Amidst the ever-changing landscape of American food culture, there are few items that spark as much controversy as the rotisserie chicken. It’s not just a no-frills, easy-to-grab ready meal that it has become the symbol of thriftiness, dependability, and weeknight convenience for millions of households. But when celebrity chef David Chang, founder of the Momofuku restaurant chain and star of Netflix’s Ugly Delicious, turned his guns on Costco’s beloved bird, the food world clamored to take notice. His in-your-face commentary, presented straight-up on his podcast, The Dave Chang Show, set the tone for a much broader discussion: where does quality meet value in our everyday meals, and how do different communities articulate precisely what “good” food actually is?
1. The Spark: Chang’s Take on the Costco Rotisserie Chicken
On a January 9 episode, “Dave Chang Goes to Costco and Unraveling the Truffle Conundrum,” Chang talked about his reaction to a recent visit to the big-box giant. “I got a hot take,” he warned at the beginning of the show, before dropping the flame-throwing comment that Costco’s rotisserie chicken was “the worst.” He went on to call it “not good” and most shocking to many fans “not seasoned.”.
For a meal so deeply entrenched in American cuisine, and particularly famed for its taste and adaptability, this was more than a fleeting commentary. Chang’s words caught fire on the internet, prompting a flurry of reactions on social media sites, from outrage to support.
2. Beyond Taste: Texture, Additives, and Leftovers
Chang’s indictment did not stop at mere seasonings. He cited the fact that the chicken is not fresh when it has cooled down, adding that the lack of taste makes it “inedible” when eaten cold an issue for those who rely on leftovers. He also asked what the product is made of and implied that additives or preservatives negatively impact its flavor the next day.
Ironically, while “nitrates and all the crap that they pump into the chicken” are mentioned, nitrates are not listed at all on Costco’s label. Salt, sodium phosphates, hydrolyzed casein, modified cornstarch, and isolated soy protein are used, which are not particularly out of the ordinary for processed or pre-seasoned meat products. The discrepancy between perceived consumer knowledge and actual ingredient lists points out the vagueness which tends to surround prepared food labels and health assumptions.
3. A Preferred Alternative: Sprouts’ Rotisserie Chicken
Chang made it clear he wasn’t launching a blanket attack on all store-bought rotisserie chickens. In fact, he took a moment to praise another grocery store: Sprouts. Specifically, he said, “Sprouts Alhambra has the best rotisserie chicken I’ve ever had in a grocery store,” signaling that his issue was with Costco’s version rather than the entire concept.
This highlights his understated stance he’s not opposed to convenience foods in general but believes there’s a difference between what’s merely cheap and what’s good to eat. This also fits with his pre-existing public persona of giving counter-intuitive opinions, such as his justification for Domino’s Pizza as being underappreciated.
4. Internet Reactions: Class, Culture, and Culinary Divides
As might be expected, the internet had its say. Costco rotisserie chicken has nearly a cult following, and the blowback was quick and furious against Chang when he commented on it. One tweet actually summed it all up: “The way the internet is roasting David Chang for his comments on Costco rotisserie chicken is insane but also deserved bc that chicken is fire af.”
Some of the responses defended the chicken not on culinary grounds, but merely because it has a useful function in their lives. To parents, students, and busy working professionals who don’t have time, it’s an affordable and reliable choice of meal. One of the commenters wrote that Chang “needs to read the room,” adding that to many people, the $4.99 chicken is an essential part of meal prep and frugal eating.
Others contributed cultural and class-sensitive perspectives to the discussion. Perhaps the sharpest question wondered how one Asian American was criticizing Costco, that retailer so entrenched in the culture of so many middle-class and immigrant families. Some even took the opportunity to observe that while Chang’s Momofuku had closed its Toronto restaurant in late 2022, Costco warehouses continued to flourish a symbolic set of fine dining versus mass-market staying power.
However, not everyone considered the criticism seriously. Some voices warned people that food criticism is just that, opinions. The argument, they argued, should be spirited but not moralized.
5. The Numbers: Costco’s Chicken Is Still King
Despite Chang’s scathing critique, Costco’s rotisserie chicken remains a staple throughout American retail. Its immovable $4.99 price point is perhaps the most sacred bargain in the supermarket. According to 2019 figures, Costco sells roughly two million chickens per week an astonishing size that attests to its wide popularity.
