A TikTok video shows a man expressing frustration after opening multiple packages of chicken thighs purchased from Costco. The creator, who goes by Kenneth, shared a clip detailing his experience with Kirkland Signature brand boneless, skinless chicken thighs. He claimed that across three separate packages, he found a surprisingly low number of whole pieces.
In the video, Kenneth explains he bought the chicken to marinate. He states he purchased three of the “6-pack package” of thighs. The footage then shows him counting what he found inside. “I get 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 thighs,” he says, pointing to intact pieces on a tray.
He then gestures to a larger pile of smaller, irregularly shaped pieces of meat. “And then a whole bunch of little pieces,” he adds. The video caption reads, “Costco chicken thigh fail.”
Video shows man detailing his chicken thigh purchase and preparation
The video opens with Kenneth speaking from a kitchen. He is wearing a dark baseball cap and a grey t-shirt. He begins by describing his shopping trip. “So I buy some chicken thighs from Costco. I get the Kirkland brand skinless boneless thighs,” he says.
He continues by explaining his next steps. “And I’m opening up 3 packages of the 6-pack package to start marinating them,” he states. The camera then pans down to a metal baking sheet on a counter. Three empty plastic packages labeled “KIRKLAND SIGNATURE CHICKEN THIGHS BONELESS SKINLESS” are visible in the background.
On the tray, several pieces of raw chicken are laid out. Kenneth’s hands enter the frame to point out the different cuts. He counts the whole thighs first. He then points to the pile of smaller fragments, which appear to be trimmings or pieces that have broken apart.
Visibly frustrated, Kenneth concludes his complaint to the camera. “I don’t, I don’t know what happened here, but this is insane,” he says. He then directly addresses the retailer, asking, “What happened, Costco? Make it make sense.”
The video quickly gathered attention from other users, with several commenting on their own experiences. One comment from a user claiming to work at Costco offered advice. “I work there. Bring them back. Talk to the meat manager n. They take quality very seriously,” the comment read.
Another user related to the issue of inconsistent cuts. “Does anyone else open chicken and it just looks hacked up. Thats something you used to not see,” they wrote. A third commenter provided a possible explanation for the smaller pieces, identifying them as a specific part of the chicken. “These are the darkest of the dark meat it’s the oyster of the thigh. It attaches the thigh muscles to the spine. It’s the tastiest part of a chicken. Save them for sauté, casserole, soup❣️” they suggested. The issue of unexpected product quality extends beyond chicken, as a man recently opened a box of Great Value beef burgers from Walmart and found them entirely gray from freezer burn.
Other comments focused on Costco’s return policy. “It’s Costco. Return it no questions asked. You could probably just bring back the package without the chicken,” one user noted. Another simply saw a culinary opportunity, commenting, “ooh! chicken and dumplings!!!!” A final comment humorously speculated on the cause, writing, “Ooof you got the trainee crash course pack🤔🤔🤔”.
