Costco’s roasted chickens are beloved by members for their affordable price and generous portion size. However, do you know how to pick a freshly baked chicken at Costco? In response to this question, Costco employees and experts have shared three simple tips to help consumers determine if the roasted chicken on the shelves has been sitting there for too long.
According to Jeff Shenk, the founder of the Costco deals website Costco97.com, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires hot food to be maintained at a temperature of at least 135 degrees Fahrenheit (about 57 degrees Celsius) to continue to be served, Costco follows stricter food management standards and removes roasted chickens from the shelves after they have been there for two hours. Therefore, knowing the baking time of the roasted chicken becomes crucial in selecting a fresh one.
Shenk suggests that most deli areas in stores have a “digital countdown timer” in the upper right corner of the oven, displaying the remaining baking time for the batch of chickens, which typically takes about 90 minutes per batch. Consumers can use this information to estimate when the chicken will be ready to be taken out of the oven.
It is recommended to first check the oven timer in the deli area. If a new batch of roasted chickens is about to be ready, you can take a stroll around the store and return to the deli area close to the baking time to have a chance to purchase a freshly taken, piping hot roasted chicken.
Shenk points out that Costco bakes chickens in large quantities, especially during peak hours around noon and 5 to 6 in the evening, where the ovens hardly ever take a break.
If you are in a hurry and cannot wait for the next batch of chickens to be ready, consumers can directly check the packaging for the labeled time. Costco usually marks the packaging time near the price sticker, detailing the exact time the chicken was packaged.
Costco employees note that the packaging sticker on the roasted chicken indicates the baking time. According to regulations, the roasted chicken will only be kept in the warmer for two hours and will be removed once the time is up. Therefore, the fresher the time indicated on the package, the shorter the chicken has been sitting out. If there are multiple chickens to choose from, it is suggested to compare the baking times on the packages and select the one with the most recent time indicated.
Shenk further suggests prioritizing the roasted chickens located towards the back, as they are usually from a freshly baked batch.
Costco employees will ring a bell to alert when a new batch of roasted chickens is ready to be placed on the shelves. If you happen to hear the bell ring, it indicates the ideal time to make your purchase.
Employees mention that roasted chickens are typically restocked in whole batches. If there are only a few left in the warmer, it might be worth waiting for 10 to 15 minutes for the next fresh batch to be put out. Some stores will ring the bell when restocking, so upon hearing the bell, head over to select a chance to buy a just baked roasted chicken.
Even if you can’t get the freshest roasted chicken, there’s no need to worry. Employees note that roasted chickens are usually taken down after about two hours on display, so most consumers bring home a juicy and recently baked chicken.
This article referenced reports from “Reader’s Digest” and the food website Simply Recipes.