20 Costco Foods That Don't Taste Like They Used To, According To Reddit

There's no shortage of shoppers lining up to buy Costco's plethora of baked, shredded, whipped, or frozen goods. Almost 128 million people were card-holding members of the wholesale corporation in 2023, according to Statista — so it goes without saying that Kirkland's numerous food products litter the shelves of scores of consumer pantries and refrigerators worldwide. With such a wide-spread customer base, any changes (subtle or not) in product supplier, recipe, packaging — and, of course, taste — that occur in these popular items are bound to be quickly noticed. 

Sure enough, slews of customer declarations that specific celebrated Kirkland snacks, frozen meals, and baked goods now taste different due to definite or suspected product changes exist across the Reddit platform — and many who were accustomed to the reliability of the flavor of these foods are less than pleased with the alleged moderations. From bakery pastries to savory meats to cooking oils, here are 11 Costco foods that just don't taste the way they used to, according to consumers on Reddit.

Is there anything like a freshly baked, crisp-on-the-outside, warm-and-soft-on-the-inside loaf of bread? We didn't think so. Nothing makes a better vessel for a sandwich or a slab of sweet, spreadable fresh berry jam than a bread roll — and Costco, coincidentally, has always had consumers covered. It began with a popular product called the Torta Rolls, a pack of individually-sized loaves intended to be the base of any consumer's perfect lunchtime sandwich.

Several years ago, however, the rectangular Torta rolls were replaced by the Kirkland Signature Artisan Rolls, square-shaped ciabatta morsels that — according to a plethora of Redditors — have never quite hit the same as the original product in the way of taste. "Costco used to have Ciabatta bread that was rectangular. When they switched to the square ones they changed the recipe and it was like trying to chew on a Goodyear tire," reads one comment on Reddit. " [...] I used to LOVE that bread and I'm still carrying a grudge at Costco because they ruined it." On a separate Reddit thread — in which the original poster similarly referred to the new Costco ciabatta rolls as tough — another like-minded user mourned the bread roll option of the past, claiming, "It used to be good. But this is inedible now." Ouch.

For years, the Kirkland Signature Extra Fancy Salted Mixed Nuts were housed in large plastic tubs all sealed up with a familiar blue lid, waiting to be picked up and purchased by hungry consumers strolling through the aisles of Costco. Recently, however, the wholesaler made a packaging switch for the product — opting instead for a new, resealable plastic pouch to hold the varied salty nuggets as opposed to the original tubs.

But while a packaging switch might seem a harmless, superficial alteration without the ability to affect the taste of the food within, some consumers on Reddit are claiming otherwise. On one thread titled, "Fancy Salted Mixed Nuts in new bag container — taste?" users debated and discussed what they've noticed as obvious negative fluctuations to both the taste and quality of the popular product since the change. Some chimed in reporting an overall unpleasant taste, with one Reddit user stating, "I noticed a difference the first time I got the bags. I bought a few more since then just in case it was one bad batch, but they're consistently bad." Another user, who seemed less perturbed by the newer version of the product, admitted that although they felt the overall ratio of cashews did seem to be higher than the previous in-the-tub version, it wasn't necessarily a negative or a positive. "Not a problem," they said, "but different."

Few departments within Costco Wholesale are as celebrated as its bakery. The sector that cranks out beloved sheet cakes, savory loaves, and gigantic mouth-watering muffins for days has an extensive fan base — and this base happens to love its baked Chocolate Chunk Gourmet Cookies. "Hands down the best chocolate chip cookies ever," reads a comment on a Reddit post from a few years back, referencing the sweet, chocolate-filled bakery product. This opinion was echoed by handfuls of responding consumers, clearly evidencing the cookie's popularity.

