Costco Members Have Noticed A Drop In Quality For This Kirkland Signature Freezer Favorite

Costco's frozen food department is replete with convenient meals. Take its Kirkland Signature Breaded Panko Shrimp, which comes in a giant 2½-pound box with approximately 40 to 50 shrimp per package. On its face, this product might seem like the perfect option for seafood lovers, but some shoppers online aren't convinced. In fact, these panko shrimp are one of several Costco items that customers say have declined in quality, along with the store's organic tortilla chips and applesauce.

In a Reddit thread about the shrimp, the poster noted that they're a longtime fan of the product but were disappointed by a recent purchase. In addition to diminished flavor and quality, they found fault with the breading-to-shrimp ratio. A disgruntled Costco shopper on Facebook had the same experience, writing, "So much breading. Hardly any shrimp. Ratio was way off." A review on the Costco website described the interior of the breading "like eating a glob of glue that tastes nothing like shrimp." They added, "The goo to shrimp ratio is more like 1.5:1, but at least it's all flavorless." Worth mentioning is that some shoppers still stand by the product, so maybe take the bad reviews with a sprig of cilantro.

Pineapple chunks, grilled chicken strips, and prepackaged lasagna are just a few of the frozen foods that Costco members swear by. These products prove the chain knows how to get frozen items right, so why did Kirkland Signature's panko shrimp experience such an astonishing fall from grace? Though the back of the box tells us that this shrimp is farm-raised in Thailand, Costco doesn't provide much more information about where it sources its products. As such, we can't be sure if the store changed suppliers, which can sometimes lead to a reduction in quality.

The major complaint from customers centers on the poor shrimp-to-breading ratio, so we wondered if rising shrimp prices might be to blame. However, shrimp is among the more affordable seafood options out there, and its price remains generally consistent. While there doesn't seem to be a concrete reason for Costco's sad, sad panko shrimp, the Kirkland Signature Tempura Shrimp is a worthy alternative, according to shoppers. In response to the Reddit user who asked if the panko product had changed, one commenter advised, "Get the tempura ones. Way way better." Elsewhere on Reddit, one user described the tempura shrimp as "incredible ... very comparable to restaurant shrimp." And most importantly, the balance of seafood and breading doesn't leave you shrimp-deficient.