One of the best parts of every visit to the giant grocery chain Costco (cost) – Get Free Report I stop at a small food counter on my way out the door. Customers grab a spot in line as soon as they finish checkout, leaning back on carts full of bulk-packaged groceries, listening attentively as their ticket numbers are called out.
Costco food is known for its affordable prices. Some people might use the word “cheap”, but it actually costs the chain a lot because of the low ticket prices for foods like pizza, chicken sandwiches, and hot dogs. Fortunately for Costco, the loss is worth it. Because low-priced groceries draw customers to the store and give those same customers an incentive to keep their membership active.
The company is very clear: when it comes to smaller restaurants, Costco will raise member prices before lowering prices on its beloved prepared meals. (WMT) – Get Free Report Owned a rival warehouse rival, Sam’s Club.
Costco doesn’t mind making food that brings in more traffic and losing money. But the company isn’t losing more by worrying about the highest quality ingredients or the most complex flavors. No one goes to Costco for the gourmet experience, right?
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Dave Chang isn’t a fan of Costco’s rotisserie chicken
In this week’s episode of the hit cooking podcast, “The Dave Chang Show,” the celebrity chef joins co-host food journalist and chef Chris Ying to get to the heart of the Costco rotisserie chicken phenomenon. The two pals talk about shopping trips to Costco and the convenience of a large warehouse store when cooking for their family.
But Chan said the giant grocery store’s chicken didn’t live up to his expectations.
“I think Costco chicken is the worst rotisserie chicken,” said the owner of the beloved Momofuku restaurant. Leftover chicken is often stored in the refrigerator and eaten chilled the next day. Costco chicken doesn’t taste good after day one without seasoning, according to Chan.
Chan is right, but may have missed the point
Chan’s prospects can be explained by the ability of customers to manage their own expectations. At a low price of $4.99 per chicken, consumers certainly seem happy to pocket a few extra bucks in exchange for flavor. The lack of seasoning is a valid criticism of the food, but it doesn’t seem to stop chickens from flying over the counter from opening to closing.
One of the attractions of Costco restaurants is the school cafeteria experience. Where else can you find a pizza with the exact same recipe as the pizza you had at lunchtime in public school? For customers looking for hot, ready-made food options to feed a large family, Costco’s cheap chicken deal remains a steal.
For the record, Chang says the tastiest grocery store rotisserie chicken comes from a different store that shoppers are likely to find in their town. We recommend getting your bird from the Sprout Farmer’s Market. (SFM) – Get Free Report for $6.99.