However, more recent feedback on Costco's popular classic cookie seems to suggest that some consumers may be questioning their loyalty to the wholesaler's tasty delicacy. On a Reddit thread titled "Chocolate chip cookies — did the recipe change?" the original poster reported that the cookie's popularity was dipping among their presumed coworkers, citing specifically a texture change and a less solid, more crumbly consistency. Responding users confirmed that the poster was not, in fact, alone in their feelings. Not only was extra crumbliness reported, but one user even claimed that the taste — and the effect the pastry had on their body — seemed off, as well. "I think they've changed ingredients," the comment reads. "It sounds weird, but they give me really bad heartburn now." If a true change of recipe has indeed occurred, there appears to be no official confirmation by the company as of now — but as it stands, Reddit remains suspicious.

Most Costco-goers are likely familiar with Kirkland Signature Thick Sliced Bacon, which comes in a two-pack of 1.5-pound stacks ready to be fried up, baked, or smoked to crispy perfection. However, some customers think there's been a change with the savory, reliable pork strips — and not a good one, according to Reddit-reporting consumers. Multiple threads have surfaced under Costco's subreddit calling out the product in a negative light, with dissatisfied customers referring to the "new" bacon using words like gamey, gooey, and off.

"I stopped buying it six months ago. Something changed," reads a comment under one of these naysaying Reddit threads. Another user responded in agreement, saying, "Last 2-3 packs I've gotten seem to have far less flavor and something else has been off that I can't quite pinpoint." Some think the strips taste sweeter than before, while others refer to them as having a spoiled flavor; but regardless of the descriptive words used, it seems the overwhelming majority of Costco-shopping Redditors feel the taste of their beloved savory bacon has been altered in an unsatisfactory way. "Complain," said one Reddit user regarding the lacking pork strips. "If people make a case for it they'll change it back, hopefully." We suppose that if the taste of the bacon really has downshifted as much as Reddit proclaims, we can only hope right along with this consumer that Costco takes heed.

The Kirkland Signature Cheese Pizza product is a box of frozen pizzas ready to be popped in the oven for an easy go-to meal. The pizzas' simple makeup of dough, sauce, and mozzarella makes them particularly susceptible to scrutiny, however — and according to the product's consumer base on Reddit, suspected changes were made to the product a few years back that caused extreme alterations in both its appearance and taste.

"Frozen pizza quality has changed," posted one dissatisfied customer on Reddit. "I used to buy the Kirkland frozen 4-pack of cheese pizza regularly. Couple months I noticed a change. The dough is quite different and not as good. The cheese just slides off after one bite and has a bland taste." On another Reddit thread, the photos of two slices were posted side by side — one taken from an "older" pizza, another from a "new." The alleged older slice displays a fully melted, greater quantity of cheese, while the newer slice contains fewer mozzarella shreds that appear only semi-melted. On both these threads, responding users speculated that the franchise had taken a cheaper, scantier route on ingredients, referring to the newer pizza variation as "terrible." However, some did point out that Costco's frozen pepperoni-style pack is much more appetizing than the current cheese-only product. So, if you're going to pick one to throw in the freezer, you may want to take Reddit's advice and opt for pepperoni in this case.

"The Kirkland Soft and Chewy Granola Bars are a shadow of their former selves," reads the blatant title of a Reddit thread under the subreddit r/Costco. The user, of course, was referring to the company's pack of 64 chocolate-chip-and-oat-based bars, a popular staple for many lunchbox-packing parents everywhere. "They reformulated them or something recently and there's less oats and more puffy filler thingies. They're super square, harder, and taste like a stale rice crispy treat. These used to be a staple for me [...] I really hope the change is temporary."

Many responding users shared the OP's sentiment, expressing what seemed to be a sense of relief over having found others who had noticed the same things as they had. "Wow, I can't believe this is a common thing. You mean I'm not the only one?" asked one contributing member on the thread. Others described loose chocolate chips that constantly fall to the floor when the wrappers are opened, an off-putting, artificial taste, inconsistencies between boxes, bars that seem remarkably smaller, a level of sweetness that is overpowering — and even one comment from a user claiming the product causes them gas. Yikes. While many on the confessional thread seemed to speculate that the change may have begun after the COVID-19 pandemic, it's impossible to say for certain. All we can do is eat the ones we've got, hoping that someday, that old-time taste and quality will return to our pantries.

