NEW YORK, July 3, 2026, 08:13 EDT
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- Consumer Reports ranked Sam’s Club Member’s Mark rotisserie chicken higher than Costco’s Kirkland Signature after testing rotisserie chickens from 10 grocery chains.
- Sam’s Club and Costco are both selling rotisserie chicken at $1.66 per pound, which is about 51% cheaper than the $3.40 average for the top six chickens in Consumer Reports’ published price table.
- Sam’s Club U.S. net sales were up 6.1% for Walmart’s latest quarter. Costco posted a net sales gain of 11.6% for its latest quarter.
Sam’s Club, part of Walmart Inc NASDAQ:WMT, took the top spot in Consumer Reports’ rotisserie chicken test, beating Costco Wholesale Corp NASDAQ:COST, whose chickens have been a longtime price play.
The key takeaway isn’t that one chicken boosted sales for the quarter. It’s that Sam’s Club hit Costco’s $1.66-a-pound price on rotisserie chicken and came out ahead on taste, scoring a small win in the warehouse club battle for trips, loyalty, and membership revenue.
Consumer Reports bought between 10 and 13 chickens at each retailer, shopping at different locations and on separate trips. The group weighed the chickens, measured sodium, did blind taste tests and tested both the meat and packaging for chemicals linked to plastic. Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken ranked first, ahead of Costco’s Kirkland Signature, which took second.
| Retailer / owner | Consumer Reports result | Price | Price per lb | Read-through |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam’s Club / Walmart Inc NASDAQ:WMT | No. 1 | $4.98 / 3 lb | $1.66 | Matches Costco’s price, scored highest for taste |
| Costco Wholesale Corp NASDAQ:COST | No. 2 | $4.99 / 3 lb | $1.66 | Kept its price, but saltiness was inconsistent |
| Stop & Shop / Ahold Delhaize NV AMS:AD | No. 3 | $7.99 / 1.75 lb | $4.57 | Good flavor even at the steeper price |
| Walmart Inc NASDAQ:WMT | No. 4 | $5.97 / 2.25 lb | $2.65 | Costs less than grocers, more than clubs |
| Wegmans / private | No. 5 | $9.99 / 2.13 lb | $4.69 | Only seasoned with sea salt |
| Whole Foods Market / Amazon.com Inc NASDAQ:AMZN | No. 6 | $8.99 / 1.75 lb | $5.14 | Priciest of the group |
The difference is clear on price. Based on listed prices, Sam’s and Costco ran about 37% less per pound than Walmart’s regular rotisserie chicken and nearly 68% below Whole Foods.
Consumer Reports picked Sam’s Club as the winner for flavor, seasoning, and juicy texture. “We take that responsibility seriously when it comes to flavor and freshness,” Shana DeSmit, Sam’s Club divisional merchandise manager of meat and seafood, told USA Today. People.com
Walmart’s latest numbers highlight that Sam’s Club is seeing more foot traffic but smaller average purchases. In Q1 of fiscal 2027, Sam’s Club U.S. net sales increased 6.1% to $23.4 billion. Transactions were up 6.2%, while average ticket slipped 2.2%. E-commerce jumped 23%. Membership and other income climbed 11%. Walmart reported Sam’s membership fee revenue rose 5.6%, driven by member counts, renewal rates, and Plus members.
| Company / segment | Latest reported period | Sales | Comparable sales | Membership line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam’s Club U.S. / Walmart Inc NASDAQ:WMT | Q1 FY2027 | $23.4 bln, up 6.1% | Comparable sales ex-fuel up 3.9% | Membership and other income up 11% |
| Costco Wholesale Corp NASDAQ:COST | Q3 FY2026 | $69.15 bln, up 11.6% | U.S. stores up 9.4%, adjusted up 6.8% | Membership fees $1.37 bln vs $1.24 bln |
Costco’s scale is still driving results. The company reported third-quarter net sales of $69.15 billion, up from $61.96 billion a year ago. Membership fees also increased, coming in at $1.37 billion versus $1.24 billion. U.S. comparable sales rose 9.4%, or 6.8% when excluding gas and FX.
Costco’s famous $4.99 rotisserie chicken, often touted as a top bargain, faced stiffer competition this time. Consumer Reports gave the nod to a Sam’s Club chicken over Costco’s, even though prices were nearly identical.
Consumer Reports didn’t do a full one-to-10 ranking for all chains in the Fox Business story. It put Sam’s Club, Costco, Stop & Shop, Walmart, Wegmans and Whole Foods in one group as chickens you could serve by themselves. BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings Inc NYSE:BJ, Hannaford, ShopRite and The Fresh Market made a second group, suited more for recipes.
Food-safety results were more straightforward. Consumer Reports didn’t detect any PFAS in meat or packaging samples. The group also found many chickens actually weighed more than labels said, with Whole Foods chickens coming in about a pound over what was listed.
