Costco has officially launched its highly anticipated chicken strips at food courts across all its U.S. locations. The new offering, which includes five breaded chicken breast strips and a dipping sauce for $6.99, has generated significant buzz, with some consumers drawing immediate comparisons to popular fast-food chicken options.
Food blogger Lucas Gomes, known on Instagram as @therealkirklandking, shared his experience with the new item, suggesting that fast-food chains like Chick-fil-A might face new competition. Gomes described the strips as "gorgeous" and noted that while the accompanying sauce had visual similarities to Chick-fil-A's signature sauce, its taste was distinctly different, characterized as a honey mustard with "pizazz."
The chicken strips come with a dipping sauce and a $6.99 price tag, totaling 1,640 calories for the portion. This new menu item joins other recent additions and popular staples in Costco's food courts, such as its cronut-style pastry and its long-standing $1.50 hot dog combo.
However, the nationwide rollout has been met with a range of opinions from shoppers. Some customers have expressed disappointment, citing issues with the breading and the perceived dryness of the chicken. "The breading was disappointing, and I felt like the chicken was dry," commented one shopper on social media. Another user echoed this sentiment, stating the strips were "dry, stringy, and too much breading." Speculation from one consumer even suggested the chicken was "3D-printed bioengineered chicken" due to its texture.
Conversely, other patrons have praised the new offering. "They are amazing!" one reviewer posted. Another shopper, while not a self-proclaimed connoisseur, found them to be "good."
Discussions on platforms like Reddit also reveal a divided consumer base. Some found the strips "nothing special" and preferred Costco's "old reliable hot dog," while others deemed them "a tad gross" or "absolutely gross," questioning their approval by the company. Recurring criticisms from commenters include the saltiness of the chicken and sauce, the large portion size, and the price, with some noting that an entire rotisserie chicken at Costco is less expensive than the order of chicken fingers.
Costco has also recently introduced Esprit sweatshirts featuring 1980s-style logos and has been capitalizing on the cronut trend with its own version of the pastry.