7 Majorly Disappointing Costco Items You Should Avoid, Shoppers Say
Costco didn't become America's third-largest retailer by sheer luck or happenstance. Since its founding in 1983, the warehouse club chain has gained a devoted fan following for its bargains on bulk goods, enticing membership perks, and varied product selection. You can buy massive slabs of beef, clothing, televisions, cheap alcohol, and 25-pound bags of flour all under one roof, and then top off your visit with a $1.50 hot dog and soda from the food court. (Bonus points if you fill up your tank at Costco's affordably priced gas stations on the way out.)
Despite all the fanfare surrounding Costco and the undeniable benefits of paying for a membership, the retailer isn't immune to criticism. In fact, members have been reporting major issues with several Costco products lately, and these quality shortfalls have put some off those items for good.
Shoppers should keep in mind that opinions can vary widely and any grocery item likely has its fans and critics. However, for certain Costco offerings, the complaints have recently outweighed the praise.
Here are seven complaint-plagued items that Costco shoppers are avoiding right now.
Ribeye steaks
While Costco's proteins are generally praised for their quality and affordability, a meat department offering has been garnering some major criticism lately. Shoppers report that the retailer's ribeye steaks—a cut that's supposed to be tender and heavily marbled—have dropped in quality over the past couple of years.
Insufficient marbling, tiny fat caps, and a tough texture are among the major complaints. These quality issues have caused some to give up on the product entirely.
"I do not purchase ribeye at Costco anymore," one shopper wrote on Reddit recently."We go to our butcher now because the quality just can't be beat. I would rather eat a delicious, higher-cost steak once a month and trade in my bimonthly Costco ribeye purchases," another Redditor commented.
Muffins
Earlier this year, Costco began rolling out new, smaller versions of its formerly massive muffins. The change has proven to be exceedingly unpopular with shoppers, who've flooded social media with criticism for the revamped bakery items.
Costco's price for the new muffins is one of the complaints. A shopper calculated that the smaller muffins are 58% more expensive than the original muffins by breaking down the price per ounce in each container.
The smaller muffins are sold in eight-packs for $6.99, while members can mix and match two six-packs of the larger muffins for $9.99 at the warehouses where they're still available.
"At that price point I'll just bake my own," a shopper lamented on Reddit.
Others are disappointed that they can no longer mix and match flavors, and say that the new muffins are a major downgrade from the old version.
"They taste 100% worse," a Redditor wrote.
Fresh produce
There are arguably no products that Costco shoppers criticize more than its fresh produce. The warehouse club's fruits and vegetables have been racking up quality complaints for years, and 2024 has been no exception.
"It gets fungus after a few days. It's crappy quality and never as good as it used to be. What the heck is going on? one shopper wrote in a recent Reddit discussion.
"I rarely buy any kind of produce from Costco. It's not the best and there usually [are] a couple of pieces that are bruised and going bad hiding in that package that you don't see until you open it and start going through it," another commented. "I'm also a family of two so most things we won't even finish before it starts to go bad."
The produce quality issues may be a regional problem, as some shoppers say the fruits and veggies are consistently solid in their parts of the country. But in other areas, some Costco members prefer to purchase their produce elsewhere.
"I don't buy their produce any longer. I was never happy with it," a Redditor lamented.
Kirkland Signature Drinking Water
While Costco's private-label Kirkland Signature brand houses a myriad of customer-approved products, its Kirkland Signature water bottles have faced significant criticism. Shoppers have complained that the water bottle caps leak and the plastic bottles dent easily, often making them a pain to use.
"The plastic in the Kirkland bottled water is so thin and flimsy that if you drop them accidentally they bust open," a customer wrote on Reddit.
Some believe that Costco's low price is worth dealing with these little annoyances, but others have started to avoid the product altogether.
"I wont buy the Costco bottled water for that reason. The plastic is just too thin," a Redditor wrote.
Filet mignon
Ribeye isn't the only meat department find that has garnered shopper disapproval lately. Members have also been criticizing and avoiding the warehouse club's "poorly cut" filet mignon, saying it's often speckled with fat, chain meat, and silverskin.
"I can't confidently say that I saw a single, well-cut filet mignon," one Redditor lamented after a recent Costco trip.
"We have four different costcos that are close to us and all of their filets are cut this way. I tell my wife every time I see them Costco needs to change their style or change the butcher," another responded.
The filet mignon quality may depend on the location, as different workers are responsible for cutting and packaging meat at different warehouses. But in light of all these complaints, shoppers may want to thoroughly examine their filet mignon packs before buying them.
Stonefire Mini Naan
Stonefire Mini Naan—a product sold at Costco and other retailers—reportedly has a spoilage problem. Shoppers have complained that the naan tends to get moldy fast, often before they can finish the pack.
"My kid opened these and ate a couple. Next day the whole pack was green," a Costco shopper lamented on Reddit.
"Stopped buying it at Costco because of this. It goes bad so fast every time," another commented.
This issue seems to be location-dependent, as some members say they've never experienced any mold issues with the Stonefire naan. But in light of the complaints, customers may want to look over their naan packages before purchasing them. Fans also suggest storing the bread in the fridge or freezer to prolong its shelf life.
Chef Ramsay Beef Wellington Bites
This frozen item may bear the name of an iconic chef and television personality, but many Costco shoppers agree it's a major disappointment. Sold at the warehouse club and a variety of other retailers, Costco members have decried Chef Gordan Ramsay's Beef Wellington Bites as being overly salty, "meh" in flavor, and not all that nice to look at either.
To be fair, the Beef Wellington Bites do have their fans, and those who approve of them report that they're particularly tasty out of an air fryer. But the overwhelming majority of Costco reviewers had nothing but negative things to say about the item.
"The first and last Chef Ramsay product I will ever buy. Rubbish," a Redditor wrote.
Sign up for our newsletter!
