The Worst Items Ever Sold By Costco, According To Member Reviews

With thousands of products lining its aisles, it’s pretty much guaranteed that Costco is going to sell some products that are total misses. But over the course of your Costco shopping trips, you might’ve encountered a product — or a few products — that weren’t just bad but downright diabolical.

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If you’ve ever felt personally victimized by an item you bought at Costco, you’re not alone. We’ve rounded up the worst items ever sold at the warehouse retailer, according to shoppers who’ve had the bad luck to taste them firsthand. 

Kirkland Signature Mac & Cheese

It’s pretty difficult to mess up macaroni and cheese, but Costco managed to accomplish that feat. In fact, its spin on a private-label boxed mac and cheese a la Kraft Macaroni and Cheese was so terrible that it’s no longer sold.

If you never had the… opportunity, we’ll say, to taste the Kirkland Signature Boxed Macaroni and Cheese, you’re probably wondering what made it so awful. Well, according to shoppers, it wasn’t smooth and simple; rather, it was grainy and starchy, two combinations that made every bite texturally unpleasant. The powdered cheese was difficult to dissolve, which left chunks of unappetizing powder atop the noodles. 

The taste sucked, too. Shoppers described it as “so gross” and “horrible,” and ultimately, the negative reviews wound up leading Costco to pull the product from stores.

Snapdragon Stir Fry Chicken Pad Thai

If you’ve spotted the blue boxes of Snapdragon Stir Fry Chicken Pad Thai at your local Costco, maybe you’ve been tempted to grab one to try. We wouldn’t recommend it, though — and neither would most Costco shoppers who’ve done exactly that. 

According to shoppers who’ve tasted this take on Pad Thai firsthand, it’s not just mediocre; it’s downright awful. One called it “Probably the worst rendition of Pad Thai I’ve ever had.” Another left an even more scathing review, saying, “This is the worst thing we’ve ever gotten from Costco.” (My personal favorite review? It’s the shopper who called it “More like Bad Thai.”)

But the complaints don’t end there. Plenty of shoppers get even more specific, including one who said, “It tastes so fishy — like they dumped a whole bottle of spoiled fish sauce in one tiny container… [it’s] completely inedible.” Still worse, we can’t get over one reviewer’s comment: “That Pad Thai tastes like someone described Pad Thai over a cup and string kids’ telephone while drunk and craving Mexican food.”

Authentic Kitchen Chicken & Cheese Flautas

Flautas shouldn’t be a difficult food; with pretty much any filling, they can be satisfying and tasty (and even if they aren’t the greatest, a good salsa can make them perfectly edible). However, Costco shoppers agree that something’s gone wrong with the warehouse retailer’s Authentic Kitchen Chicken & Cheese Flautas. These used to be a staple food for some Costco fans, but now they’re among the store’s worst-ever items.

Just take it from a shopper who’d been buying them for years: “The chicken flautas used to be fantastic, but after two brand changes, the consistency of the filling is akin to wet cat food.” Another commenter followed up, calling it “Cat food wrapped in sawdust. Those went straight in the trash.”

If that’s not enough of a description to turn you off of these flautas, other Costco shoppers call them “the blandest and driest rolled tacos I’ve ever had in my life” and pointing out that “all the salsa in the world couldn’t save them.” And if you need a comparison? Well, one reviewer said, “I can legitimately say that I have had more appetizing food from the 7-Eleven roller grills.”

Gordon Ramsay Beef Wellington Bites

This is a Costco item that tends to come and go, but most people who’ve given it a try wish it would disappear permanently. Beef Wellington bites might sound like a cute way to try a comforting British staple, but this frozen food gets a resounding thumbs down from most shoppers for mediocre flavor and weak presentation.

Shopper reviews don’t hold back, criticizing the notoriously hot-headed Chef Ramsay for this subpar food. “I want to join his Hell’s Kitchen show and feed him this,” one shopper said. Another Costco shopper said, “Did he actually taste his own creation? He’d be cursing at himself in a mirror telling himself how awful it was, maybe even punch himself in his smug face.”

When it comes to the experience of eating this subpar Costco pick, reviewers describe it as “very low quality… Lots of unchewables chunks that are quite annoying to run into as something framed as being from a ‘professional chef.’” So, the next time you encounter a box at your Costco, plan to skip these bites.

Kirkland Signature Organic Non-Dairy Oat Beverage

Lastly, if you’re looking for a great-tasting oak milk, skip Costco’s very own. The Kirkland Signature Organic Non-Dairy Oat Beverage isn’t one of those top-tier dairy alternatives that’ll have you thrilled you’ve turned your back on cow’s milk. Rather, this oat milk is described as having “a weird synthetic aftertaste,” as one shopper summed it up. It’s one that’s best mixed into smoothies and hidden, not enjoyed straight out of a cup.

It’s pretty polarizing, too. “Costco oat milk is why I thought I disliked oat milk for so long,” another reviewer said. But others really can’t stand it, saying, “AWFUL” and “It is truly awful.” Instead, Costco shoppers highly recommend reaching for Oatly or Califia Farms, both of which taste perfectly fine.