Customers Claim These Costco Kirkland Signature Food Items Taste Different Than They Used To

Costco has long been a staple of American culture. With its unique business model and unbeatable prices, it's no wonder there are close to 137 million Costco members worldwide. However, Costco is so well-known that even non-members are familiar with the Kirkland Signature brand.

Kirkland Signature is Costco's private brand that offers everything from socks to olive oil at a fraction of name-brand costs. Launched in 1995, Kirkland Signature items were created to be an affordable, equivalent (if not better) version of its name-brand counterparts.

In many cases, members reach for Kirkland Signature for these exact reasons, but the brand isn't immune to fluctuating reviews. Members often report mixed feelings on Kirkland Signature food items (some Kirkland items have been downright failures), especially noting that they don't taste the same as they used to. They are especially vocal on Costco forums like Reddit, where they can rally other members who feel the same way about a certain product's change. After sifting through members' posts, pics, and rants, we've made a list of Costco Kirkland Signature food items that taste different than they used to.

Good on its own, mixed into waffle batter, or stuck in between a burger patty and sesame seed bun, bacon is one of those mouth-watering meats that add that extra oomph to every meal. Unfortunately for Costco members, their bacon supply has reportedly taken a turn for the worse.

According to a Reddit thread referencing the thick-sliced Kirkland Signature bacon, the flavor is inconsistent between packs and even has a gamey flavor at times. Other commenters have said that they switched to different grocery stores because of this issue. In a separate thread titled, "The Bacon is Garbage Now!" a Redditor complains of the bacon's quality going down since the pandemic. They note that every store-bought bacon has gone down in quality, but people expect consistency when they're paying for both a membership and their groceries. One final Reddit thread includes a photo of a paper-thin strip of bacon, hanging on by threads of fat. A commenter even encouraged the original poster to return their purchase because "shredded pork strips is not bacon." In the same thread, the top comment says, "stopped with Kirkland bacon for that exact reason," with hundreds of upvotes and echos in their reply.

You would think popcorn is a fool-proof snack, right? Just throw the bag in the microwave, set the timer for two minutes, and bask in the buttery goodness afterward. But Kirkland Signature has apparently lost sight of what makes popcorn a easy go-to snack.

A 2025 Reddit post seems to herd all the Kirkland popcorn fans, with people saying it's the only popcorn they'll eat and that they think it tastes less artificial than other brands. That may be the case now, but there are multiple posts in the past of unsatisfied members chowing down on oily, unpopped kernels. Take a 2023 thread, for example: the original poster mentions that even with buying two whole boxes (that's 88 total bags, by the way), the quality was simply not there. They dealt with unpopped kernels, oily pops, and burnt popcorn with every possible temperature and time setting. Another customer from 2024 mentioned their local Costco pulling Kirkland Signature popcorn from the shelves due to the bags having holes in them. The top commenter in that thread noted that they stopped buying the 44-count box due to the nearly 50% price hike.

Kirkland Signature's Extra Fancy Mixed Nuts have also gotten a bit of heat from members lately. The brand switched from a large plastic tub container to a bag around 2023, but the contents remained the same: cashews, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts. It seems pretty hard to mess up a snack as simple as nuts, but Redditors have their opinions.

In a Reddit thread titled "Has the extra fancy mixed nuts quality gone down?" posted in 2024, users rant about the diminished quality of their beloved nuts. The original poster notes that the macadamia nuts in the bag taste "absolutely rancid" and that while the others taste okay, one macadamia nut ruins the whole thing. A user in the same thread mentioned the shrunken size of the cashew nuts and the increase of "dust" in the bag. Another thread echoed the same complaint, noting the smaller size of the nuts, that the almonds were tasteless, the Brazil nuts almost absent, and the cashews bitter.

Costco is known for its oversized, high-volume food products, and its three-pack 59 fl.oz Kirkland Signature orange juice is no exception. Big households love reaching for this product because it's an easy way to get everyone hydrated and nourished, but unfortunately, serial buyers may not be getting what they expect.

In 2021, reports began popping up on Reddit that recent purchases of the orange juice had a different taste than before. One customer noted that the taste wasn't necessarily bad, but that it was alarming to taste such drastic flavors from one pack to the next. Two years later, another commenter on Reddit, however, pointed out a less-than ideal taste, saying that their kids complained about the orange juice tasting different. And in 2024, one orange-juice loyal customer took to Reddit and complained about an odd "liquorish flavor" from the orange juice. Commenters on the thread agreed with the original poster saying that the loss of quality was largely due to issues with citrus farming. No matter the reasons, customers have surely noticed the different taste in their morning beverage.

Making a pie on your own can be difficult, especially if you don't have an easy pie recipe or any prior baking knowledge. That's why most people opt to buy a store-bought pie when the holidays come around or when the pie craving hits. Costco members would be happy to purchase an iconic apple, pecan, or pumpkin pie from the wholesale store, but lately, something tastes a little off.

