Costco sells over 100 million rotisserie chickens every year. That’s more chickens than the entire population of Japan. With numbers like that, it’s no surprise that when something goes wrong with the famous bird, people notice. And right now, Costco shoppers have more than a few complaints about their chicken. From messy packaging that leaks everywhere to a lawsuit claiming the company lied about what’s actually in the bird, there’s a lot going on. Here’s what has everyone so worked up.
The chicken packaging drives people absolutely crazy
Anyone who has ever bought Kirkland air-chilled chicken drumsticks, tenderloins, or party wings knows the struggle. The packages come with multiple portions sealed in plastic, all connected together. The problem? There’s almost no space between each sealed section. When people try to cut out just the portion they want, they often accidentally slice open the one next to it. Chicken juice goes everywhere. It gets on the counter, in the fridge, and sometimes even in the car on the way home from the store.
The complaints have been loud on social media. One shopper posted online begging Costco to upgrade the chicken packaging because they keep getting chicken juice everywhere. Some people remember when the store used to sell chicken cuts in a different package that could be torn open without scissors. Even that version leaked, though. The plastic itself seems too thin, and some shoppers have noticed juice leaking at the store before they even buy it. The material is described as leak resistant, not leak proof.
Cutting the chicken packs requires serious precision
Here’s where things get tricky. Each chicken parcel is sealed so close to the next one that cutting them apart feels like performing surgery. If the scissors slip even a little bit, the neighboring package gets punctured. That means raw chicken juice all over the place. People have asked Costco to simply separate the pouches a little more. If each seal had just a bit more space from the next one, this wouldn’t be such a big deal. But as things stand now, it takes real skill to open the package without making a mess.
Some shoppers have questioned whether the problem is actually the packaging or just poor cutting technique. One person online pointed out that cutting closer to the side being opened instead of guessing the middle works better. Others say the packaging is genuinely bad and no amount of careful cutting fixes it. Either way, it seems like Costco could make this easier for everyone with just a small design change. Until then, shoppers are left playing a guessing game every time they want chicken for dinner.
What shoppers are doing to avoid the mess
People have come up with their own ways to deal with the leaky chicken situation. The most popular tip? Open the package over the sink or a pot. That way, any loose juices get caught before they can make a mess. It’s not a perfect solution, but it works. Some shoppers also keep the chicken in a dish with a lid while it’s in the fridge. This prevents meat juice from getting all over the shelves if the package does leak. Keeping it on the bottom shelf is important too, just in case.
Another trick involves freezing the chicken slightly before opening it. When the juices harden a bit, they’re less likely to spill everywhere. Of course, raw chicken doesn’t last forever in the fridge. It’s only good for a few days unless it gets cooked or put in the freezer. So timing matters when using the freezing trick. It’s a lot of extra effort for something that should be simple. Many shoppers feel like Costco should just fix the packaging already and save everyone the hassle.
The famous rotisserie chicken now faces a lawsuit
The packaging mess isn’t the only chicken controversy at Costco right now. The store’s beloved $4.99 rotisserie chicken is at the center of a proposed class action lawsuit. Two women in California filed the claim in late January. They say Costco misled customers by advertising the Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken as having no preservatives. According to the lawsuit, that claim isn’t exactly true. The chicken actually contains two added ingredients that might work like preservatives.
The lawsuit claims the chickens contain carrageenan and sodium phosphate. Carrageenan is added to meats as a thickening agent. Sodium phosphate helps keep products moist and adds a bit of extra taste. The plaintiffs say they wouldn’t have bought the chicken if they had known about these ingredients. Or at least they would have expected to pay less for it. The complaint argues that Costco has made tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars from customers who believed the no preservatives claim.
What those added ingredients actually do
So what are carrageenan and sodium phosphate anyway? Carrageenan comes from seaweed and works as a stabilizer in food. It helps things hold together and stay thick. Sodium phosphate helps food retain moisture, so the chicken stays juicy instead of drying out during cooking. Both ingredients are approved by food safety authorities. Costco says they use these ingredients to support moisture retention, texture, and consistency. In other words, they help make the chicken taste good and stay moist.
