Rotisserie chicken is a big moneymaker for supermarkets across the U.S. — hungry shoppers
took home a total of 625 million in 2017 alone, and plenty of those rotisserie chickens had
to come from Walmart.
After all, the one-stop shop carries everything from household items to clothing to fresh
produce, and holds the number one spot in the grocery world.
When it comes to Walmart's rotisserie chicken, though, you might want to think twice before
you grab another one.
The low price tag on Walmart's rotisserie chicken can be enticing — especially if
it's on clearance! -- but for $4.98 you'll be tossing less than two pounds of chicken
into your cart — 1 pound, 13 ounces to be exact.
Why settle for less when for the same price you can pick up a larger bird at Sam's Club?
Since Sam's Club is owned by Walmart, you might think you're getting the same product
— but you're not.
A bird from Sam's weighs in at a whopping 3 pounds.
Costco's rotisserie chicken also comes in at 3 pounds, and it's just a penny more.
Why settle for less?
Aside from value, flavor is another reason to take your money elsewhere.
Reviews on the Walmart product page are hit or miss, with several complaints about Walmart's
chicken being either overcooked or undercooked.
"Yeah, off to a bad start, unfortunately."
Meanwhile, Costco consistently ranks the highest in a long line of rotisserie chicken taste
tests.
Taste of Home ranked Costco's "super juicy and flavorful" rotisserie chicken tops, while
Walmart came in dead last.
Costco also won top honors from Eat This, Not That!, with Walmart again coming in last.
Reviewers noted that the Walmart rotisserie chicken was, quote, "very fatty, and had too
much pepper on the skin," and said it was "bone thin."
Snack Girl's thorough assessment of Walmart's rotisserie chicken concluded that it tasted
like, quote, "burnt, salty meat."
"I didn't realize it could be this bad."
Though Costco's rotisserie chicken does tend to trounce Walmart when it comes to flavor,
they don't always edge out other competitors.
One Redditor proclaimed,
"I used to be a Sam's member now I'm a Costco member.
I can tell you one thing for a fact.
Sam's rotisserie chickens crush Costco's rotisserie chickens every day of the week and twice on
Sundays.
Other than that I'm a Costco guy."
There is one category where Walmart beats out its competitors without question, though
it's not likely one they're proud of — sodium content.
For a 3-ounce serving of its rotisserie chicken, Walmart comes in at 690 milligrams of sodium.
That's a bit higher than Sam's Club at 550 milligrams, and Costco has even less at 460
milligrams.
For a lower sodium option, head to Whole Foods.
Though they definitely won't win the value category, as their birds sell for up to $10,
when it comes to reasonable sodium, they're a solid choice.
The rotisserie chickens from Whole Foods contain just 280 milligrams of sodium per one-quarter
of a bird, which is about 3 ounces.
It's Publix, though, that puts its competitors to shame, as their rotisserie chicken comes
out to just over 200 milligrams for the same size serving.
That's almost three-and-a-half times less sodium than in the chicken you'll find at
Walmart.
When it comes to size, value, and flavor, Walmart just doesn't stack up.
Whole Foods and Publix are obviously the places to turn if you're looking for less sodium.
Wholesale clubs like Sam's Club and Costco deliver larger birds for the same price, and
consistently earn rave reviews from taste testers.
While it might not be worth getting a membership strictly for the sake of buying your weekly
rotisserie chicken, it's certainly a perk if you've already got one.
As tempting as they may be, instead of in your cart, Walmart's rotisserie chicken should
be added to the long list of items to stay away from the next time you head to the superstore.
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