Costco has plenty of products members swear by, but even longtime favorites can lose their shine. From thinner paper goods to recipe changes and smaller bakery treats, shoppers have been calling out products that simply don’t feel like the Costco classics they remember.
1. Kirkland Signature Paper Towels
This might be the loudest quality complaint of the bunch. Costco shoppers who once considered Kirkland paper towels a no-brainer alternative to Bounty are increasingly saying newer rolls feel thinner, weaker, and less absorbent.
What shoppers are noticing
- Sheets that tear more easily during cleaning
- Less absorbency than older Kirkland rolls
- Some buyers needing two sheets where one used to work
- Occasional complaints about odd smells or inconsistent batches
The most interesting part is that the complaints aren’t universal. Some members say their warehouse’s version seems unchanged, which suggests Costco may be dealing with supplier or manufacturing inconsistencies rather than one companywide downgrade.
Worth buying? Still a decent bulk buy, but it’s no longer the automatic paper-towel winner it once was.
2. Kirkland Signature Bacon
Kirkland bacon used to have a reputation for being one of those products worth buying a Costco membership for. Recently, though, shoppers have been opening packages that look wildly different from one another.
One pack may be nicely balanced, while the next is mostly fat. Others report slices ranging from paper-thin to unusually thick in the very same package.
There are also complaints about:
- Excess liquid inside the packaging
- Bacon cooking down dramatically
- Saltier flavor than expected
- Thick-cut bacon not being consistently thick
The bigger problem: shoppers don’t necessarily hate Kirkland bacon—they just don’t know what they’re going to get anymore.
Our take: Buy it if the package looks good through the window, but inspect before tossing it into your cart.
3. Kirkland Signature Bath Tissue
Costco’s toilet paper has practically been a pantry staple for decades, which is why members notice even small changes.
Recent conversations aren’t necessarily saying the toilet paper is unusable. Instead, longtime buyers describe a slow decline: thinner-feeling sheets, more lint and paper dust, rolls that don’t seem to last as long, and perforations that don’t tear as cleanly.
The complaint you hear most isn’t “this is terrible.”
It’s more like:
“Wasn’t this better before?”
That distinction matters. Kirkland bath tissue still offers a huge bulk pack at a competitive price, but shoppers comparing it with older versions increasingly feel like some of the premium quality has disappeared.
Bottom line: Good value, less premium feel.
4. Kirkland Signature Bakery Muffins
Few Costco changes sparked as much nostalgia as the overhaul of its famous jumbo muffins.
The newer muffins are smaller and packaged differently, but size isn’t the only thing members are debating. Some shoppers describe them as denser or drier than the old bakery version, while others actually prefer the newer butter-and-buttermilk recipes.
And that’s where this one gets interesting.
The old Costco muffin experience: absurdly large, indulgent, and easy to split.
The newer experience: a more manageable portion, but not necessarily the same soft bakery texture longtime members remember.
The loss of certain classic flavors and the old mix-and-match setup hasn’t helped.
Verdict: New shoppers may love them. Costco veterans are much harder to convince.
5. Ritz Crackers From Costco
Sometimes the complaints aren’t about Kirkland at all.
Costco shoppers have posted photos comparing bulk-pack Ritz crackers with boxes purchased elsewhere, saying the Costco crackers looked noticeably paler and less baked.
The biggest complaints?
They’re fragile. Really fragile.
Members say some sleeves are full of crackers that:
- Crumble with very little pressure
- Feel greasier than expected
- Lack the toasted flavor associated with Ritz
- Arrive with an unusually pale appearance
Not every box will have these issues, but the visual differences shoppers have shared make this one harder to dismiss as nostalgia.
Would we stop buying them? Not necessarily, but check the sleeves before serving them at your next party.
6. Kirkland Signature Chicken Tortilla Soup
This is what happens when a seemingly small recipe adjustment messes with a product people have purchased for years.
Fans of Costco’s chicken tortilla soup started noticing a different flavor profile, with cilantro becoming much more noticeable and seasoning levels seeming different from previous versions.
Some shoppers love cilantro.
Others feel like it took over the entire soup.
Members have also mentioned changes in:
- Chicken quantity
- Spice level
- Thickness
- Overall balance of the broth
The reaction isn’t universally negative, but longtime shoppers who remember the earlier recipe seem particularly disappointed.
Best fix: Add avocado, shredded cheese, lime, or tortilla strips. The toppings help bring back some of the richness people say the soup has lost.
7. Kirkland Signature Organic Oat Beverage
Coffee drinkers may have noticed this change before anyone else.
Kirkland oat beverage used to be a surprisingly good budget choice for lattes and cappuccinos. Then shoppers began reporting that newer cartons behaved completely differently when steamed.
The latte test: disappointing.
Users say the newer formula:
- Produces weaker foam
- Feels thinner
- Separates more easily
- Doesn’t create the creamy texture barista-style oat milks provide
For cereal or smoothies, none of this may matter.
But if you originally bought the six-pack because it worked well in coffee, this is one Costco change you’ll probably notice immediately.
Skip or buy? Buy for everyday drinking. Skip if frothing is your priority.
8. Kirkland Signature Breaded Panko Shrimp
There’s nothing wrong with breading on fried shrimp.
There is, however, a point where shoppers start wondering whether they bought shrimp or bread crumbs.
That’s the complaint surrounding Costco’s panko shrimp.
