Costco's New Rotisserie Chicken Bags Are Garnering Major Complaints
It would be a massive understatement to say that Costco shoppers love the retailer's famous rotisserie chickens. Costco sold a whopping 137 million of them in 2023, and members can't help but rave about their stubbornly low price of $4.99, and multitude of tasty uses. However, a recent rotisserie chicken change is causing some shoppers to sour on the beloved product.
Back in March, Costco began packaging its rotisserie chickens (140 calories per serving) in plastic bags in lieu of the typical hard clamshell containers. While the bags haven't rolled out nationwide, many shoppers have spotted them at their local warehouses over the past few months. An apparent Costco memo circulating on Reddit said the bags were more environmentally friendly thanks to a 75% reduction in plastic.
The new bags almost immediately sparked a divided reaction among shoppers, with some lamenting the change and others praising Costco's efforts to reduce its use of plastic. But recently, customer reactions have skewed more toward the negative.
One customer, for example, complained on Reddit this week that the new bags were leaky and had spilled chicken juice all over the trunk of their car. Their post has racked up more than 500 comments from other shoppers and employees who shared their own poor experiences with the new rotisserie chicken packaging.
Many noted that the bags tend to be oily or slick with juice, which leads to a messier shopping experience.
"My main gripe is that they're always super greasy and [there are] no wipes, towels, or paper towels in the area to help clean one's hands off. Not only does it affect folks getting the chicken, the cart handles have gotten noticeably grosser in the months since switching to the bags," one shopper wrote.
"I bought the rotisserie in a bag about a month ago and was so annoyed with the whole situation I haven't bought one since. Greasy bag, doesn't close, no crispy skin, falls apart trying to remove it. Not a fan at all," another commented.
And like the Redditor who started the thread, some shoppers have also dealt with tedious spills ever since Costco started rolling out the new bags.
"I thought I had the bag secured in the trunk but it still managed to turn over and spill a bunch of broth all over the carpet. Took forever to clean up with the Shop-Vac and soap and water," a Redditor wrote.
Even some of Costco's own workers aren't fans of the new packaging.
"As a deli worker, I hate the bags. It takes longer to put [chickens] in the bag compared to the container and it's messier," another Redditor commented.
Luckily, Costco shoppers offered some tips to make the bag issues a little more manageable. Some mentioned that they prevent messes by double-bagging the chickens with the orange plastic bags available in Costco's meat department. Others recommended keeping a box or container in cars for transporting rotisserie chickens back home.
"I carry a plastic bin all the time in the back seat cuz I learned the hard way too," a shopper noted.
On the other hand, some believe the best solution is simply avoiding Costco's rotisserie chickens altogether.
"Bags are awful. Sam's Club still uses containers so I started buying their rotisserie chicken," a Redditor commented.
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