Costco's $4.99 rotisserie chicken is one of the world' most iconic foods — and for good reason. For me, there is no comparable, economical rotisserie chicken option; Costco has the market completely covered. However, there is a pending change coming that may affects some's adoration for the product.
According to Zoe Strozewski of Eat This, Not That, a since-deleted "apparent internal memo" went viral on Reddit last month, stating that "Costco planned to start serving its rotisserie chickens in plastic bags instead of the clear plastic 'shell' containers it has long used in the United States." This was reportedly motivated by a desire to reduce plastic usage as a company.
Costco didn't confirm or deny the change, but as of last week, a customer in Washington happened to notice the bagged chicken was now on shelves. She also noted on Reddit that it "tastes the same." The bag features handles and a "window" to see the bronzed chicken.
While some are discouraged over the change and lament the chicken's former plastic home, others don't think it matters much since it's better for the environment and it tastes the same. Others also are happy about the fact that the bagged chicken is ostensibly easier to store and takes up less room.
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According to Danielle Harling with Delish, however, it is noted that the bag is "reportedly prone to leaks" and that, according to one shopper, "the bag was super greasy" upon touching it.
We'll see how the change may proliferate in the coming weeks. It should also be noted that rotisserie chicken in bags is not a new thing: Wegmans and BJs both also employ bag packaging for their rotisserie chickens. While Costco hasn't officially confirmed a nationwide roll-out, it seems the bags have already been deployed in some stores in certain states.
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