What Does Costco Do With Rotisserie Chickens That Sit Out Past Their Prime?

Grocery store rotisserie chicken is a delicious and affordable way to add protein to your shopping excursion, and there's arguably no better option than Costco's rotisserie chicken (it took the top spot in our ranking of grocery store rotisserie chickens, after all). This pre-cooked, pre-seasoned chicken is hot and ready in the deli, just waiting for you to take it home after your giant haul at the wholesale retailer. If you've been wary of buying a rotisserie chicken because you fear how long it's been sitting in its package, we have good news. According to Costco superfans and authors David and Susan Schwartz, both of whom spoke with Business Insider, each chicken is available to customers for around two hours. After that, employees remove the time-stamped chickens from the shelf, and they're repurposed into other Costco deli offerings.

In a document about minimizing waste that was updated in December 2023, Costco revealed that the particular deli items made from its leftover rotisserie chickens depend on the local market. For example, deli items like chicken noodle soup or chicken pot pie are common in the U.S., while Costco markets in the U.K. and Taiwan may see the rotisserie chicken being reused more frequently for dishes like enchiladas and Singapore laksa.

It should probably come as no surprise that Costco repurposes its rotisserie chicken into other offerings. The best part about this deli staple is all of the ways you can use leftover rotisserie chicken in other dishes and recipes. At just $5 each, Costco rotisserie chickens can make multiple affordable meals without you ever needing to handle raw chicken or figure out the perfect spice blend for seasoning your own meat.

While it's clear that Costco is committed to reducing food waste and not serving rotisserie chicken past its prime, we can't speak for other retailers if you don't have a Costco nearby. There are some signs a rotisserie chicken has been sitting out for too long (which we've kindly rounded up), but if you can't get to Costco for a fresh chicken, you can always make a copycat Costco rotisserie chicken with just five ingredients. Your leftovers will thank you.