It was about a year ago when bizarre posts started popping up all over Reddit under r/Costco, causing a stir that made headlines on websites such as Today and Bon Appétit. The reason for the buzz? Claims made by consumers declaring Costco's celebrated rotisserie chickens suddenly tasted of chemicals.

"So it's not just me then," reads a comment on one of these online Reddit threads, in which customers communally discuss an odd, chlorine-like taste coming from the pre-cooked poultry. "[...] Such a bargain for an inexpensive protein source but I hesitate to get another one. They used to be so good." While some shoppers were likely holding out hope that a simple bad batch might have been to blame for the bizarre bleachy-tasting chickens being set out under the heat lamps, things don't appear to have changed. In a more recent post titled, "Does the rotisserie chicken taste weird to anyone else?" complaints of the same odd taste continue circulating among eaters. "Ours have like almost some kind of chemical like taste," confesses one user on the Reddit thread. "I don't know if it's from the gas they cook with but it just isn't good. I can't really put my finger on it." Consumer theories abound as to the reason behind the strange, off-putting flavor, including suspected water chilling in chlorine or injections of sodium phosphate, but the result is the same: many Redditors feel the once mouth-watering Costco rotisserie chicken is nowadays anything but.

Arguably the most popular product from the Costco bakery is its muffins — the richest of which is the department's famous Double Chocolate flavor. However, many Reddit users claim that the more recently baked cocoa breakfast treats with the gigantic hunks of chocolate mixed in are not what they used to be.

Reports that Costco's Double Chocolate Muffins taste "different" litter Reddit, with consumers pointing out aspects such as dryness, a fake chocolate taste, or — the most bizarre claim of all — that the pastries contain a noticeable banana flavor. "Yeah. I'm not sure why but it's been a thing for the last several years," confirmed a Reddit user under r/Costco, "of that they all taste like banana." The disappointment in the "new" taste of the muffins extends to other platforms, as well. One commenter on Costcuisine shared that the double chocolates are "definitely really different now" and have ultimately been reduced to a product akin to "dry chocolate cake."

While we can't pinpoint the reason behind every mysterious change of taste plaguing the new variants, one alleged employee on Reddit shed a bit of light on the potential cause of one of them. "Recipe is the same," they explained, "but the chocolate chunks we use are from a different vendor." As to the lingering banana aftertaste, however? Some suspect it might be a new additive, but this is all speculation. We guess we'll have to wait and see when (or if) the truth comes out.

The olive oil from Costco is any home cook's dream. Sold in massive 2-liter plastic containers, Kirkland Signature's Extra Virgin Italian Olive Oil is a product that won't run out anytime soon — making it a valuable staple for whipping up countless loaves or sautéing large amounts of veggies. However, given that the bottle contains such a huge amount of oil, the taste of the product is an extremely important aspect in a consumer's decision of purchasing it. Unfortunately, according to many consumers on Reddit, that very important taste is decidedly different — and lacking — in recent years.

Several years ago, claimed a poster, Costco changed its olive oil recipe. The product allegedly went from being cold pressed to cold extracted — and since this implementation, things haven't tasted the same. A bitterness took over the concoction that wasn't there before, users communally voiced on a Reddit thread — but the how, why, and whether or not the change should be considered a negative thing are aspects on which shoppers appear split. "I did notice that it was more bitter, but supposedly bitterness is one of the indications of high quality olive oil," suggested one user. " [...] I did switch to another brand that they were selling that comes in a glass bottle instead of plastic and liked it better than the Kirkland one. I wonder if the plastic bottle is actually leaching into the oil and making it bitter."

It was a highly publicized change in the Costco bakery universe — the time when the company's famous croissants were changed from their historical crescent shape into that of a straight, diamond-like one. As you might imagine, this controversial conversion came with a slew of opinions from consumers, some of whom accepted and praised the change, others who disapproved of the alteration. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum of opinion regarding the two croissant variants, it generally cannot be denied that the Costco croissants, while adopting a brand new look, also obtained a brand new taste.

