When Buying Costco's Kirkland Lobster Bisque, Keep Your Expectations In Check

Lobster bisque is a decadent type of soup, ideally featuring plenty of its namesake crustaceans. Along with chunks of toothsome meat, recipes also call for a healthy dose of cream to create an unbelievably smooth and rich texture. Because making it at home can be a little involved, many people opt for store-bought versions. If you're a member of Costco and a fan of lobster bisque, take note, as the warehouse retail chain's brand seems to have left some shoppers feeling a bit crabby.

In a Reddit thread that deemed the soup "offensively bad," lots of Costco devotees shared similar sentiments. According to one commenter, "I bought it once a long time ago and also thought it was horrible." Another deemed the lobster bisque "terrible," while one person complained, "I've always found it to be bland, too creamy, and lacking any substantive lobster." There was also a contingent of shoppers who believed the soup was fine, especially considering its relatively low price point. To wit: One Redditor wrote, "this tastes exactly like I expect a red lobster or similarly mid lobster bisque to taste." Kirkland products are often priced cheaply, but quality can fluctuate depending on the item.

It's true that Costco offers lots of popular food items that customers overwhelmingly love, but the lobster bisque doesn't seem to be one of them. The tragic soup may also be indicative of a larger problem at the bulk retailer. The store's frozen and refrigerated products often come under fire, as illustrated by an aggrieved Redditor and Costco member. The commenter lamented the declining state of the store's frozen goods, stating, "A bunch of stuff my family loved and ate all the time got switched out to, usually cheaper, or at least cheaper quality, that we simply don't like." Another person in the thread said that the Costco freezer section "used to set them apart from the typical chain grocery stores" but has since significantly diminished in quality.

This decline may even be affecting the company financially. In recent years, Costco shoppers seem to be spending less money when they visit the store, and customer ire may increase even further if Costco moves forward with its proposed plan to raise its membership fees.

While there's no telling what the future might hold for Costco and its members, there are some easy fixes you can employ if you find yourself saddled with the store's lackluster lobster bisque. On Reddit, a commenter stated that they use the soup when making lobster ravioli dishes at home. Another makes a seafood Alfredo sauce by adding heavy cream and butter to the bisque. In a different Reddit thread, several shoppers advocated for punching up the soup with a hefty dose of black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.

What can you do if you're completely unsatisfied with the soup and not willing to fiddle with it or include it in other recipes? Fortunately, Costco accepts returns on most items (minus one pantry food) thanks to its 100% satisfaction guarantee. All shoppers need to do is return the item to the location where it was purchased to receive a refund. While that's certainly reassuring, some shoppers argue that you get what you pay for. As stated by a Redditor, "I generally don't buy luxurious food from supermarkets anymore."