Longtime buyers say newer batches seem to have:
- Thicker breading
- Smaller shrimp underneath
- Less seafood flavor
- A heavier fried coating
The convenience is still great—you can throw them into an air fryer and have dinner ready quickly—but the shrimp-to-breading ratio is what frustrates people who remember earlier versions.
You May Be Interested In
Make them better: Air-fry until extra crisp and serve with spicy mayo, sweet chili sauce, or lemon. A bold dipping sauce makes the heavier coating less noticeable.
9. Costco Yakisoba Stir-Fry Noodles
This prepared meal used to be an easy weeknight recommendation.
Then people started talking about the sauce.
Shoppers who remember earlier versions say the newer sauce tastes considerably saltier and sometimes has an artificial or “off” finish that wasn’t there before.
The vegetables and noodles themselves don’t receive nearly as many complaints.
That’s why this one feels especially frustrating.
The meal is still almost good.
If Costco toned down the sauce—or brought back whatever blend longtime buyers remember—it could easily move back onto the must-buy list.
Shopping tip: Start with less sauce than the package provides. You can always add more after tasting.
10. Costco Rotisserie Chicken
The famous Costco rotisserie chicken hasn’t necessarily changed.
The way Costco packages it has.
Switching from the familiar rigid container to a plastic bag created a surprisingly passionate divide among members.
Fans like that the bag uses less bulky plastic.
Critics point out that it can:
- Trap more steam around the chicken
- Make crispy skin softer
- Leave handles greasy
- Leak juices during transport
- Be awkward to carry with other groceries
At $4.99, the chicken remains one of Costco’s strongest values.
But eating it five minutes after leaving the warehouse isn’t quite the same experience when it’s been steaming inside a bag.
Verdict: The chicken is still a buy. The packaging is the downgrade.
11. Kirkland Signature Ravioli Lasagna
This should be peak Costco comfort food: ravioli, meat sauce, cheese, and a huge family-sized tray.
Yet some longtime fans say the current version has moved away from what made it so good.
The strongest complaints center around salt and oil.
Shoppers describe newer trays as:
- Greasier than remembered
- Extremely salty
- Short on red sauce
- Heavier on meat than they prefer
A few people even say they thought they had purchased a bad batch until other members reported similar experiences.
Can you rescue it? Yes. Adding a little marinara before reheating helps cut the richness and makes the dish feel less dense.
Our call: Worth trying once, but don’t assume you’ll love it just because you loved the old version.
12. Kirkland Signature Bakery Pies
Costco pies still look impressive enough to feed half the neighborhood.
Taste is where some longtime members have started raising questions.
Apple and pumpkin pies in particular have drawn “not like they used to be” comments, with shoppers describing changes in spice balance, filling texture, crust quality, and overall richness.
This is difficult to prove because bakery products naturally vary from batch to batch.
Still, when people who have purchased the same pie every Thanksgiving for years start noticing something different, it’s worth paying attention.
The Costco advantage remains: You get a huge dessert for the money.
What may be missing: That homemade-ish flavor that made the size feel like a bonus rather than the main selling point.
13. Kirkland Signature Master Carve Ham
The biggest complaint about Kirkland’s Master Carve Ham can be summarized in one word:
Salt.
Some shoppers say the ham tastes significantly saltier than previous versions, enough that it overwhelms glazes and side dishes.
That’s unfortunate because this used to be an easy holiday recommendation. The ham is precooked, easy to slice, and considerably less work than preparing one from scratch.
If you’re especially sensitive to sodium, though, you’ll want to think twice.
How I’d serve it now: With sweeter sides like pineapple, roasted sweet potatoes, honey carrots, or a maple glaze. Those flavors provide some balance.
Verdict: Convenient, but no longer a blind-buy holiday centerpiece.
14. Kirkland Signature Pesto Butter Salmon
Costco’s ready-to-bake salmon has always won people over with convenience.
Pop it into the oven and dinner is basically finished.
The newer concern isn’t the salmon itself. It’s the topping.
Some shoppers believe the pesto-butter mixture has changed from the version they remember, with complaints describing it as less fresh, more processed-tasting, and not as flavorful once baked.
That makes a noticeable difference because the pesto butter is supposed to be the star of the dish.
The easy upgrade: Scrape off a little of the supplied topping and add fresh pesto, lemon zest, garlic, or grated Parmesan before baking.
It takes an extra minute, but the result tastes dramatically fresher.
Worth grabbing? Yes for convenience, but it isn’t quite the effortless slam dunk it once was.
15. Kirkland Signature Organic Applesauce
Applesauce might seem like an odd product for people to get passionate about.
Parents buying it by the case would disagree.
Changes to the nutrition profile and packaging sparked conversations among shoppers comparing newer boxes with older ones. Some also feel the flavor or texture isn’t exactly what they remember.
This isn’t a product people expect to be exciting.
They expect it to be consistent.
And when you’re buying a bulk case for lunches, consistency matters more than almost anything else.
The pouches remain convenient, portable, and generally well-liked, so this isn’t a disaster story.
It’s more of a warning for longtime Kirkland fans who haven’t checked the label in years.
Final take: Still practical, but compare the current nutrition panel with what your family previously bought before automatically stocking up.
The Costco Quality Shift Shoppers Are Really Talking About
What stood out most wasn’t one dramatic companywide decline. The complaints fall into several different buckets: smaller portions, thinner paper products, changed recipes, inconsistent manufacturing, more filler or breading, and packaging that affects the eating experience.
Costco is still packed with excellent buys. But longtime members know these products well enough to notice when something changes—and lately, they’re making those changes known.
Recommended For You
