Costco’s Famous Rotisserie Chicken May Have Changed

It's safe to say that Costco knows a thing or two about creating fan-favorite products. Just look at the retailer's lineup of in-house items, from mix-and-match muffins to the delicious rotisserie chicken. The latter is especially beloved for its budget-friendly price of $4.99 — but according to shoppers, it's been tasting weird as of late.

Per Eat This, Not That!, users on Reddit think something is amiss with the chicken. The individual who started the thread said: "I was at Costco today and bought my rotisserie chicken just like every time I'm there. We tasted it and it has a distinct chemical flavor." They went on to describe the chicken as "off putting."

Other Costco shoppers on Reddit agreed, noting that their rotisserie chickens tasted strange. They described the flavor as "chemically," "soapy," and even "chlorine-like." Yikes.

Another user shared: "I [was] refunded two months back for the same reason and let customer service know, and they said others already returned that day. I haven't bought since."

So, what's the deal? The exact cause is currently unknown, but people have some theories. According to a Costco deli worker, the retailer gets chickens from two sources — its own processing plant in Nebraska and foster farms. At the latter, chickens are typically of lower quality and often cook differently. "If your chicken is gross, it's most likely due to the fact that it's a foster farm chicken," the user says.

Other folks are wondering if it's due to the packaging, as the chickens are placed in plastic containers while they're very hot. In fact, one person said that the top of their last rotisserie chicken (i.e., the parts that are close to the lid) had a strange taste, but the rest was fine.

All that being said, the change in flavor is still a mystery. Here's to hoping that it doesn't last forever and the issue resolves. Otherwise, if you pick up a rotisserie chicken and it tastes weird, consider heading back to Costco and asking for a refund; you won't be the first customer to do so.