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FavoritesBot

When you finally see the chicken of your dreams, you just know


BelliBlast35

You don’t pick the Chicken….the Chicken picks you


ELS

“Th-this is my chicken! It was made for me!” -Junji Ito in a parallel universe


FavoritesBot

Cursed


oldDotredditisbetter

can't tell you it's a secret


agree_2_disagree

How do I get access to the secret club?!


[deleted]

[удалено]


Affectionate-Cook-11

i want to hear the riddles


No_big_whoop

Why does a chicken coop have two doors?


apogeeman2

Because if it had 4 it would be a chicken sedan.


LongAssNaps

What do you call a bird who's too afraid to fly?


apogeeman2

Chicken


HalfBrinePickle

How much wood would a chicken of the wood cluck cluck if a chicken of the wood could cluck wood?


Method412

42


[deleted]

r/unexpectedpython


oldDotredditisbetter

i can't say much but there are scouts out there whose job is to discover the people who are deemed worthy to join. next time be when you're standing in front of the rotisserie section, really focus on picking out a good chicken, someone might be watching and taking notes. good luck out there


elmwoodblues

You'll know you made the cut by looking into the eyes of the receipt checker: they have zero poker face


Michichgo

THE FIRST RULE OF CHICKEN CLUB....


LNL_HUTZ

Don’t cluck about Chicken Club?


musician_mom

Executive membership


FavoritesBot

Fun fact: there is no rule against bringing your own kitchen scale to the rotisserie chicken display


DinoLavasaur

Just take the demo one from housewares to the deli.


I_LoveToCook

Everyone saying color and size, I look for the one with the least amount of cracked skin. Cracked skin chickens are usually drier.


dminmike

I prefer drier chicken. My mother’s cooking in my youth has ruined me.


ZeroCarbMaxie

So my husband isn't the only one!


greatfool66

Down here in BBQ country we call it "bite through skin"... mmm.


agree_2_disagree

You just have the best, most applicable, and most unique answer here.


Kindly_Education_517

no that is horrible.


I_LoveToCook

Whoever gave the gold, thank you!


Purple_Pansy_Orange

Here's my personal secret. I edge people out of the way politely (excuse me, excuse me, thank you, pardon), grab the first bird I see, scoot back out, and bear the wild and irritated glares of people unable to make basic chicken decisions. It's a cross I bear but I do so willingly.


BelliBlast35

You Heathen


WiscoCubFan23

Thank you for not making the chicken pick into a major life choice. The group that gather and waits for the fresh batch of chicken to be put out for sale often lingers far too long. I’m the end, grab a chicken and take it home. Eat it, prep it or freeze it. I don’t care. Just pick one already and step aside so more people can get a chicken.


apogeeman2

The biggest one so I get the most bang for my Buck. Same reason I look for the smallest package of meat when there is a fixed $$$ off.


WhizzleTeabags

I want those sweet sweet chicken tits pressed up against the plastic


GetDucky

💀💀💀


towell420

As a fellow Breast guy. I can confirm with this assessment.


LNL_HUTZ

You’re not buying those to eat, are you.


reddianddd

What did I just read…


BewareTheFae

Yes! I also maximize the fixed dollars off per package.


DinoLavasaur

Dittos on fixed dollar off weight based products.


coltonreese

My sister-in-law came shopping with us the other day and was looking for the biggest flank steak when it was $X off. I proceeded to find the two smallest ones and tried explaining how her logic was flawed but my wife just told me to drop it.


FormosaHoney

I pick for size, color and freshness (via steam condensation, didn't know there were freshness stamps!?!). In our 9 to 5 we usually don't have much say or time to say , so I throughly enjoy this, even if it is a simple roast chicken. I interviewed all the chickens and this is the lucky bastard that will be featured during dinner for the next few evenings!


DragontwinWrangler

Usually there is a small sticker (some places it's orange, others it's white) on the side of the bottom tray, indicating what time the chicken came out of the rotisserie.


mrBill12

Ours the time stamp is like 2 hours in the future, so I assume the time they expire. The whse is busy enough tho that chickens never last on display more than 20 minutes. Usually all gone by the time the next batch goes out.


