Costco Shoppers Can't Get Enough Of Its Buffalo Chicken Wings
Food inflation is the worst it's been in over 40 years, and even beloved staples like chicken wings are taking a hit. They were once fun and affordable, but with chicken wing prices up nearly 54% this year, they're a straight-up luxury for many people now (via The Balance). In fact, according to the Washington Post, some restaurants have even started treating chicken wings like lobster and other high-end seafood by selling them at market price. So when people do spot cheaper chicken wings, they might just get excited.
One place people might expect to find a lower price for poultry products is Costco, the discount bulk-item warehouse store. Costco's rotisserie chicken famously has a $4.99 price tag. Now, the Instagram account Costco Buys has spotted another affordable chicken product: the store's buffalo-flavored Take Out Crispy Wings from Foster Farms. The national average raw chicken wing price is currently around $3.53 per pound, and prepared supermarket wings are going for an average of $6.19 per pound (via USDA). Restaurant wings can be even more expensive. At the warehouse where Costco Buys found them, Take Out Crispy Wings fly below that price. And according to some customers, this item is just "the best."
The crispy wings at Costco are getting largely positive reviews
Inflation has affected the nation's spending habits, so let's break down the cost first. According to the Instagram account, Costco Buys, a 4-pound bag of Classic Buffalo-flavored Take Out Crispy Wings costs $17.99 at their store. That comes to about $4.50 per pound. They're a little more expensive than raw wings but about $1.60 cheaper per pound than prepared grocery store wings (via USDA). They're also cheaper than restaurant wings have been in recent months. As of late May, a 15-piece order could cost up to $27.96, according to The Washington Post.
But how do they taste? The reviews are in, and customers seem pretty pleased with Costco's new wings. The original poster said that they're "SO good," while other comments included "We are ADDICTED to these," "The best wings ever," and "I get two bags every time." Preparing them sounds pretty easy, too. According to one commenter, "these wings are fantastic in the air fryer" and come with sauce packets you toss the wings in when they're done cooking. At least one person thinks the sauce is "bad," but they suggested a workaround: Just "make your own Buffalo by melting some butter into Crystal or Red Rooster sauce."