Consumer Reports named Sam’s Club Member’s Mark Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken the best rotisserie chicken in a blind taste test of 10 grocery retailers, upending expectations in a category long dominated by Costco. The test, published in the July/August 2026 issue of Consumer Reports, found that Sam’s Club’s chicken earned top marks for its moist texture, deep-roasted flavor, and hints of onion and garlic.
The nonprofit’s food experts evaluated rotisserie chickens from 10 stores—including Costco, Whole Foods, Stop & Shop, Walmart, Wegmans, BJ’s, Hannaford, ShopRite, and The Fresh Market—for taste, nutrition, sodium content, and chemical safety. Costco’s Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken placed second, described by testers as “one of the plumpest birds” in the test with moist, well-seasoned meat, though saltiness varied between samples.
The methodology involved secret shoppers buying samples at multiple locations on different days and delivering them immediately to Consumer Reports’ lab for blind taste testing while still warm. This approach ensured testers evaluated the chickens based on flavor and texture alone, without knowing which store each came from. The Sam’s Club winner costs $4.98 for a 3-pound bird, or $1.66 per pound, making it competitive on price as well as taste.
Beyond taste, Consumer Reports tested both the packaging and meat for chemical contaminants including phthalates, bisphenols, and PFAS compounds. The organization found phthalates in nearly all chicken samples tested, with Costco and Walmart showing the highest levels of DEHP, a phthalate with established health-based limits. Consumer Reports recommended that adults consume no more than 6 ounces per day of either brand’s chicken, while children should have no more than 12.5 ounces per week.
Most rotisserie chickens are injected with brine containing salt or sodium phosphate before cooking to keep the meat moist, but this significantly increases sodium content. Sam’s Club’s chicken contained 430 mg of sodium per 3-ounce serving, according to labeling, though Consumer Reports’ lab testing found lower actual levels. The Whole Foods Classic Rotisserie Chicken, which was not brined, ranked among the best for taste in the study and was the only chicken without phthalates detected in the meat.
Sources
- Consumer Reports — blind taste test methodology, rankings, nutritional data, and chemical testing results for 10 store rotisserie chickens
- ABC News — coverage of Consumer Reports rankings highlighting Sam’s Club as top pick for taste
- Democrat and Chronicle — reporting on Consumer Reports’ blind taste test evaluation criteria
