Costco is now offering Ozempic prescriptions to members through a $179 weight loss plan

It is perhaps most famous for its inflation-busting $1.50 hot dog-and-soda combination meal.

But Costco fans may soon find they no longer have the appetite for fast food as the wholesaler announced it now offers prescriptions for weight loss drugs such as Ozempic. 

The move forms part of Costco's new $179 three-month subscription weight loss program in partnership with healthcare provider Sesame. Non-members may also sign up for $195.

But cost of the medicine is on top. GLP-1 weight loss drugs can set users back between $950 and $1,600 per month, according to Sesame's website.

The company says it can prescribe injectable semaglutides - including Ozempic and Wegovy - as well as oral weight loss medications. It claims patients can lose 5 percent of their body fat in three months, ten per cent in six months and 15 percent in a year.

Costco and Sesame first announced its partnership last fall as it began offering online health checkups for as low as $29. 

But bosses noted that one in five customer inquiries were related to weight loss support.

Sesame co-founder and president Michael Botta told CNN: 'It wasn’t what we initially thought would make sense to offer for Costco members who were coming to Sesame.

'But we realized pretty quickly, just by looking at what people were curious about, that there was a clear unmet need here.'

The renewable three-month program launched on Tuesday and will include a video consultation with a weight loss doctor or specialist, ongoing support and unlimited messaging and possibly a GLP-1 prescription if appropriate.

Weight loss drugs have swept the nation in recent years, acquiring a legion of celebrity fans including Oprah and Elon Musk.

Botta added: 'Increasingly, there is more interest among the mass affluent, among the middle class, among almost everybody.

'Obesity is prevalent across every socioeconomic status in America. There are a lot of people who have this interest and who have this need and we saw that in the data.'

US healthcare providers wrote more than nine million prescriptions for Wegovy and other injectable drugs for weight loss in the last three months of 2022 alone.

Researchers at JPMorgan estimate around 9 percent of the US population - or 30 million people - could be taking GLP-1 drugs by 2030. 

Costco has 130 million members, according to its website. An executive membership comes with a $120 annual fee while the Business and Gold Star memberships are both $60 respectively.

In March, Costco missed expectations for second-quarter revenue, hurt by lower gasoline prices impact and soft discretionary spend from consumers.

Big-box retailers such as Amazon and Walmart have been offering healthcare services following the pandemic.

Amazon offers virtual primary care service for Prime members through One Medical, which it bought in 2022.

Walmart runs primary care centers at its stores and its membership warehouse club retail chain, Sam's Club, sells GLP-1 drugs through its pharmacies.