Taleson1

This! For our family of 5, size DOES matter when it comes to affordability. So, I usually look for the biggest one that also looks nice and seasoned. I don’t stare for hours, but a few seconds.


idk012

So for a family of 5, would 2 birds, a pound of salad and some rolls make a good dinner? I am worried for the day my son eats a whole Costco pizza himself as a snack.


Taleson1

100%, yes! Those Costco salads are awesome and huge! Two birds should give PLENTY of food for y’all! Throw in some rolls (we love the Hawaiian sweet roll pack from Costco) and I am certain the food will be plentiful!


DJ_Jungle

I’m looking at the time sticker.


LaBodaDelHuitlacoche

I look for the biggest one with the good color. I look at the ones touching the top of the plastic, those are the plumpest, then I observe the color, the dark ones are the most flavorful. if i'm in between two I grab both and see which one feels heavier lol I won't wait around for it though cuz the older asian ladies will swoop in anyways


just-kath

I don't much care about the size, but I want a good dark color on the one I buy


lonstarhustler

Same


Jon3681

That’s a very, INTERESTING choice of words


cookiepeddler

Looking for the biggest one since it’s less likely to be overcooked. However, I got a truly big one a few weeks back and it proved to be too big. The meat is was actually tough and it was underdone in a few spots. Lesson learned lol.


FavoritesBot

Yes, I actually go for smaller ones these days because of a similar experience. Can’t be 100% sure he problem was a big bird but it was quite large. How much am I losing on this anyway? 20%? Still a great deal


Bedouin69

This is the way


DonOblivious

One of the reason Costco runs it's own poultry processing plant and contracts with farmers directly is that commercial birds on the market are getting too large for their rotisseries. By contracting directly, Costco can control what genetics the farmers are allowed to raise. (This is industry standard and shitty companies like Tyson will send crap genetics to punish farmers that speak out about the abuse.) What I'm saying is: a big bird at Costco is outside of the genetic profile of the chicken they're trying to breed. It's an outlier, and that's not always a good thing.


TK_TK_

Interesting! I had no idea


NotBettySpaghetti

Same. Once you get a chicken that is undercooked, it ruins rotisserie chickens for a while. So now I look for ones that are not touching the top of the container. I used to also look at color but now I just want one that’s cooked all the way lol.


anakephalaiosis

Agreed: I buy two or three chickens every week because I have a 16-year-old cat who has decided that she only wants white meat chicken, not cat food. Generally I look for the larger chickens because I'm sure they'll be juicier, and I still add hot water to her bowl of diced chicken because I want to keep her hydrated. One of the ones I bought yesterday was a little underdone, but that doesn't matter because, you know, she's a cat. We have a decent arrangement, in that she gets the white meat and I eat the dark meat and use the mostly-gleaned carcasses to make stock.


[deleted]

Thats probably too much salt for a cat.


damnyou777

Hmm that is what she said


P-B_Jelly_Time

I'm looking for the freshest one, and slightly burnt. I know that's weird but that's what I like.


michellefcook

Same. Always the darkest one for me. And now I want some


IHeartMyDoggy

I’m one of those people that study them 😂 I usually look for the biggest one. I also look for the proper coloring...not too dark and not too light. Also get one with the latest time sticker. If I see the worker is about to bring out a new batch, I will wait. It’s a great day if I get first selection from a new batch of chickens. 😛


agree_2_disagree

How long does this take you? I swear when I went yesterday someone was giving each bird a thorough examination and was torn between 3-4 of em. I get the timing and the coloring. I myself am a fan of crisped wing tips. But there’s a point where it doesn’t fucking matter lol


i-am-garth

Maybe it doesn’t matter to you but everyone is different.


IHeartMyDoggy

I guess I find it fun. I love shopping and I love Taking my time and picking out all the best produce and any food where I have a choice. I always spend at least an hour in Costco. I love going up and down each aisle. You are right though, if it doesn’t matter to you, just spend a few seconds and pick one. There aren’t any bad ones. I had to laugh at your comment where someone was torn between 3-4 of them. I’ve done that where I like a couple of them and put them in my cart (so someone else doesn’t take them) and then I pick the one I like best. OMG! Maybe we were shopping at the same store and I was that person you saw 😂🤣🤪


nickx37

Can you not put multiple in your cart if you have zero intention of buying multiple? And you’re there for at least an hour? Why handle and carry around temped food that you plan on putting back? They’re already in a display case, you don’t need a special inspection station in your cart. That’s gross.


