Costco's CEO and the warehouse club chain's beloved hot dog have entered the ring of fast food leaders sampling their brands' chow on camera as part of a viral social media trend.

The trend was kicked off — perhaps unknowingly — by McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski, whose lackluster nibble of the new Big Arch burger was widely teased by the internet last month. Since then, other chains like Burger King and Dick’s Drive-In have put their own head honchos to the test.

In a Wednesday social media post by Issaquah, Washington-based Costco, CEO Ron Vachris sauntered away from the food court counter at a big-box store with the company's cult favorite all-beef hot dog and an icy soda.

"$1.50? For this hot dog?" Vachris said before taking a bite. "The hot dog price will not change as long as I'm around."

The most controversial aspect of the post is that Vachris appeared to audaciously eat the hot dog plain, with no mustard, relish or ketchup in sight.

The public has lauded Costco for keeping its hot dog meal deal price static, despite inflation and other economic pressures raising the cost of commodities across the U.S. in recent years. It's a decree by co-founder and former CEO Jim Sinegal, who made it a life-or-death matter for then-CEO Craig Jelinek, per 425 Business.

"I came to (Sinegal) once and I said, 'Jim, we can’t sell this hot dog for a buck fifty. We are losing our rear ends,' " Jelinek said in 2018 at an Issaquah Chamber of Commerce event. "And he said, 'If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out.'

Jelinek handed the reins over to Vachris in 2024. Vachris climbed Costco's corporate ladder from forklift driver to the company's third CEO.

According to Costco's social media, the price tag for a hot dog and a Coke remains safe under Vachris.

The brand has also apparently entered its influencer era online, partnering with popular content creators like the Holderness family to promote Costco's executive membership upgrade across social media. The tier costs $130 annually, which is double the price of a $65 gold star membership, though it allows for more perks such as early shopping hours and an annual 2% reward.

Costco didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

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