Costco offers an impressive variety of goods, especially within its food section. Whether you’re stocking up on tasty frozen dinners or savoring the famous hot dog combo from the food court, there are plenty of mouthwatering choices available. However, not all products appeal to everyone. According to loyal customers, certain items are better avoided.
We compiled a list of seven products that enthusiasts recommend passing on due to their quality. A Reddit thread on the Costco subreddit posed the question: “In your opinion, what is the single worst prepared food that Costco sells?“ and shoppers eagerly shared their thoughts. Here are a few prepared foods they advise against purchasing.
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Costco Fans Reveal 7 Prepared Food Items They Never Purchase—And Why
1. Potato Salad
Potato salad is often hit or miss. And if you're picky about this beloved side dish, you may want to steer clear of Costco's variety. "The big container of potato salad used to be my favorite, and now it is trash," one commenter on Reddit lamented. "I don't know what happened to it, but it is definitely not the same!" Others agreed. "I got some bacon potato salad like two years ago and it was so bad. I returned it and it gave me a whole perspective of what not to buy at Costco," someone else wrote. Noted!
2. Macaroni and Cheese
It's hard to go wrong with macaroni and cheese—or at least that's what we thought. According to Redditors, the mac & cheese at Costco is incredibly disappointing due to a lack of flavor. Say it ain't so! "It's BLAND!" one comment complained. Someone pointed out a bit of irony: "But to your surprise, it’s still really high in sodium!" When you consider the health risks of all that sodium, bland macaroni and cheese definitely isn't worth the risk. We'll stick to making our own at home, or even microwaving some Easy Mac.
3. Chicken Pot Pie
If you ask us, chicken pot pie is just about the comfort food to end all comfort foods. But it sounds like Costco's take on this tasty dish just doesn't meet the mark flavor-wise. "They use those stupid flavorless baby carrots and somehow find a way to put rubbery cubes of chicken in there. It’s gross," says one comment. "Totally agree that they are awful," someone else replied. "The crust is cardboard, the flavor is not there and it's hard to get past all the sodium. I've been spoiled all my life with good homemade chicken pot pie, so that may be part of the problem, but damn, so bad!"
4. Sandwiches & Wraps
Sometimes nothing hits the spot like a big sandwich. But if that's what you're craving, Costco shoppers say you're better off finding it elsewhere. "Their premade sandwiches are awful," one person wrote, with many people backing up this sentiment."Used to love the turkey and cheese croissants with Cesar salad when I was growing up. Fast forward 20 years, I recently picked it for the nostalgia and the quality is nowhere near what it used to be," says another comment. Shoppers noted that wraps are a similar story. "Those are even worse. If that’s even possible," someone complained. "I bought smoked salmon wraps that sounded good, but they were all soggy and gross by the time we ate them."
5. Food Court Pizza
Most can't resist grabbing a bite to eat after shopping, and Costco's food court pizza usually hits the spot. Plus, one slice is only $1.99—it's a no brainer if you just need a little something to hold you over before dinner. But many employees think that it's "overrated." "It's always been floppy, too thin in the center, greasy, cheap cheese," one employee said. Maybe we'll pick up a pie on the way home next time...
6. Rotisserie Chicken
There's no doubt about it, one of the things that Costco is most famous for is their hot rotisserie chicken. Fresh from the deli, seasoned professionally, cooked to perfection, it's famous for good reason. But many customers have complained that recently, they've found their chicken to be tasting "chemically" and "soapy," and employees suggested that it might be the packaging.
7. Deli Street Tacos
And finally, Costco employees are not fans of the Chicken Street Tacos from the deli. They come with Mexican-seasoned chicken, cheese, a cilantro lime crema, salsa, and tortillas. It's an easy grab-and-go dinner option for busy people. But Costco employees say "they're not cheaper than local trucks," one person said. Another added, "I tried them once just for the novelty and never went back to them."
The Bottom Line
Costco is a fantastic place to find a lot of things—but unfortunately, that doesn't include these foods. So next time you're at the warehouse, stick to those fan-favorite products you know and love, and maybe just go with a food court hot dog.
