Costco has a cult following, but it's a really big cult that's welcoming to new members. Yes, some customers simply like the chain and its low prices. Many, however, hold the brand over other places they shop and truly embrace the "member" relationship.

Costco's food court might offer some of the cheapest menu items out there -- but the one that saves you the most money isn't actually the $1.50 hot dog combo.

They’ve got everything (even salads), but the aroma wafting from the food court always manages to stop us in our tracks. Whether you’ve been having a decades-long love affair with the hot dog combo or beeline for the pizza,