The Costco Sandwich You Can Only Find In Mexico

Not everyone has a personal list of favorite Costco Food Court items, but everyone who does is passionate about their choices. Are Costco savings great? Yeah, obviously. But it's about the hot dogs and the pizza slices, too. Or, if you're a bit of an oddball, the roast beef sandwich. And if you're not U.S. based? Well, your favorites might blow the American mind. International Costco Food Courts offer strange and delicious delights, and the our southern neighbor is no exception. The hotdogs come with jalapeños as well as onions, and as of 2025 there's a torta al pastor on the menu.

To the U.S. eye, this looks like a pork sandwich. And while a torta is a kind of sandwich, not all sandwiches are tortas. Tortas are made on chunky white rolls like bolillos or French bread. Traditionally, they're also chock full of ingredients. The star of a torta al pastor is, of course, pastor pork. Pastor is prepared by marinating meat in pineapple juice, ancho chilis, and more. It's then cooked on a spit, often on the street, presumably to entice potential customers into a taco or torta joint. Usually, pastor is served with cilantro, raw onions, and deliciously charred pineapple. Depending on where you are, it might also contain cheese, avocado, pickled jalapeños and carrots, and whatever salsas you splash on at the cart or table.

It seems like Costco is keeping things minimalist, however, with just pastor pork, cheese, and an avocado sauce, all served on a roll. At $99 pesos, you can grab a torta for the equivalent of around $5 USD, although getting to Mexico might add to the price.

Redditors in the States are excited by the opportunity to grab a torta al pastor at Costco with a quick border hop. On r/Costco, one Redditor notes that the Tijuana Costco's food court was absolutely hopping at their last visit, saying "Food court was packed. Saw expats and locals buying 10+ hot dogs at a time while there." Other eagle-eyed Costco lovers based in the U.S. noticed the torta immediately, saying "They got tortas and I am crying with jealousy", and "al pastor torta for $5?!?!!! hold my beer real quick".

Mexican reviewers and influencers aren't so sure. One issue Mexicans have pointed out is that the bun seems like a dinner roll or a ciabatta, neither of which are typically used to make a torta. On Youtube, @dannyzuco says the new offering isn't bad, but it tastes more like a pizza than a torta.

Mexican TikToker @sisomosgemelos offers tips for making your Costco torta al pastor more like the real thing, including adding onions from the hot dog bar, as well as pineapple and salsa. The main issue, though? The price. Commenters on TikTok are horrified at $100 pesos for a middle-of-the-road torta, and they should be. We'll never turn against the store entirely, but we expect to be picking up bargains at Costco. And this is true at the food court, too. With huge tortas available on every street corner and in every late-night taco joint in Mexico, usually priced under $100 pesos even in CDMX, Costco might need to rethink this menu item. It would probably do great in the U.S.!