t piled quite as high as in the photo and the cherry tomatoes weren’t as pretty as in the picture. The sandwich, cut in halves, is dressed with lettuce, red onion relish and a mustard mayo.

“I saw one in real life and it looked like the saddest most lifeless cold sandwich I’d seen,” a Facebook friend wrote.

It’s not a sexy sandwich, but I wouldn’t go that far.

A man at a nearby food court table seemed to be enjoying his sandwich.

“It’s a little dry,” said the man named Ed. “They should have grilled it. There’s a little too much bread to my liking.”

Ed wouldn’t give his last name.

“With inflation, it’s not a bad deal,” he said. “I’m taking half of it home.”

He squeezed it into a brown paper bag used for hot dogs.

“They had a hamburger that was really good,” Ed said. “I want the hamburger back.”

The Lynnwood Costco tested double cheeseburgers for $4.99 about five years ago. Then one day the burgers vanished from the menu, like so many other things.

We all have our food court longings for dearly departed items.

I, and millions of others, so badly want the diced onions back.

A co-worker would do anything for a cinnamon sugar pretzel. Another misses the ice cream bar dipped in chocolate and almonds. Then there’s that BBQ beef brisket sandwich that Costco hooked us on then took away. And the combo pizza, there has been an outcry over that loss.

My top editor, on the other hand, is clueless about Costco food court culture.

“Why are you writing this story?” he asked.

That’s OK, he’s not part of the club.

So, is this new roast beef sandwich good?

A reddit user nailed it: “It’s not bad. It’s not great, but it’s not bad.”

I agree with Ed’s take. For $10, at least toast the bread.

To echo the masses, the sandwich also needs cheddar or Swiss cheese. A bag of chips would be nice.

“I’m not blown away. For cold cuts, it’s solid,” said Herald photographer Ryan Berry, who sampled the specimen. “I’d eat the hell out of it.”

Other social media suggestions are putting the roast beef in a chicken bake or getting the sandwich to go. As one said: “I wouldn’t eat one in the snack bar, but would happily take a couple home. Together with a bouquet of flowers, and I’m golden!”

The price is an ongoing gripe.

“People running the food courts done lost their minds,” says a reddit thread.

I contacted Costco headquarters about the sandwich and was told, “Management has no comment at this time.”

It is priced lower than a similar sandwich at Subway or Jersey Mike’s, but this is Costco. I’ll bet $10 it won’t be around long enough in the court of cheap eats for us to fall in love.

As long as they don’t mess with the $1.50 hot dog everything will be fine. Even without chopped onions.

Is there a person, place or thing making you wonder “What’s Up With That?” Contact reporter Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @reporterbrown.