Sam’s Club Takes Top Spot for Rotisserie Chicken
Recent discussions highlighted President Donald Trump’s intentions to limit Iranian diplomats in New York. One notable aspect might affect their shopping options at places like Costco and Sam’s Club.
Costco’s beloved $4.99 rotisserie chicken has had loyal fans, but it seems Sam’s Club has snagged the top honors in a recent evaluation by Consumer Reports. The report ranks Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken as the best, surpassing Costco’s Kirkland Signature Chicken.
In terms of taste, Sam’s Club earned high marks for flavor, seasoning, and texture. Interestingly, Costco’s chicken also made it to the top tier, but feedback indicated that the seasoning could vary quite a bit across different samples.
Many Costco shoppers might find this ranking surprising. The allure of the $4.99 rotisserie chicken has become one of Costco’s signature offerings, so much so that the company has maintained this price even as inflation surged, clearly aiming to attract patrons. There have been murmurs from loyal customers expressing dissatisfaction over what they see as minor changes, like switching from plastic containers to bags this year.
It’s worth noting that the overall rankings from 1 to 10 were not disclosed. Instead, chicken options were grouped into those deemed tasty enough to eat alone and others that are better suited for recipes, such as soups and salads.
The top contenders besides Sam’s Club and Costco included Stop & Shop, Walmart, Wegmans, and Whole Foods. Other stores like BJ’s Wholesale Club and Hannaford were placed in a different category.
Inquiries were made to both Costco and Sam’s Club regarding their reactions to these findings.
To assess the chickens, Consumer Reports went beyond basic taste tests—they purchased between 10 and 13 samples from each retailer across various visits. The comparison included weight, sodium levels against nutrition labels, blind taste tests, and even checks for chemicals often linked to plastics in the packaging.
The findings were reassuring in some aspects; no PFAS were found in any of the meat or packaging tested. Also, many chickens weighed more than what was stated on the labels, with Whole Foods chickens averaging about a pound heavier, effectively reducing the price per pound.
