Fox News reporter Eric Shawn joins 'Varney & Co.' reporting on President Donald Trump's plan to restrict Iranian diplomats in New York, including a possible ban on shopping at Costco and Sam's Club.
Costco's popular $4.99 rotisserie chicken has garnered a cult-like following among consumers for years, but Consumer Reports says Sam's Club now has the best bird in the warehouse club business.
After testing rotisserie chickens from 10 grocery chains, warehouse clubs and supermarkets, Consumer Reports named Sam's Club Member's Mark Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken its top pick, edging out Costco's Kirkland Signature bird.
According to Consumer Reports, tasters gave Sam's Club the edge for its flavor, spice and juicy texture. Costco's chicken also remained among the publication's top picks, although reviewers found the seasoning to be slightly consistent between samples.
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Rotisserie chickens cook inside a roasting oven. Consumer Reports evaluated chicken from warehouse clubs, grocery stores and supermarkets based on taste, nutrition and other factors. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
The results may surprise Costco shoppers, whose dedication to the retailer's rotisserie chicken has helped make the $4.99 bird one of the company's signature products.
Costco has held the price constant for years despite inflation, using the popular item as one of its most recognizable value propositions and consumer draws. The retailer's loyal customers have even expressed frustration with seemingly minor changes to the product, including 2024's switch from clamshell containers to bags.
Consumer Reports has not published a traditional 1-to-10 ranking. Instead, he grouped the chickens into those he considered tasty enough to eat on their own and those better suited to recipes such as soups, salads and sandwiches.
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Rows of freshly cooked rotisserie chickens are displayed for sale in a grocery store. Consumer Reports recently ranked 10 grocery store rotisserie chickens, naming Sam's Club the top pick. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
Along with Sam's Club and Costco, the top group included Stop & Shop, Walmart, Wegmans and Whole Foods Market. BJ's Wholesale Club, Hannaford, ShopRite and The Fresh Market fell into the second category.
FOX Business has reached out to Costco and Sam's Club for comment.
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A Costco store in Vallejo, Calif., May 29, 2025. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Testing goes beyond taste. Consumer Reports purchased between 10 and 13 chickens from each retailer on multiple shopping trips and shopping trips.
The researchers weighed each bird, compared sodium levels to nutrition labels, conducted blind taste tests and tested the meat and packaging for chemicals commonly associated with plastics.
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Among its findings, Consumer Reports said it did not find PFAS in any of the meat or packages it tested. It also found that many chickens weighed more than the net weight listed on their labels, and Whole Foods' birds were on average a pound heavier than advertised, effectively reducing their cost per pound.