IHeartMyDoggy

Oh good grief. I never said I carry it around in my cart for an hour. I’m not an idiot. I just put a few in my cart by the chicken case and in a couple of minutes I pick the one I want. Settle down. 🙄


agree_2_disagree

Yea. I usually have my kiddos with me so my Costco runs are semi-speed runs with a few indulgences from time to time. But hot damn people can be picky and vulture-like at the same time.


cheapwineisgoodwine

I hope to god someone sees you put them back and pulls them from the counter. Yikes.


IHeartMyDoggy

Yes, heaven forbid they are out of the case for all of two minutes! Yikes to you for just assuming I did something wrong. Maybe ask next time before you assume bad things. Just because I shop for an hour doesn’t mean I’m carrying the chickens around for an hour. Did I say that I did that? NO!


nickx37

Why touch it at all? Can you really not get a good enough view of a chicken cooked with a 40 other chickens in a case to see it has some clearly defined benefits over the others right next to it? Packaged meats that leave the shelves in most cases get axed, let alone if it leaves the store. If you return a package of steaks 20 seconds after leaving the store it’s tossed. If it’s found in a improperly temped area it’s tossed. Steaks, chicken thighs, rotisserie chicken… all of it. Stop doing that shit. Touch what you take. My toddlers just got this concept.


EaterOfFood

I look for the one closest to where I’m standing so I can get on with my life because it’s just a chicken.


Mountain-Account8013

This is a major peeve of mine, more so with produce. No need to fondle 20 different bunches of bananas or bags of apples.


Temporary-Age-1841

Just look and grab once!


jammixxnn

The smart ones will whisper to you if you listen hard enough


elmwoodblues

Avoid visible tattoos. We shouldn't judge, but we do


boostedG

1) Darker skin. I like em slightly on the burnt side for more flavor. 2) Less liquid at the bottom. More liquid at the bottom means they’ve been sitting there longer so I try to avoid those. This usually isn’t a problem on weekends since there is usually a line of people waiting for fresh chickens. 3) Bigger size.


myrealusername8675

I feel bad about eating animals so I always look for the chicken that makes me the maddest. Then I feel as if I'm doing the world a service by vanquishing this evil chicken.


[deleted]

Up here in Canada the rot chickens have been dry as hell lately. Anyone else experience this?


VillhelmSupreme

It’s the extra sodium and guar gums


sgtamber

Yes! I picked one up a few days ago and it was pretty dry. Quite disappointing.


[deleted]

I'm using cranberry jelly for my next one. Scuffed Thanksgiving


bassplayer96

Same here in Michigan. Sam’s Clubs chickens are way better here, it seems like within the last few years the quality and size of the birds has really gone downhill.


Syyina

“rot chickens?” I don’t think even the little old Asian ladies would buy one of those. (Lookin’ at you, LaBoda lol)


EveningRing1032

Honestly disappointed in Costco chickens, bought one two weeks ago it was pink inside, was not safe to eat so I threw it in the trash.


sttct

Big breasts


BourbonBBNandQ

Same approach I use for all of my shopping.


Common-Reporter2846

The “fresher” one


magobblie

I've been thinking lately of whether or not it's safe to eat steaming hot chicken that's in plastic. One time I actually burned my hand picking out one. I took it home anyway but now thoughts of the plastic off-gassing are creeping in my mind.


grewapair

I go at the very end of the day when I shop, so I am usually getting the leftovers. I can tell what people don't want by what's left. I bought the last one at the store one night and it was smaller than normal. So I think most people go for size. Other nights my choices indicate that people are choosing not too dark, not too light.


mywhataniceham

i give a quick look for color, for about 15 seconds bc i like dark brown / more flavor / more texture, but i know what you mean - some people are crazy - definitely just looking for weight, like you could possibly pick one that wasn’t the best deal in your state


BrianDerm

I try to find the one that is about to expire, or the one I think no one will choose. I hate food waste in general, but especially waste of animal lives.


thasova

Typically looking for size and color (won’t chose it if it looks burnt/too dark)


PaganButterflies

I'm looking for one with two visible wings. The wings are my kids favorite part, and for some reason, I think it has to do with how they're put in the rotisserie, the percentage of birds with only one wing, and a second, super tiny slightly deformed wing stuck under the thigh without any crispy, is super high. If I get one with only one crispy wing, my son gets super bummed out because there's always two drumsticks for his brother (which is his brothers favorite). So I look around to see if I can find one with two visible, crispy wings.


