If you’re like most Costco deli shoppers, then you’ve probably turned to Costco’s rotisserie chicken selection to save dinner more than once. And with their steaming warmth and herby scent, you may have even wondered what it’d be like to have one or two — or 20 — on hand when you’re pressed for time and still need something amazing to sup on over the course of three or four days. If you’re like most, you’ve probably been reluctant to take more than maybe two at once, for fear of running into those dreaded signs that read: “Only two per customer,” or some such thing.
But as it turns out, Costco puts no limit on the number of rotisserie chickens a single customer can buy. In theory, you could bring 20 or 30 (or more) of them up the register; While cashiers might do a double take, they won’t stop you from buying them.
While the majority of Costco members probably shop for one or two chickens at a time, some customers do, in fact, buy this popular store item in bulk, stocking up by the cartful, dozens at a time. This — plus the bird’s under-$5 price tag — goes a long way toward explaining why the chain sold 137 million rotisserie chickens in 2023 alone, nearly 20 million more than it did the year prior.
Dealing with all those birds
Most of the time, it’s unlikely that you’ll down 50 of the best grocery store rotisserie chickens Costco has to offer in a day or even a week. So, why buy the birds in bulk? In a word, parties. If you’re putting together dinner for a big graduation celebration or have a company picnic planned, having some ready-made meals on hand means less cooking time for you.
However, it may not be as easy as going to Costco and clearing out the deli. If you do want to buy large quantities of rotisserie chickens, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind. First, batches of rotisserie chickens are made every two hours. And the number of chickens available during those time slots is based on employees’ best guess as to how many might be sold. Second, myriad factors probably go into that guestimate, but given that no Costco employee has a crystal ball, your local store may not make enough birds for you to load up your cart, particularly if another customer has the same idea.
To solve this issue, one of the best Costco hacks comes in handy. If you need lots of rotisserie chickens for your next shindig, you can preorder them. So, if you know that you’re hosting your son’s varsity football team for dinner Saturday night, do yourself a favor and call ahead. That way, no one else will nab your 50 birds before you get there.
