4 Costco Kirkland Signature Items That Have Mixed Reviews In 2026

Costco puts a lot of effort into its Kirkland Signature line, and shoppers reward this hard work with their loyalty in the form of annual membership renewals. Customers have high standards for products bearing the label, which can lead to some lively online debates. That brings us to the Kirkland Signature products that debuted in 2026. Among them were four items that received a bevy of both good and bad comments.

Enticing food court fare is one of the benefits of having a Costco membership, and a new chicken strip meal and creamy dessert elicited praise as well as complaints from members. The chain's new deli pasta salad and bakery item received a similar mixed reception. According to Richard Galanti, former finance chief at Costco (as reported by CNN Business), "If you get 99 things right and one thing wrong, people are going to remember the one thing." But as the reviews and comments here illustrate, a product with all the right qualities for some customers can become an unpleasant memory for others.

Hitting delis in early 2026, this prepared meal featured Costco's own pesto sauce, plus pasta, roasted tomatoes, arugula, and mozzarella pearls. According to a poster on r/Costco, the dish was tasty but not exactly economical ("It was around $20 ($5.99/lb)," the shopper explained). However, another commenter admitted, "It was so bland I convinced myself I had covid." A few people mentioned the meal tasted better heated up, so maybe avoid this one if you're not a fan of cold pasta preparations in general.

Likely released in honor of St. Patrick's Day 2026, the Kirkland Signature Double Chocolate Mint Sundae really wowed some Costco fans. "Double Chocolate Mint Ice Cream Sundae is amazing!" declared one Redditor, who especially loved "the tiny bits of crunchy cookie crumbles." Elsewhere on the platform, the creamy dessert was criticized for being "pretty mediocre imo" in one post. Another Redditor described the mint soft serve as "nasty ... like watered down tooth paste."

Chicken strips are a classic comfort food, but they're not foolproof. A few Costco members learned that the hard way when the meal made its U.S. debut in the summer of 2026 (chicken strips have been available at Canadian Costco locations for some time). "Never again," vowed a Redditor. "Like silicone rubber dog toys breaded in cornmeal." That's not to say everyone found fault with the new strips, as they've garnered some praise for how substantial they are. The accompanying honey mustard-esque dipping sauce has also been complimented for its tastiness.

Quality decline is a problem cited by members when it comes to the biggest issues plaguing Costco bakeries. Exhibit A: a shopper at the chain on Reddit described the Kirkland Signature Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Cake as "bland AF somehow. ... Big miss." However, don't rule out this dessert just yet, as another customer on r/Costco posted, "I had to try the chocolate chip cookie bar cake and d**n is it good! It's like if a chocolate chip cookie had a baby with a cake."