Few things are as satisfying as asupermarket rotisserie chicken.
The famous $4.99 bird made its official Costco debut in 1994.
The chicken is reported to be a major loss leader for Costco.
David Tonelson / Shutterstock
Rotisserie chicken sales have almost doubled in the last decade.
The popularity of Costco’s famous bird only continues to grow.
During fiscal year 2010, Costco sold51 million rotisserie chickens.
calimedia / Shutterstock
Since 2020, the big-box retailer has sold more than 100 million rotisserie chickens yearly.
In January, Costco reported that itsold 117 million in 2022.
This is around 11 million more chickens than in2021an increase of about 10%.
Helen89 / Shutterstock
You’ll always find the chicken in the back of the store.
That’s because its placement is a corporate strategy.
you’re able to’t roast it yourself for any cheaper.
a katz / Shutterstock
A whole raw organic chicken at the warehouse can weigh as much as five pounds.
The rotisserie chickens typically weigh around three pounds cooked.
Costco has yet to share which ones are included in the “spice extractives.”
Cassiohabib / Shutterstock
There’s a secret way to know if a new batch is ready.
Now gobefore the other shoppers beat you to it!
The rotisserie chicken is gluten-free.
The Image Party / Shutterstock
Costco has its own chicken plant.
This move marked Costco becoming thefirst retailer to control its entire chicken supply chain.
But it hasn’t gone without controversy.
Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock
There, disabled birds slowly die from hunger, thirst, injury, and illness."
A celebrity chef criticized the chicken.
“I got a hot takeI think the Costco chicken is the worst rotisserie chicken,” he said.
Shutterstock
“They’re not good.
They’re not seasoned.”
It really is."
The Image Party / Shutterstock
Chang isn’t the only one criticizing the Costco chicken lately.
Many others havecomplained about the tasteon Reddit, too.
There are countless ways to eat it.
David Tonelson/Shutterstock
A version of this story was originally published in December 2019.
It has been updated to include new information.
Cassiohabib / Shutterstock
Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Audi of America
Shutterstock