The general consensus shared by reviewing Redditors is that the new, straight Costco croissant variants seem to be less buttery than the crescents of old. "They don't butter them like they used to," shared one Reddit user. "Before when u baked it, there was almost a pool of butter." Others point out that the new pastry recipe maintains more of a salty taste that is decidedly less sweet than the old. And while there are certainly some consumers who admit to preferring this change-up, there are still a large majority of Redditors who mourn the moon-shaped croissants of the past. "They used to be top-notch quality," says one nostalgic Reddit consumer. "Now they're no better than the grocery store brand. I have to get my fix elsewhere."

There's nothing quite like a great-tasting bagel spread with cream cheese to start your morning off right, and with Costco's two packs of bagels from the bakery, you're guaranteed a solid 12 mornings of bagel bliss after every shopping trip. With five different flavors to choose from — plain, Parmesan, everything, cinnamon raisin, or sesame seed — it seems there's no downside to snatching up the bags of bagels from the wholesaler's bakery department ... except, perhaps, a noticeable dip in deliciousness.

Unfortunately, this is exactly what many Reddit users are reporting after a major change was implemented across Costco bakeries regarding the popular bagels. "Did they change the bagel recipe?" reads the title of a post under r/Costco, on which a subpar, baking-soda-heavy taste was described by the original poster. Many responding users hopped on to provide the reason behind the noticeable change in flavor: while Einstein Bros. Bagel company had been the original producers of the Kirkland bagels, Kirkland had taken back control of the production — leaving the aisles filled with what many are considering to be shells of the former, superior rounds. "They've been bad since they switched from Einstein bagels," reads a comment on another Reddit thread discussing the change. "Very disappointing." Regardless, it appears that this exclusively Kirkland-made bagel take is, for the time being, here to stay. Will you continue relying on Costco for your cream cheese vessels? Only you can decide.

Few things start a morning off better than a delicious, perfectly-proportioned breakfast sandwich that packs every bite with a delightful mix of ingredients. Kirkland Signature's Breakfast Sandwiches used to be highly lauded for being precisely that. However, complaints started circulating in 2025. Reddit users condemned new versions of the product for featuring smaller eggs, dry bacon, and cardboard-adjacent croissants, and to say that a lot of people were very unhappy is something of an understatement.

Some acknowledged that the generous proportions of each filling were the reason they regularly bought these sandwiches. Others pointed out that more recently, they had discovered that the amount of bacon on each sandwich seemed to vary. The seasoning is heavily criticized as well, with the lack of salt and pepper flavor on the eggs leaving some regretting their purchase.

Sad photos get posted to Reddit now, and here's the thing. When you buy packaged frozen foods like the breakfast sandwiches, you expect the same thing in every one. One Reddit user observed, "Sometimes I get double bacon on mine. You win some, you lose some." But that's not how it should be, is it?

Costco has a lot of great, premade meals that are perfect for picking up when you don't feel like cooking after a day of shopping and putting away the groceries. However, there's one meal in particular that Reddit users claim isn't nearly as good as it used to be, and that's the chicken Alfredo. One thread from late 2022 asked the Costco community for a little clarification on what was going on with the Alfredo, and if others thought it had become bland and flavorless. Plenty agreed that it was such a boring meal that not even additions could help it, with one Reddit user writing, "It tasted like regret and disappointment."

Go back even further, and you'll find more complaints, with many Reddit users calling out the change in the chicken as the reason so many find it not nearly as good. Back in 2020, customers noticed that instead of the usual chicken strips, the Alfredo was now coming with shredded rotisserie chicken. It was up in the air as to whether or not the change was permanent, but it's now definitely looking like the new norm.

There have been a ton of complaints that changes to the rotisserie chicken certainly haven't helped anything it's used in. One Reddit user pulled no punches with this observation: "The new chicken in the chicken Alfredo is straight garbage."

Longtime fans know that Costco's chicken bakes have been celebrated as a beloved food court item, and that was always down to the combination of the pizza dough crust and some seriously incredible fillings. By 2024, though, the unconditionally ultra-delicious chicken bakes were a thing of the past, with one Reddit user explaining the current state of things like this: "It's nasty. It's like cheap creamy chicken soup inside a soggy French roll."