In this Reddit thread titled, "Did Costco pies get worse?" the original poster notes that while they've been purchasing apple and pumpkin pies for decades, their most recent dessert tasted different. A slew of commenters rejected the notion saying that their pies tasted fine, and even brushed off the complaint, saying no one should be picky buying a $6 pie. There were a handful of commenters who agreed, however, with one customer complaining of the texture and another saying they bought all three varieties and the taste was disappointing. So the pies are still a bargain, but may not be exactly as you remember them.

Even with the rising costs of chicken and eggs, the Costco rotisserie chicken stays at a more-than-reasonable price of $5. It's no wonder the iconic Costco chicken is a constant on grocery lists for families, couples, and singles alike. It's so popular that copycat recipes, like this one, try to emulate its flavor and unbeatable cost. Although the price of Costco's rotisserie chicken may be stable, it's taste apparently isn't.

One frequent buyer of the coveted chicken posted on Reddit saying, "For the last several months I've noticed an almost chemical, bleach smell [...] I miss that delicious chicken!" And many others in the comments repeated the complaint, noting a burnt flavor with no visible burns and, like the original poster observed, a chemical taste. Another Reddit thread is full of commenters referencing the strange taste. Members noted chlorine, soap, and plastic tastes as they bit into their rotisserie chicken. It's unfortunate that this staple Kirkland Signature product is spotlighted for its less-than-ideal new taste, but as it's a food so many members flock to, they wouldn't expect such drastic changes in taste.

Next on the list of food items that reportedly taste different are the Kirkland Signature Ice Cream Bars. These are your standard ice cream bar — vanilla ice cream in a chocolate shell with roasted almond bits situated on a wooden paddle. The only difference between this and any other grocery store ice cream bar is that these come in an 18-count box. So when customers decide to purchase one of these enormous boxes for a pool party or celebration, they'd expect consistent flavors. Unfortunately, that was not the experience for some Costco members.

One Reddit thread claimed that the Kirkland Signature ice cream bars taste different than they used to, noting an iciness to them and a lack of rich, creamy texture. Commenters on the post suggest that too much air being pumped into the ice cream could be the cause for the iciness. Another commenter agreed with the original poster, calling out the richness of the regular tub of ice cream in contrast to the watery texture of the ice cream bar.

Much like its strip counterpart, bacon bits make everything better; add it to a salad for more flavor and texture, crumble it atop an omelet for a last-minute garnish, or sprinkle it over roasted vegetables to spice up an otherwise bland side-dish. No matter the use, people usually buy bacon bits to add flavor to a dish. This is why switching up the taste of them is quite alarming to customers.

A customer on Reddit observed an excess of fat and gristle in their bag of bacon crumbles, making it difficult to stomach on something as light as salad. As someone who consistently used the bits on their breakfast, the customer was sorely disappointed. Commenters on the thread echoed their qualms, saying that the crumbles are so fatty that they've turned to alternative brands.

Another thread repeated these complaints, with Redditors commenting on the clumpy, tough, dry crumbles putting a damper on their quiches and omelets. The original poster went as far as to say that the bacon crumbles became "terrible." Commenters added their experiences, saying the pieces were "like hard rubber and some bits were impossible to chew."

Coconut water is a taste of luxury and vacation at home, so it's quite a treat to buy it at any major grocery store. It's a great alternative for those who don't like hydrating with tap water, it's a good way to get flavor into an otherwise boring necessity, and you could even freeze it for a clever way to chill drinks. Unfortunately for the fan of Kirkland Signature's coconut water, its taste has fluctuated in the past few years.

A Redditor in a 2022 thread claimed that Costco added a new flavor to what used to be their favorite coconut water. What was once the customer's go-to drink turned into the topic of a strange investigation. The original poster wasn't a fan of this new flavor, but some people in the comments noted that, despite the change, the new flavor grew on them. 

Many of the commenters repeated that the "new flavor" was vanilla and just something to get used to. However, in 2024 a Reddit user informed Costco members of another flavor change to the beloved coconut water. The poster noted that they reach for Kirkland coconut water as a hydration boost without extra sodium, given their sodium-avoidant diet. Unfortunately, they said the new formula of coconut water not only tastes sweeter but is double the sodium percentage.

The last on the list is Kirkland Signature's shredded mozzarella. Whether it's used in a Costco pizza copycat recipe or melted on top of a homemade quesadilla, there's no doubt that 2lb bags of cheese is nothing to sneeze at. As much as shredded mozzarella is a staple in refrigerators across the world, customers have taken note of Kirkland Signature's different taste.

One Redditor mentioned that the bags they bought were dustier than usual and had a hard time melting. This issue can be quite disappointing since most people claim mozzarella is one of the best melting cheeses. Commenters agreed on the increased dustiness of the bagged cheese and even mentioned that lacked much taste. Another thread pointed out quality issues concerning the shredded mozzarella, with the customer saying that the cheese went bad by the time they opened it at home. People in the comments wrote back with similar findings, mentioning that they wouldn't purchase the shredded cheese again.