Chicken as a protein source has become increasingly more core to the American diet, with retail sales of $14.5 billion in 2022. In spite of inflation that hit the food sector, with chicken costs up 17.6% compared to 7.2% in the overall meat market, Costco stayed put at its low price point. That intentional steadiness reaffirms the chicken’s place as both a commercial hit and a family staple.
The product has at times been under fire, such as a shareholder suit regarding animal treatment policies on farms of suppliers. But that has not lessened its appeal. The rotisserie chicken continues to be a flagship offering that generates store traffic and feeds millions.
6. Chang’s Broader Costco Commentary
All chicken, however, the podcast was not. Chang also praised some of Costco finds particularly the brisket, which he called an “incredible value.” He said he bought one for $49 and estimated that it would cost $149 in a high-end market like Whole Foods. That brief praise, however, was balanced by more criticism.
He explained the packaging nightmare of the chicken, where two birds are packed into one box. When he opened the package, he stated, there was a mess of “chicken juice all over the place” and he had to freeze both birds. He laughed, “This is when I know that I’m becoming my mom,” and then joked, “This is why, as a sophisticated country, we’re all going to die into hell.”
Another annoyance: no checkout bags. For Chang, the absence of carryout bags at Costco was like dining out without a fork a disruption from the expected rhythm of consumer experience.
7. California’s Culinary Icons: A Sharp Contrast
Chang’s criticism also highlights the growing tension between everyday affordability and high-end culinary aspiration. Perhaps nowhere is this tension more evident than in California, a state that boasts some of the nation’s most celebrated chefs and restaurants.
- Alice Waters, the visionary behind Berkeley’s Chez Panisse, did a great deal to make farm-to-table popular through her emphasis on fresh, local, and sustainable foods. Her philosophy runs deep and has left a lasting imprint on American food.
- Thomas Keller’s Napa Valley-based The French Laundry is a tasting menu that embodies elegance and exactness. Offering oysters and pearls, among other dishes, Keller establishes the benchmark for culinary refinement.
- San Francisco chef-owner Dominique Crenn is the only female chef in America to achieve three Michelin stars. Her no-meat, poetry-menu-driven restaurant defies expectations and delivers uncompromised quality.
These restaurants are the ultimate end of the dining spectrum being thought of here, seasonal, ingredient-driven meals that are months in preparation and hundreds of dollars in cost.
8. The Flip Side: Accessible Culinary Innovation
While chefs such as Waters and Keller define what constitutes fine dining, others aim to place great food into more accessible territories.
- Guy Fieri, with his perpetually popular TV shows and comfort food eateries such as Chicken Guy!, has brought his high-energy persona to mainstream American restaurants. His persona puts gourmet food into playful and comfortable territories.
- Korean-Mexican fusion entered Los Angeles’ street food market through Roy Choi and his Kogi BBQ food truck, transforming the American street food eating experience.
- Playa Provisions in Marina del Rey brings concepts together under one roof with Brooke Williamson offering everything from seafood to housemade ice cream.
- Tyler Florence, Curtis Stone, Wolfgang Puck, Brian Malarkey, and Richard Blais all represent various styles of American cuisine, from traditional taverns to revolutionary fusion menus.
These chefs are a reminder that good food does not need to be elitist it can be delicious, creative, and available to the masses.
9. Why Costco’s Chicken Still Matters
Among such rich culinary diversity, Costco’s rotisserie chicken stays grounded. To some, it is not just a convenient meal but a reliable source of protein, a family budget dinner, and a bridge between hectic workdays and valuable family time. While not everyone can afford or reach $300 taste menus, a $4.99 chicken can produce several meals.
Their ease of use, flavor (for the majority), and cost make it a quick fast-food alternative. And while rotisserie chickens are generally brined and contain higher levels of sodium than baked or grilled chicken, many consumers find them a healthier choice than fried or processed options.
10. A Debate That Reveals More Than Taste
David Chang’s criticism of Costco’s rotisserie chicken began more than a food war it initiated a wider self-reflection on how we define meals. To some, “good food” relies on skill, provenance, and inventiveness. To others, it hinges on availability, affordability, and the ability to feed without inconvenience.
This conversation, unfolding on podcasts, social media, and dinner tables in equal proportion, illustrates just how deeply intertwined food choices are with class, culture, and identity. Whether you’re someone who revels in elaborate meals or someone who stands up for plain family dinners, the argument itself becomes a demonstration of how deeply personal yet expansively shared food is.
In the end, what matters is that food connects us to heritage, to memory, and to one another even when our tastes don’t always find common ground.