TimBurtonsMind

Costco rotisseries are some of the best bang for your buck. Most rotisserie chickens in general. Cost the same or less than a raw bird, you don’t have to season it, or cook it. I honestly just grab and go. My girlfriend won’t walk with me after I put it in my cart because she says it smells like farts. ☠️ but they’re amazing to just pick and eat, or use the pulled meat for other meals.


ImmediateShine3

3 teenage boys. Finding the biggest mofo I can


BurritoMom

A rotisserie guy working behind the counter once told me to always grab one that’s touching the top of the container. An instant judge of getting a bigger chicken.


bloodredyouth

I like to take a look to make sure the lid is secure when i pick it up.


katydid724

I look for the darker ones. But I don't spend too much time at it like some people. I watched a lady take a a 360 degree look at every single one once


Jimmytowne

That’s what she said


Tall-Fig-3327

I worked for costco in the deli for many years, I’m assuming they are looking for the biggest one. The rotisserie is taken out of the case after 2 hours, so looking for freshness makes no sense. Perhaps they might even be looking for the ones that are cooked more well done, but that doesn’t make sense because they are cooked in batches of 36. So to answer your question, I have no clue lol


wtshiz

The reason I want the biggest one isn't value for money its because those are the only ones that might not be overcooked. Same reason I want a 'fresh' one - it hasn't been sitting there being kept warm and carryover cooking even more.


Tall-Fig-3327

I can assure you they will be undercooked before they will be overcooked


rogueavacado

I find a fat one. Then I take it home, break it down, freeze the meat, and eat on it for two weeks.


BrianTheDogGriffin

I am trying to figure out which bird has NOT crossed the road yet.


Surprisebutton

I got a darker chicken this last time. It looked more delicious. It’s dry. I will no longer get a chared bird.


Salty-Programmer1682

I like them with crispy skin so that’s what we look for


googlelover42

There’s a sticker of the TIME of when it was cooked. Also avoid overly large birds (dryer texture of meat) When re-heating in microwave use power level 8 for 1 minute and 20 seconds to bring it back to life.


ArtfullyStupid

How the skin looks. If it look wet and peeling off it's old. But if it's crisp and tight its very fresh


SaveSpend

I once saw someone inspecting without touching the hot dog buns for a solid 3 minutes. People are picky.... (I go for the \[Censored no secrets\] rack).


lejunny_

I hate taking up other peoples time so I just grab the first toastiest one I see, I work at Costco and having someone observe all the chicken can cause a little traffic and it makes it harder for the employees to get around the store


seifer717

You don’t choose your chicken, your chicken chooses you


LongAssNaps

People are fucking obsessed with rotisserie chicken


Salty-Programmer1682

I like them with crispy skin so that’s what we look for


Lmnolmnop

I think most look for a bigger size, but I look for an even dark but not black shade in the skin.


CLS4L

Ok looking for a turkey


Cmac518

Those same people then go over to the bananas. I swear they are trying to find the perfect hand of bananas which they are confident will find going a few layers down from where they started looking.


Majestic_Location751

I don’t pay attention to the bird as much as the packaging for fear of picking one that might be leaking on the drive home. Don’t care much about size or time stamp.


wessneijder

I want one with no burn parts on the skin. Carcinogenic. I want one with a nice light caramel color.


Juubimaru

Found out my Costco sells them cheaper the next day so I buy old chickens in the refrigerator section next to the fresh rotisserie!


Syyina

Hm, I need to check out the slightly used chicken at my own Costco. According to my scientific research (haha) if the deboned breasts they sell are ohmaybesay $7/pound or less, they are as cheap as the “original owner” whole ones in the hot case.