Here’s where things get complicated. The Food and Drug Administration doesn’t classify these ingredients as traditional preservatives. Sodium phosphate improves texture and moisture. Carrageenan acts as a stabilizer rather than something that prevents spoilage. But the lawsuit argues that they may function like preservatives even if they aren’t officially called that. The plaintiffs believe Costco’s marketing was misleading because the ingredients appeared in small print while the no preservatives claim was displayed in big, bold letters.
Costco already changed its signs and labels
Since the lawsuit was filed, Costco has made some changes. The company removed the no preservatives wording from its online descriptions and warehouse signs. A company statement explained they did this to keep labeling consistent across all their rotisserie chickens. The company didn’t admit to any wrongdoing. They simply said they wanted their signs and labels to match what’s actually printed on the product packaging. It’s a quick move that might help their case in court.
The two plaintiffs, Bianca Johnston and Anastasia Chernov, bought their chickens from California Costco stores in 2024 and 2025. They’re seeking refunds for customers and want Costco to stop what they call misleading advertising. They also want the company to give back profits made from the allegedly false claims. Both women say they would like to keep buying the rotisserie chickens in the future, but only if they’re actually made without preservatives as originally advertised.
Will this lawsuit change anything for shoppers
Most people who love Costco’s rotisserie chicken probably won’t stop buying it because of this lawsuit. The $4.99 price tag is hard to beat. The convenience factor is huge too. Many families grab one of these chickens on busy weeknights when there’s no time to cook. A quick poll of people at one office found that nobody planned to stop buying the chicken just because of the preservative controversy. The taste and the price matter more to most shoppers than what’s on the ingredient list.
That said, this lawsuit could make more people pay attention to food labels in general. When a company makes a big claim like no preservatives, shoppers tend to believe it without checking the fine print. This case might encourage people to read ingredient lists more carefully. It could also lead other food companies to think twice about making similar claims. For now, though, most Costco fans will probably keep grabbing that golden bird off the rotisserie rack whenever they shop.
The rotisserie chicken sales numbers are wild
How popular is Costco’s rotisserie chicken? The numbers are honestly kind of mind-blowing. The company sells well over 100 million of these birds every single year. In 2023 alone, Costco moved about 137 million rotisserie chickens. That’s nearly enough to give one chicken to every person in the United States over a three-year period. The $4.99 price point has stayed the same for years, which is pretty amazing considering how much other food prices have gone up.
With sales that massive, even a small issue becomes a big deal. When millions of people are buying the same product, any controversy touches a huge number of dinner tables across the country. That’s why this lawsuit has gotten so much attention. It’s not just about one chicken. It’s about a product that has become a part of weekly routines for countless families. The rotisserie chicken isn’t just a meal for many Costco shoppers. It’s become a tradition, a bargain, and honestly, a reason to make the trip to the warehouse store in the first place.
The plastic bag switch made things worse
Remember when Costco’s rotisserie chickens used to come in those hard plastic shell containers? Those days are gone. The company switched to plastic bags in 2024, and shoppers have been complaining ever since. The old containers weren’t perfect, but at least they kept the chicken contained. The new bags are more prone to leaking, which creates a mess in shopping carts, car seats, and kitchen counters. The change was supposed to be an improvement, but many customers disagree.
The leak-prone bags have added to the frustration that shoppers already felt about the raw chicken packaging. It seems like no matter which chicken product people buy at Costco, they risk ending up with juice everywhere. Some shoppers bring their own containers or extra bags to the store just in case. It’s become part of the Costco experience for many people. The hope is that eventually the company will listen to all the complaints and come up with better packaging solutions. Until then, paper towels are a must-have item for anyone buying chicken at Costco.
Between the leaky packaging and the preservatives lawsuit, Costco shoppers have plenty of reasons to be frustrated about the chicken situation. The good news is that the chicken itself still tastes great and the price remains unbeatable. Whether these issues will lead to any real changes remains to be seen. For now, shoppers who love their Costco chicken will probably keep buying it while crossing their fingers that the mess stays contained. A little chicken juice never stopped a true Costco fan anyway.
