Costco Changed Its Famous Rotisserie Chicken—Here's How

Although each Costco warehouse store contains about 4,000 different products, a select few are practically mascots for the retailer. The classic $1.50 hot dog and soda combo at the food court. The brand-exclusive Kirkland Signature products. And, of course, the iconic $5 rotisserie chicken.

Costco sold a whopping 137 million rotisserie chickens in 2023, up 20 million from 2022, executives revealed at their January 2024 annual shareholder meeting.

What Changed

The packaging. Costco's chickens used to be sold in domed plastic containers. Now, stores are offering them in flexible plastic bags. This might sound like a minor change, but since they sell hundreds of millions of birds each year, this subtle shift has potential to make a major impact. Both an internal company memo posted on Reddit (that has since been removed) as well as a sign near the rotisserie chickens at the Issaquah, Washington Costco, the bags will result in a 75 percent reduction in plastic use. In just one year, this has the potential to save more than 17 million pounds of resin and reduce carbon emissions by 4,000 metric tons—the equivalent of 1,000 fewer trucks on the road.

Opting for bags rather than plastic domes reduces the package-to-product ratio, according to the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), which means that less plastic is wasted. Plus, many of the current plastic containers aren't recyclable.

The Reason For New Packaging

This change is one of many Costco is instituting as part of the packaging guidelines they set in July 2023 as part of their brand’s sustainability efforts. The overall goal is to reduce waste while still protecting what’s inside the package and following all current laws, regulations, and food safety best practices, the team explained at the time. As part of this effort, they’re asking: 

• Can less packaging be used?
• Are boxes or plastic containers made from recycled items?
• Can new packaging be made with recyclable or certified compostable materials?
• Is the label clear about how consumers should dispose of the vessel?

Costco will be releasing data about the "total plastic footprint" of their in-house brand, Kirkland, which is where they’re focusing their efforts first. This December, Costco vows to share a five-year action plan about how they’re planning to use less plastic, the Public Interest Research Group reports.

What Stayed The Same

In many locations, the Costco rotisserie chicken fans know and love to create hacks with is getting a big makeover. We have great news for those who think the current version of Costco’s chicken is chef’s kiss: The recipe and sourcing of the protein hasn't changed one bit.

What Shoppers Are Saying

Some members are applauding Costco’s environmental efforts, while others are taking to social media to express their concern about the potential for leaking, their fears of the bags melting under the heat lamp, and the fact that they can’t use the clamshell as a makeshift plate.

Costco has clearly put quite a bit of thought into the change, and America isn’t the first place they’ve introduced these bags. One of our neighbors to the north chimed in on Reddit to share, “We have had these bags in Canada forever, and somehow the world still turns. Y’all will live, I promise…It’s working for us; you can do it too.”

Regardless of which store you purchase yours from or what packaging it’s sold in (we’re warming up to this heat-safe bag idea!), we hear from readers that rotisserie chicken continues to be one of the most convenient dinner staples. In case you could use a refresher, check out our go-to way to reheat rotisserie chicken.

The next time you’re in the mood to mix things up, our round-up of easy recipes you can make with rotisserie chicken is overflowing with inspiration.