Yikes. Other threads went on to discuss what seemed to be a post-COVID change, with some offering insight into what had happened. Pre-pandemic chicken bakes were made onsite, but Costco allegedly made the transition to making them offsite, freezing them, and shipping them into stores. Many say it hasn't been a change for the better, either.

One Reddit user wrote, "The chicken bake used to taste like a wonderful chicken pot pie. I have no description for what they have become. ...it seems that they truly have decided to ruin the recipe. Bummer." Others reminisced about a now-gone light and airy crust, while some say that the new ones have left them with unsettled stomachs. Others blame the addition of what they saw as extra, poorly-chosen seasonings. When we say that people are not happy with the change, that's kind of an understatement. One Reddit user even compared the flavor to cigarettes, with the general consensus being that it's a bummer to see how far this once-beloved item has fallen.

Fans of the Kirkland Signature Tortilla Strips and Organic Tortilla Chips have had a tough time lately, and the anger over the changes is almost tangible. In 2024, customers complained that the recipe had seemingly changed. One Reddit user said, "They are thicker, have less salt, and also have a burnt flavor." By 2025, more complaints had surfaced about flavorless chips that broke easily, with some suggesting that they're so bad that Costco should look into finding another vendor. Some Reddit users were so disgusted with the change that they stopped buying them, while others confirmed that these had gone from being their favorite, go-to chip to an absolute disappointment, while also trying to hunt down duplicates for the old versions. 

Complaints have continued, with Reddit users saying they've purchased bags of smashed, fragile chips — and if you're whipping up some seriously over-the-top nacho recipes, that's the last thing you want your chips to be doing. To make matters worse, chips started to take on a flavor profile that mainly features the oil in which they were fried. A stale taste and cardboard-like texture aren't exactly winning attributes. As one customer wrote on Reddit, "I bought the Costco tortilla chips for ages. Then I actually tried a good tortilla chip, and now I don't buy Costco any longer."

As if 2020 wasn't already a nightmare of a year, chatter on social media about changes to Costco's famous pumpkin pies only added insult to injury. The problem was an off-putting grittiness to the pumpkin, and heading to Reddit makes it very clear that wasn't the last time people were left disappointed by Costco's pumpkin pies.

In 2022, customers called out the pumpkin pie as being bland, lacking the spices that make pumpkin pie something special. "The only thing I could really taste was sugar," one wrote on Reddit. "It was like there was no cinnamon, no nutmeg, no 'pumpkin spice' at all." Some noted a price drop had made them suspicious that perhaps fewer spices were being used, although others claimed it utilized the same recipe as always.

The following year, some Reddit users questioned why the key lime pie tasted different than previous years. By 2024, some longtime Costco customers and pie purchasers were disappointed by pumpkin and apple pies that just didn't taste the same as usual. Interestingly, one user who claimed to be a bakery manager chimed in to say nothing had changed, but others insist the quality had declined to the point where they'd stopped buying them. The pecan pie, too, has received complaints, with some saying it tastes of little more than corn syrup.

Back in 2020, some Reddit users raised questions about the variety pack of flavored Kirkland Signature sparkling waters. One customer asked if anyone else had noticed a difference in the lime in particular, claiming that it was an odd change that made the water less citrusy and not quite as refreshing. Others confirmed that they'd noticed a difference, with some saying that other carbonated and flavored waters seemed different, too. 

Fast forward to 2024, and the regular bottled water was receiving a ton of complaints. One Reddit user wrote, "Anyone else experience a recent drastic change in the bottled Costco water? It has an aftertaste that is almost bitter or lead-like." Others agreed, claiming they had noticed improperly-sealed bottles and a vaguely mineral-like taste.

Once-devoted buyers of Kirkland Signature Spring Water and Purified Water started complaining in 2025, saying that they'd noticed an off taste, with one even comparing the flavor to pond water. Others described a woody, earthy taste to their water. As it doesn't seem to be a problem that customers notice everywhere, some have suggested that it could be due to a regional change or problem.

