Costco Hit With Second Lawsuit Over Its $4.99 Rotisserie Chicken

Costco's famous $4.99 rotisserie chicken is facing its second class action lawsuit in less than a month — and this one is about more than labeling.

A proposed class action filed February 12 in Seattle federal court alleges that Costco's Kirkland Signature rotisserie chickens are processed at a plant with chronic, uncontrolled salmonella contamination. The lawsuit cites a December 2025 study by animal rights nonprofit Farm Forward that found alarming safety conditions at Costco's Lincoln Premium Poultry facility in Fremont, Nebraska.

According to the complaint, the Fremont plant has received the USDA's worst food safety rating — Category 3 — in 92 percent of reporting periods since it opened in 2019. The lawsuit alleges that the plant failed every monthly salmonella test from late 2023 through mid-2025, with more than 9.8 percent of whole chickens and 15.4 percent of chicken parts testing positive for salmonella.

An October 2025 Consumer Reports study based on five years of data reportedly identified Costco's Nebraska plant as one of the most contaminated poultry plants in the country.

The plant processes over 100 million chickens per year exclusively for Costco. The company reported selling more than 157 million rotisserie chickens worldwide in 2025.

Who filed it

The lawsuit was filed by plaintiff Lisa Taylor of Affton, Missouri, who says she regularly purchased one or two Costco rotisserie chickens per month at St. Louis-area warehouses. Taylor alleges she overpaid because Costco failed to disclose the alleged contamination risk.

The suit claims Costco violated Washington consumer protection laws and broke an implied promise that its chickens are safe to eat. Taylor is seeking compensatory and triple damages.

Who's eligible

The proposed class includes anyone in the United States who purchased a Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken or raw chicken product from Costco for personal or household use at any time since January 1, 2019.

This is the second lawsuit in a month

This follows a separate class action filed January 22 in San Diego federal court, which alleged that Costco falsely advertised its rotisserie chickens as containing "no preservatives" despite the use of sodium phosphate and carrageenan. In response, Costco removed the "no preservatives" language from in-store signs and its website, though the ingredients themselves remain in the product.

What happens next

There is no settlement yet in either case. If a settlement is reached, eligible customers could be entitled to compensation — but that could take months or longer.

Download ClassyAction to stay updated on both Costco rotisserie chicken lawsuits and get notified when a payout drops.