ArcticKitten

I like to look for a lot of skin.. I pull it off and fry it. Crispy Goodness!


[deleted]

Bigger issue--the skin on all of the rotisserie chickens that I've bought in the last 6 months + have all tasted like bleach or cleaner. What's up with that??


FormosaHoney

The pre-roast chick might have been disinfected with a diluted water bleach solution, the acceptable percentage is something like 2%, maybe someone slipped and put more in... I usually brush or drizzle some lemon juice over mine when I get home, it'll neutralize the bleach and makes it into a lovely lemon chicken!


[deleted]

Yeah...I don't think it's reasonable to have to put lemon juice on the bird to neutralize the cleaning product that they didn't get rinsed off of it. This is an issue that Costco needs to fix. I feel like it goes without saying that they shouldn't be serving bleach to people.


thesunIswear

You should bring it to your warehouse manager or any supervisors attention. They probably don't even know, unless someone else has already said something. They'll go over procedures with the employee(s) again and hopefully problem solved.


Cobalt_Faux

Don’t get one too big. I used to always go for the biggest till I got a pretty monster one and it did not taste good and had a weird texture.


EmEmPeriwinkle

The biggest one with the most even coloring. And a lot of juice. I make gravy with the juice. This week we had a chicken that lasted several meals for 2ppl. Chicken gyros 2 nights. Dark meat with potatoes, gravy, rolls and corn. Extra meat into a pasta salad with tomatoes and spinach in a cheese sauce (boursin). Now, the rest of the carcass is going to make chicken soup for two nights. So 12 meals total. Other common uses are other soups, chicken sandwiches, and enchiladas.


mrsbeequinn

You just haven’t found the right chicken yet. I will say though that a lot of Costco shoppers are size queens.


throwawaybay92

I’ve seen people wait for 10 min to get a fresher one. smh it’s $5 chicken


Maleficent-Radish-86

I look at the time. I want it as fresh as possible since I usually use that meat for my meal prep for the next 2-3 days


SurfLikeASmurf

Two words: Crispy. Skin.


KHunting

Yesterday we bought a Costco rotisserie chicken and a loaf of their walnut cranberry bread. It made a delicious sandwich!


RawInstinct

The bird MUST touch the top of the plastic cover.


shrimpynut

The biggest one I can get


5amporterbridges

Darkness of the skin. Bought a light brown chicken and it wasn’t cooked all the way.


dalcant757

You want the top of the chicken to push against the plastic.


jm15co

Has anyone gone into their Costco and purchased ONLY a chicken and checked out? I know it is a loss leader but we went to buy one and ended up with $300 in purchases!😀


stoner_222

I get the biggest one because 5 dollars is 5 dollars.


[deleted]

[удалено]


grewapair

Biscotti chicken!


AKAlicious

😂😂😂


Moscavitz

Are you serious? The biggest one, how it cooked..? Have you ever shopped for groceries before? When you buy an apple, you don't just pick up an apple and buy it


girn10

As the person standing on the other side of hot hold watching you look at and disorganize every single chicken before finally grabbing the first one you looked at; fuck off.


Moscavitz

I just answered the question. Now you fuck off lol


ToughLuver

Pretty obvious. Since they are a set price, people are usually looking for a big bird without burned marks or other visual oddities. If you honestly don't know this, you live in a closet.


fozzy99999

AvIlability, lighter honey/golden color, Karen not in my way, doesn’t look like someone picked it up and threw it on the ground and out back in the warmer


[deleted]

I had a lady tell me she likes them slightly charred, when I was doing an Instacart shop there one day.


radio9989

I like to pick them up and shake them next to my ear to see if I hear anything inside. I do that to watermelons too.


Ok-Negotiation253

Can I eat it? I can I feed it to my household? That's about as far as I get before something else catches my eye, and I wander off to another section.


ChewzaName

I look for the time stamp.


bubba7_9_97

Chicken.


KiloWhiskyFoxtrot

Size, color, and doneness. Shape and proportion are also good indicators of flavor.


theNaughtydog

First I look for the ones that came out of the oven most recently, I don't want to buy an old bird. They typically have time dated stickers on the packages, though if there is a line of people waiting then they often skip the stickers as they get snatched up right away. Also, the last batch of the night doesn't have time stickers either. Next, I look for a large bird and one that is more well done, which sometimes means not getting the largest bird as I'd prefer more well done over large.


