7 Costco Kirkland Signature Items That Aren't As Good As They Used To Be, According To Customers

Costco is probably the most well-known warehouse retail store out there, with members getting access to bargains on bulk food, drinks, and household items, along with cheap gas. The company has a large fan base, especially for the Kirkland store-brand, with loyal customers making frequent trips to stock up on not only their favorite items, but also new products that become all the rage. And, of course, the free samples definitely help. However, some customers have noticed a decline in quality for a few specific products, and they're not too happy about it. 

We took a look around the web at customer reviews to find out which Kirkland food products people just don't think are living up to the hype anymore. From taste to texture, there's just something different, and it isn't for the better. Here are 11 Costco Kirkland food items that customers just don't think are quite the same now.

When the craving for fried chicken hits hard, and the energy for the hassle of deep frying is not quite there, Kirkland Signature Chicken Breast Chunks come in handy. They're quick and easy, and many customers gravitate to this product to satisfy that late-night craving with ease. The chunks are lightly breaded, fully cooked skinless chicken breast and come in a 4-pound bag.

While customers once raved that these chicken breast chunks were great Chick-fil-A copycats, they've since started noticing a decline in the quality of this frozen food. The biggest criticism seems to be centered around the quality of the chicken itself. One user on Reddit asked, "Anyone else experience this? I'm getting more and more hard rubbery pieces. Like 1/4th of the bag is like this now." This customer isn't the only one to have noticed this change, as another echoes that the "texture is off (rubbery), they fall apart quickly during thawing, and weird bits of bone/cartilage left behind...." Proceed with caution.

There's nothing like a glass of orange juice first thing in the morning, but Costco customers may have to find another favorite brand to replace this breakfast staple. Some people have noted that the flavor of Kirkland Signature Orange Juice is not what it used to be, with one Redditor writing: "I have been buying Kirkland OJ for many years, there is normally some small variation since the product uses only orange juice, but now it is has an additional strange taste, a sort of liquorish flavor that is very strong. The flavor is VERY different now..." Another unhappy customer on Reddit agreed, saying, "Now Kirkland OJ tastes like the cheap stuff they give you at hotel breakfast buffets."

One customer on Reddit even noticed that their orange juice was fizzy and seemed to be fermenting: "Our last jug tasted sour so I threw it out, thinking it was just old. I opened the next one and it's sour as well. Then I realized it's fermenting! The bottle is big and tight. I hope it doesn't explode." 

There's no denying that Costco's rotisserie chicken is an incredibly popular product — the company sold 137 million of them in 2023 alone. While it's still flying off the shelves, there's enough frustrated customer reviews on Reddit for Kirkland's iconic rotisserie chicken to make this list.

The biggest issues that shoppers are noticing with the rotisserie chicken are the taste and quality of the meat in general. It just seems a bit, well, off. One user on Reddit says that, "After trying twice with their Rotisserie chicken, we don't buy it anymore. It's just one reason we don't go as often." Another wrote, "Rotisserie chicken has a chemical taste. It looks fake plumped too." In regards to texture and how it is similar to the chicken breasts they dislike, a shopper commented, "I also stopped buying the rotisserie chickens. Same lab meat stringy fiber issue." It seems a lot of shoppers are in agreement here.

Nuts seem like such a simple product, however, customers are saying the ones from Kirkland are not up to par anymore. Kirkland Signature Extra Fancy Mixed Nuts, for example, includes salted cashews, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts with no additional seasoning or flavors. How can this product go wrong?

One user on Red Flag Deals points out, "The Kirkland nuts (eg: cashews, mixed nuts) do not seem nearly as fresh or as good as they used to be. In fact, I have mainly stopped buying Kirkland nuts." Over on Reddit, an unhappy customer agrees with this viewpoint, saying, "The quality of the nuts is not what it used to be." The complaints about the decline don't stop there either. Yet another Redditor noted, "I used to buy extra fancy mixed nuts regularly when they came in a tub. I bought it in the bag for the first time last week [...] The macadamias (usually my favorite) taste absolutely rancid." 

Costco offers a convenient hack for those looking to add a few bits of bacon to their meals without having to go through the hassle of frying up full slices. Kirkland Signature Bacon Crumbles are cooked, ready to eat, and come in a resealable bag, making it extra convenient for bacon lovers.

Well, bad news folks. Customers are finding issue with the Kirkland Bacon Crumbles, specifically noting the high fat to meat ratio. One shopper on Reddit pointed out that they "stopped purchasing [Kirkland Bacon Bits] around 2 years ago. Consistently seemed every single bag had more fat and gristle-y hard pieces than not. Haven't looked back." Another user echoes this statement, writing, "The crumbled bacon made by KS used to be so good... very little fatty bits. Now, however, fatty bits abound!" Looks like you might to avoid these crumbles and fry up your own bacon instead.

Costco offers a wide selection of baked goods, ranging from cakes, cookies, muffins, and croissants. While it may seem unfair to include a whole bakery section on this list, some people are noticing that the bakery items at their store just don't seem as fresh as they once did. The gigantic size of the Costco muffins is simply no longer enough to excite customers. 

One user on Reddit reported, "...some of the baked goods have been super tough (not sure if overcooked or just dry)." The decline in quality of Costco's bakery items has some shoppers incredibly frustrated and confused about their subpar experience with Kirkland baked goods as of late. One took to Reddit to ask "...I used to love and swear by Costco bakery items. Have they changed or have I?"

The Kirkland Signature chicken pot pie is a work of art and looks homemade, with a lattice pie crust on top. This pot pie is found in the deli section, so it isn't frozen, which oftentimes is a promising quality. Although the Kirkland Signature chicken pot pie still gets a lot of love from customers online, there's some curious shoppers who are noticing their favorite product has been on the decline.

One frustrated customer commented on Reddit, "My family LOVES the Costco chicken pot pies [...] But the last three times we've gotten them, they have been awful." Other Redditors echoed that sentiment with one noting, "The chicken in our most recent one was nasty. The consistency of the entire pie was off." One thing you don't expect to find in a chicken pot pie is a bone, but that's exactly what one unhappy customer found, saying, "When they switched from chicken breast meat to rotisserie chicken, I found bones in the pie a few times." It's safe to say that customers don't seem too pleased with the chicken pot pie as of late.

To compile this list, we read through Reddit threads and reviews to see which products people felt had declined over the past few years. Those with the most negative comments about them made the list.