From the inflation-proof hot dog combo to the indulgent chicken bake, Costco’s food court has long served as a haven for shoppers in search of satisfying post-checkout bites. But not every addition to the menu has consistently won over customers.
Consider Costco’s recent attempts at artisan-style sandwich-making. The initial roast beef sandwich and recent turkey and Swiss offering were each met with mixed reactions at best from the warehouse club’s loyal and very vocal members.
When I heard about the newest food court option, the Chicken & Bacon Sandwich, I knew I had to try it because—well, duh, bacon. I was also curious because of the bashing this creation has taken from Costco shoppers on social media. One commenter on Reddit called it “below mid,” while another chimed in, calling the retailer “insanely out of touch.” I lost count of comments about the bread. It’s cold, thick, dry, crumbly, and allegedly ruins the sandwich, according to many dissenters. Another Redditor commented, “I wanted so badly to love this sandwich.”
Are we expecting too much from Costco? Maybe, but many of those same online critics have been clamoring for better food court options for years, so you can’t blame Costco for trying. I made my own judgy way to the warehouse to try this new 920-calorie monstrosity for myself, and what I found might surprise you.
Nutrition: (Per 1 Sandwich)
Calories: 920
Fat: 45 g (Saturated Fat: 16 g)
Sodium: 2,490 mg
Carbs: 79g (Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 18 g)
Protein: 50 g
Costco’s newest food court sandwich is made with sliced oven-roasted chicken breast, bacon jam, lettuce, tomato, and a mayo-mustard blend, all served on ciabatta bread. I paid for $6.99 for this bougie, bacon jam handheld—the same price as Costco’s previous turkey and Swiss sandwich, but $3 cheaper than the earlier roast beef option.
The look: Hefty and well put together. The sandwich consists of a generous amount of chicken, a rather large, but pretty leaf of romaine lettuce, a thin slice of tomato, and two slices of cheddar cheese. Served cold, the bottom half of the ciabatta had a perfect smear of mustard-mayo mix. The supposed star of this show, the bacon jam, was spread neatly beneath a fluffy ciabatta top. The sandwich looked very much as pictured and large enough to share.
The taste: Better than the cranks would have you believe. Yes, the bread is a bit thick and cold, but it tasted fresh and was not at all tough. The sweetness of the bacon jam, which contains bits of bacon and an appropriate smoky bacon flavor, goes well with the mustard-mayo situation. While I understand what folks are saying about the bread, I didn’t find the sandwich nearly as dry as I was expecting.
There were generous amounts of juicy roasted chicken, sliced thin, but not too thin. The cheddar cheese was as rich as you’d expect. The single tomato slice was sort of superfluous. I could take it or leave it (online commenters have strong feelings about the red fruit on this sandwich). A softer, buttery brioche bun might’ve been a better bread choice to enhance the overall flavor of the sandwich and, personally, I would’ve loved to have seen a bit of thin sliced red onion for additional flavor contrast.
It tasted, dare I say, good. That’s right, I enjoyed it! With regard to customers saying, “It’s like they don’t even try,” I think the exact opposite is true. Costco’s food court, known for keeping it simple with its $1.50 quarter-pound hot dogs and $1.99 pizza slices (which are really big enough for two slices), might be trying too hard with this one.
Would I get it again? Highly unlikely. Not because of the taste, mind you, but rather the high calorie count and, according to the Mayo Clinic, more sodium than one should consume in a day.
But, if bacon is your jam, I’d encourage you to give it a try—the staff might even cut it in half for you to share with a friend.
