Costco's Pricey Japanese Wagyu Is Dividing Instagram
It's hard to describe Costco to someone who's never been there. Yes, you can buy couches, kayaks, and full wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Customers can find convenient foods for the family, like Costco's fan-favorite frozen pizza, and seasonal treats like wine advent calendars fill the store's shelves every holiday season. You can even buy sweatpants, televisions, and diamond rings at Costco, along with your groceries. With such a versatile and varied selection of goods, including luxury items, is it any surprise that the warehouse store sells Japanese Wagyu, too?
Wagyu beef is a prized meat that comes from Japanese cows. Over the years, these cows have been bred to yield richly marbled, tender beef that sells for a pretty penny (via Business Insider). Costco's returning Japanese Wagyu beef is rated A5, which is the top quality rating. It is being sold for $99.99 per pound at the location where it was spotted by social media user costcohotfinds (via Instagram). The question is, are customers willing to spend that much (especially since at least one store sold it for just $69.99 a pound in 2021, according to this Instagram post)? And if they do, will this pricey steak live up to the hype? Instagram commenters had a lot to say about this high-priced offering, and not everyone was convinced.
Some praised the Wagyu but others took issue with it
When the popular Instagram account costcohotfinds posted a video showcasing the returning Japanese Wagyu beef available now at Costco, they asked if anyone had tried the product yet. More than one user chimed in to share their thoughts on whether the Wagyu was worth the price. Some people liked it. "Yes, it's amazing," commented user rebeccaannleee, who also claimed that "some of the restaurants when they run out they grab these from Costco." But others weren't convinced that it was worth the price tag.
Some thought it was overpriced. "For that price, I'm sitting in a restaurant," said chandelierskatewear, while kimmy_isfromcali argued that "restaurants are cheaper and they cook it." Others just weren't fans of Wagyu beef in general. For instance, emptynestercheckin remarked, "Tried it...not my favorite. Prefer a USDA prime ribeye steak. The marble tastes different." And dmarie____ complained that it was "too buttery soft." At $99.99 a pound, Costco's Japanese Wagyu beef is definitely expensive compared to regular beef. Still, as far as Wagyu goes, there are much pricier alternatives — The meat can sometimes fetch as much as $200 for 1 pound (via Business Insider). Even with a comparatively lower price tag, as some commenters said, this type of beef isn't for everyone.