There's been chatter about Costco's Kirkland Signature Orange Juice for a few years. Back in 2021, one Reddit user took to the forum to ask if anyone else had purchased orange juice that tasted slightly fermented, explaining that they'd received a bottle that tasted so off that they were convinced someone had made mimosas in the bottle. Others shared similar complaints, with one Reddit user writing, "We've noticed this too, but like the OJ enough to keep trying it like dummies."

Complaints popped up more frequently by 2022, with some describing the juice as rusty-tasting, while others said they thought it just tasted spoiled. Skip ahead to 2024, and there were a lot of unhappy customers. One Reddit user wrote, "I used to really enjoy Kirkland Organic Orange Juice. ... Now Kirkland OJ tastes like the cheap stuff they give you at hotel breakfast buffets."

Those who held Kirkland OJ in high esteem for its ultra-fresh taste were particularly disappointed, claiming that it now tasted more like your standard Tropicana or Simply juice. Others described the new taste as having strong notes of alcohol or calcium, or having an unpleasant, moldy, or sour milk flavor. Interestingly, one Reddit user chimed in to offer a possible explanation: Poor orange crops and climate change had necessitated the importing of more oranges, leading to changes in quality.

Not all changes to Costco products spark uproar. In 2021, customers took to Reddit to discuss the tastiness of Costco's reformulated chicken pot pie. Customers were thrilled that the salt content was seemingly dialed back, with many noting that previous versions were so salty they were inedible. Unfortunately, just one year later, customers were once again left thinking that the pie was too salty, with discussions suggesting the pies were wildly inconsistent, and occasionally came with a funky, almost barbecue-like taste and an unpleasant texture. 

Those customers weren't alone in thinking as much. Another Reddit user declared, "We avoid buying anything from the deli anymore." Changes to the chicken were often blamed, with some claiming that stores using rotisserie chickens in the pot pie weren't making things better. Other complaints criticized the lack of gravy and filling, and an incredibly dry interior. One very direct Reddit user observed, "It's an inedible salt bomb of overcooked, chemical tasting chicken and industrial pie crust that bears zero resemblance to real, flaky pie crust."

It's not entirely obvious what's going on here, but it's occasionally attributed to differences in how pies are made from store to store and who's making them on any particular day. Is it regional? It might be, as other Reddit users have pointed out, that Costco pies from the Pacific Northwest seem to boast flakier, more buttery crusts.

Picking up a premade meal or a rotisserie chicken only to find it doesn't taste as you expected is rough, but we'd argue that it's even worse when you get a sweet treat that doesn't live up to expectations. Some Reddit users claim that Costco's cheesecakes are nowhere near as creamy as they used to be, and instead have a strange, spongy texture, with a flavor reminiscent of fake cheese. Others say they've noticed cheesecakes having a change in consistency from the center to the edges.

One Reddit user chimed in to allege that Costco had switched from a powdered flavoring to vanilla extract. Confusingly, others claimed there were no changes and that everything was being done as it always had been. They chalked any differences in cheesecakes to them being prepared by different bakers, but complaints have continued regardless.

Others have been unhappy with the pumpkin cheesecake, saying there's now very little difference between the pumpkin cheesecake and the pumpkin pie. The sweetness is reportedly gone, with a changed recipe and less added sugar being blamed for the drastic difference. It's such a significant change that some have just stopped buying cheesecake at Costco. One person wrote on Reddit, "They changed the taste and texture of them. We bought one of the new ones, and haven't bought another. ... Now when I want cheesecake, I make my own."

To get the scoop on which Costco products are tasting different from how they once did, we scoured the discussion platform, Reddit, and performed a thorough examination of the opinions of dozens of reviewing consumers. This, in addition to the writer's own taste experiences as applicable, produced what we believe to be a well-rounded and accurate report. However, it is important to note that some of these purported taste changes are based solely on collective consumer opinion and have not been confirmed or denied by the Costco corporation itself.