Why Some Costco Shoppers Are So Dissatisfied With Its Chicken Katsu

Heat and eat foods are a savior on days when you need a quick mid-week meal that can be done in minutes rather than cooking something from scratch. And who does these almost ready-to-eat meals better than Costco? From pre-seasoned cuts of meat and seafood, to elaborate lasagnas that only need baking, many Costco products are known for having a cult following. The wholesaler's patrons are spoiled with an array of quick and easy meals to choose from (via Buzzfeed).

However, recent Reddit discussions show that not all of these meals at Costco are worth the buck that you're paying for them. On the contrary, one Redditor claims that after trying the store's EastWest Cuisine Chicken Katsu, they have "never been so disappointed with a Costco product in [their] entire life."  

According to the package, the kit comes with pre-seasoned and braised chicken breast slices as well as pinko breading and a Katsu sauce. The slices need to be breaded and sautéed in a pan when you're ready to eat them. For some Costco shoppers, however, the elaborate breading and cooking process is too much of an ask, especially considering that the katsu is supposed to be an easy-to-put-together meal.

Those who chimed in on this Reddit thread are saying that the katsu kit comes with dehydrated egg that needs to be turned into a slurry with water first. Then, there's the process of dipping and coating the chicken slices in the egg and bread crumbs before sauteeing them as the package suggests. The entire process, shoppers say, beats the point of the convenience of a heat and eat meal. "I can make my own with just as much effort, and the sauce was gross...I will just make it from scratch for the same effort, and buy the real sauce."

Other reviews find very few redeeming qualities about Costco's Chicken Katsu, especially for the $5.79 a pound price tag that it comes with (via Costco Food Database). Shoppers say the katsu sauce is disappointing, the chicken is rubbery and doesn't come sliced into katsu-sized pieces as the packaging suggests, it requires frying, and many complain that the dish doesn't taste that good.

A comment on a separate Reddit thread with similarly scathing reviews sums up the general consensus on the chicken katsu, "If something is written as 'full cooked' and not just partially prepared or [there is no] clear indication on front of the box that extra work is involved, I'd expect it to come just like in the picture but with effort of heating it up only. Seems so deceiving."