What's happened
Consumer Reports has named Sam’s Club’s rotisserie chicken the top overall pick among 10 chains, praising flavor, seasoning and juiciness. Costco’s bird is praised for plumpness but criticized for seasoning inconsistency. The test found no PFAS and noted several birds weighed more than listed on packaging.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- Sam’s Club takes the top spot for flavor and juiciness, with a paprika rub cited for bronzed color.
- Costco is praised for plumpness but dinged for inconsistent salting between samples.
- Packaging and weight discrepancies are common, with several birds heavier than listed.
- No PFAS were detected in meat or packaging; however, price remains a retailer differentiator.
This matters for shoppers seeking best value beyond sticker price, and for retailers monitoring consistency across batches.
How we got here
Consumer Reports evaluated rotisserie chickens from 10 retailers, including Sam’s Club, Costco, Stop & Shop, Walmart, Wegmans and Whole Foods, across multiple locations. The test measured weight, sodium, nutrition, and packaging, and included blind tastings.
Our analysis
- Independent: Consumer Reports selects Sam’s Club as top rotisserie chicken, citing flavor and moisture. - New York Post: Sam’s Club edges Costco in CR test, notes no PFAS and packaging weight discrepancies. - The Guardian: broad discussion of waste and consumer behavior in rotisserie sales; context on food waste pressures.
Go deeper
- Which retailer state has the best value now?
- Will the price of $4.98 at Sam’s Club sustain against inflation?
- How should shoppers verify weight versus packaging labels?
More on these topics
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Wegmans - Supermarket company
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., is a privately held American supermarket chain; it is headquartered in Gates, New York. As of August 2020, Wegmans has 103 stores in the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions.
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Consumer Reports, Inc.
Consumer Reports, formerly Consumers Union, is an American nonprofit consumer organization dedicated to unbiased product testing, investigative journalism, consumer-oriented research, public education, and consumer advocacy.
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Costco - Retail company
Costco Wholesale Corporation, doing business as Costco, is an American multinational corporation which operates a chain of membership-only warehouse clubs.