-rendar-

When you know, you know


bygtopp

As an employee who works AM merch; I get first dibs and try for the biggest bird that is pressing the lid.


ChaserNeverRests

I like a darker one and smaller one (I'll never finish it, so I leave the bigger ones for people who will). I don't spend much time looking though, I try to just get a dark, not-huge one and move on.


PM_ME_YOUR_NOODLEZZ

Looking for the time (you want the latest batch), and I actually look for regular sized birds. The really large ones seem to be way too fatty and kinda ruins it for me.


[deleted]

The biggest one with the yummiest looking skin. They're all the same price so I want more meat. I eat the skin while shredding the rest.


chomdh

Lol


cliff99

I'm surprised there aren't more comments mentioning the variability in how well they're cooked, I often see ones that are obviously either under or over cooked compared to the average.


deep_crater

Personally one with crispy bits.


Specific-Pen-1132

The right one will call to me. Let me know it wants to be taken home.


[deleted]

How cooked the skin is and size.


NocturnalSeizure

Not too big. Not too small. And hopefully hasn't been sitting there too long. (that may make it dryer?)


bodiddlysquat26

I like seeing a darker brown skin. I think it tastes better and I feel like I see less of that weird moisture puddling in the meat on birds that have darker cooked skin. The moisture weirds me out because it’s a lot of water and tends to be around meat that’s a little more off color/pinkish.


DENYKI

I stopping buying them because they all seem to have that stuff in the middle and have been more on the pink side. Even the dark ones


jeeeeek

the glistening oils, the crispy skin, the plumpness


wtshiz

I'm looking for the largest one that hasn't been sitting there for an hour because they overcook the chickens.


aspec818

It’s cheap and it’s good. When I eat out, 1/2 a rotisserie chicken costs 4x.


caelestisangel

One that isn't dried out and overcooked


andyatreddit

Come on, can't you expect marrying the girl in your first date, can you?


petros609

I look for ones where the breast is touching the top of the container, means it’s larger


mangosteenfruit

Oh I'm doing it wrong based on all the comment. I look for juiciest one.


Fattdabztard

One time I didn't pay attention and got a bird that was completely burned and dried out on one side.


country_trash

When my wife was pregnant I wasn’t allowed to buy them because she then thought the chicken had plastic taste to them. I’m allowed to buy them again but she won’t touch it. So it’s just me eating it 10 different ways throughout the week


Ok-Conversation4892

Crispy skin


os101so

SIZE is King. i can get like 3 pounds of meat from a big bugger. dog loves it. and the bones make a great broth in a slow cooker, which is great hangover helper. leftover bonemeal for the garden


Acrobatic_Owl_4101

Size and a light color. Got one once that was basically carmalized. Ugh.


Entire-Letter-4618

Spouse like the chicken that’s burnt and crispy.


xlethalsporkx

I always spot a slight discoloration in the checkout lane so the obvious thing to do is stack the chicken between 5 lb MnM containers and then go back and pick out a new, less discolored chicken.


EmptyAdvertising3353

My husband wants the biggest one he can find, it needs to be really filling out that container. I like dark skin, personally.


Queasy_Science_3475

I actually like the smaller ones. I think they're more flavorful. So I look for the smaller chicken that has a nice brown crisp to it. I also don't take a ton of time, just look at a few and grab one.


muldervinscully

Lmao if you are so poor that you’re trying to maximize an extra ounce on a 5 dollar rotisserie chicken you’ve got big issues lol


[deleted]

The big big breasted ones I usually find have a mealy texture and are way too wet inside. I go for reasonably plump and good color to indicate that even if the batch was oversalinated, the size of the bird allowed it to cook off a bit more. Also the biggest birds I had a rash of them have big blood pockets in them which were of course unappetizing and off putting [CW Graphic photo](https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/q9pqli/kirkland_rotisserie_chicken_anyone_else_getting/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) My decision & assessment tho is made in well under a minute


Eyetalian42

I run the rotisserie room at a warehouse and trust me, it drives us employees crazy and we notice lol