Rotisserie chickens are cheap because they are a powerful loss leader (attracting customers who buy other items), often use unsold, near-expiry raw chickens to prevent waste, and are mass-produced with cost-saving techniques, allowing stores to sell a convenient, prepared meal at or below cost to boost overall sales and profits. The chickens are injected with preservatives and flavorings, making them appealing, while their low price incentivizes shoppers to fill their carts with higher-margin goods.
Strategic pricing and placement of the rotisserie chickens aren't the only thing keeping them so cheap. In 2019, Costco made a first-of-its-kind move when it got into the broiler business itself. It opened its own chicken manufacturing company in Fremont, Nebraska, in partnership with Lincoln Premium Poultry.
At Costco, where you can buy a rotisserie chicken for $4.99, even with inflation running amok, the chickens are injected with a concentrated saline solution to give them their distinctive taste that customers know and love. And while some customers have discovered off-tasting chicken, not all have.
Repurposing unsold products is pretty common in grocery stores. Supermarket consultants have admitted that vegetables and meat are often thrown into premade salads or deli items to minimize waste. Even rotisserie chickens that don't sell are chopped up and thrown into creamy chicken salad! So, that's the secret.
USDA recommends using cooked chicken within three to four days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within three to four days.
Costco Sued Over Rotisserie Chickens
The lawsuit alleges that the animals are bred so large they are unable to stand — an impairment that causes them to slowly die of hunger, injury, and illness.
Rotisserie chicken is convenient, versatile, and affordable lean protein. Most store-bought versions are high in sodium, may contain additives, and the skin adds saturated fat. It can still be part of a healthy diet when paired with vegetables, whole starches, and healthy fats.
Carrageenan is a chemical compound injected into some pre-cooked poultry to tenderize it and keep it juicy.
Have you ever been smashing a rotisse chicken and then you've gotten down to the bone and realized that the meat's still pink? Well, if you think this is raw, you're wrong. All of that red color is not blood. It's actually marrow pigment from the bone.
THE TRUTH: Chickens are bred to grow so large so quickly that they can't support their weight. THE LIE: "This is not only the right thing to do, but it also is an important moral and ethical obligation we owe to our members, suppliers, and most of all to the animals we depend on for products sold at Costco."
Members. Costco charges members an annual fee, roughly $65, for the right to shop in its stores. In exchange, members receive low prices and clear value, which drives renewal rates of around 90%. Membership fees make up over 50% of Costco's total profits.
Most of the sodium consumed by Americans is from processed or restaurant foods. Only a small amount comes from adding salt to the food we cook at home. Bottom line: if you're healthy (and young), go ahead and enjoy a Costco chicken every now and then, but NOT every day.
Cons
"Rotisserie chicken is a healthy choice for people who want a lean source of protein but don't have either the time, interest or skill to cook," says Lisa Andrews, M. Ed., RD, LD, owner of Sound Bites Nutrition. "It's a low-fat cooking method, and the chicken can be used in a variety of ways."
There's something unique about the flavor of rotisserie chicken, and it's not just from the seasoning. The slow rotation and steady heat give the meat a slight smokiness and roasted depth that's hard to replicate in a regular oven. It's the kind of flavor that tastes like it took all day, even if it didn't.
The bacteria generally associated with food poisoning from chicken are campylobacter, salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens, Oller says. You may have symptoms like nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and fever as fast as a few hours after eating chicken, and they can last for several days.
While classified as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for human consumption, numerous studies since the 1980s have suggested that carrageenans, particularly those with random coil conformations, may have adverse effects on gastrointestinal health, including aggravating intestinal inflammation.
Numerous scientific studies strongly support the use of chlorinated water in the context of a valid food safety system as an effective means to reduce and control the level of microbiological contamination of poultry meat and poultry meat products.
Costco's famous rotisserie chicken is injected with a saline solution in a process known as injection brining that keeps the poultry juicy during cooking.
The average amount of injected additives can account for as much as 20% of the rotisserie chicken's weight. That's not protein you're paying for. Due to all the additives, rotisserie chicken are considered processed food.
A rotisserie chicken will have similar nutrients to one you roast,” says Allers. “Similar protein, iron. The main difference is the amount and type of any additives.” Some stores “inject the chickens with a solution, which might contain added salt, sugar, various natural flavorings,” Allers explains.
The shareholders brought a derivative suit against Costco executives for making Costco neglect and abandon chickens. The complaint followed a 2021 undercover investigation revealing that Costco's chickens are bred to grow so fast that many can't stand under their own weight.
Ready-Prepared Chicken: When purchasing fully cooked rotisserie or fast food chicken, be sure to eat or refrigerate it within 2 hours.