4 Costco Items You’ll Deeply Regret Buying (Seriously, They’re Terrible)

Costco is a store that’s — usually — filled with hit after hit. It’s rare that you find a grocery essential or a new seasonal arrival that isn’t a delicious win whether you’re hitting up the food court or the freezer aisles. But every now and then, you can accidentally bring home a miss that’s so awful, it’ll have you swearing off trying anything new from Costco.

Videos by Sporked

Wondering what to avoid? We’ve uncovered the four Costco items that you’ll wind up regretting if you make the grave mistake of buying them in the first place. They’re items that Costco shoppers refuse to ever purchase again… and can’t stop warning others about.

Pilgrim’s Crispy Wings

It’s pretty difficult to screw up chicken wings. After all, you merely need to season them (if they’re raw) and cook them, or simply toss them into the oven or air fryer if they’re frozen or premade. But Pilgrim’s Crispy Wings prove that even the simplest foods can go terribly wrong.

According to Costco shoppers, these wings are “by far the worst wings I have ever had in my life.” They’re so bad that they have some actually considering returning them. Not only is the texture of these wings terrible — shoppers who’ve braved them call it “a weird, rubbery texture” — but the seasoning is downright lacking regardless of whether you pick up the Honey BBQ, Korean BBQ, or basic Garlic Parm flavor.

If you don’t want to bite into wings that “taste like you’re chewing through a piece of leather,” you’ll want to pass up this Costco buy.

Tyson Chicken Breast Strips, Rotisserie Seasoned

Think Tyson chicken is a pretty safe bet? Think again. Tyson’s Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Breast Strips (which are meant to resemble grilled chicken, not breaded and fried) sound like a perfectly fine option, but they’re one Costco purchase you’ll regret. Here’s how one reviewer summed them up: “like chewing leather.” 

These chicken breast strips are dry, unseasoned, and incredibly boring. But that’s not all. According to those who’ve picked up a bag from their Costco’s freezer aisle, they don’t even deliver on their discounted bulk pricing. One Costco shopper noted that “about one-third of the bag is just fillers, not strips. [F]alse advertising on [the] bag shows strips, what’s inside is misleading.”

Stick with Costco’s iconic rotisserie chicken instead, which never disappoints.

El Monterey Mexican Grill Taquitos

Here’s another food that shouldn’t be easy to mess up — but one Costco product has found a way. Taquitos should be filled with meat, plus cheese, beans, or any other filling that’s promised on the packaging. And for a good number of years, the bulk-sized box of El Monterey Mexican Grill Taquitos at Costco delivered on that promise. Recently, though? Things have changed, and this is now a product you’ll regret spending money on.

Costco shoppers who’ve tried them in the last couple of years call them “awful” and “just chewy dough sticks with some dried meat.” Even worse, as one reviewer summed them up, “They have chicken (allegedly) and cheese inside, so it’s basically mushy. Horrible texture.”

If that doesn’t have you swearing these subpar taquitos off, another shopper said, “The tortilla is very, I dunno, chalky?” And that’s enough to make me avoid them.

Kirkland Signature Colombian Cold Brew Coffee

Costco might have an entire aisle filled with excellent or even decently good-quality coffee choices. But there’s one particular brew that’ll have you doing a spit take (and not because you’re trying to be funny). If you’ve never had the terrible experience of sipping some Kirkland Signature Cold Brew, I highly recommend keeping it that way.

This canned cold brew doesn’t measure up to staples like Stumptown, Blue Bottle, or even Starbucks. It tastes as cheap as its price tag — or, as one brave soul who’s tasted it summed it up, “This Costco stuff is cheap and tastes like it was made in a gas station convenience store.” Don’t believe it’s really that bad? Take it from another shopper, who called “The Kirkland canned cold brew is some of the most brutal liquid ever brewed.”

If you’re really desperate (or really brave, I guess), it does have one positive attribute. Since there’s supposedly 225 milligrams of caffeine per can, it’ll absolutely perk you up and give you a jolt of energy.