If you’re a Costco member, you’ve probably purchased one of the warehouse store’s signature Kirkland rotisserie chickens.

The cheap and flavorful chickens, like the $1.50 Costco hot dogs and in-store product samples, are a cornerstone of the Costco experience. In 2023, the chain sold more than 137 million of these chickens globally, according to Consumer Reports.

Costco recently made a big change to its rotisserie chicken (don’t worry, they still cost $4.99). Well, not to the actual chicken, but to the vessel that it comes in. Instead of packaging the chicken in a plastic clamshell container, they are now sold in plastic bags.

The reason? Just, you know, the entire environment.

Costco told Consumer Reports that the new packaging “will reduce its plastic use by 75% and resin use by 17 million pounds per year.”

“And that means not as many Costco trucks will be needed for shipping – 1,000 fewer on the roads – which it estimates will result in a carbon reduction of 4,000 metric tons.”

That seems like a big win for the future of planet Earth, but some Costco aficionados are clucking about the change.

On Reddit, some customers have complained the bags leak chicken juice. This is a problem not just for cars that will smell like rotisserie chicken going forward, but for people who used the clamshell box as a tray to eat chicken from in said car.

“The tray container also doubled as a plate,” wrote user InsaneAdam. “I guess I’ll have to just buy two and double fist, feed myself like my cavemen ancestors did. I will think of them and pay homage while I eat them juicy birds.”

While that particular solution seems like it might introduce a whole new set of problems, there were other ideas.

“Go to the food court and ask for plates,” wrote Reddit user axxonn13.

Elegant! They can probably even give you a fork.

Another recommendation? Bring your own box, like this rotisserie chicken superfan from TikTok.

And remember, the bag can’t leak in your car if you eat the whole chicken before you get to your car.

– Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com or @lizzzyacker

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