The Divisive Costco Deli Item Some Fans Call 'Heavenly' — While Others Call It 'Awful'

Costco's affordable Kirkland Signature products are just the tip of the iceberg for fans who consider the discount warehouse a veritable retail wonderland. Between free samples, food court sweet treats, and ready-to-eat deli items, there's something tasty around every corner. Still, that's not to say that all the products are winners. The Costco Smoked Pork Bites caught the attention of social media users, but folks aren't all on the same page about the quality.

The pork bites are located near the store's loss-leader rotisserie chickens, served hot, and priced by the pound. A Redditor posted a picture of the pork bites in the subreddit r/costco, mistakenly calling them burnt ends. Still, they had nothing but praise for them, saying, "They're heavenly." Others who have tried the meat couldn't disagree more. One person said, "Tried it once and it was literally all gristle. Awful."

The packaging indicates the pork bites are smoked with hickory chips, but the exact cut is somewhat confusing. The reheating instructions label it as shoulder, but the ingredients list it as pork butt. (Pork shoulder and butt are adjacent cuts from a pig's foreleg that are similarly fatty and flavorful.) Whichever one it technically is, some folks think it's delicious, and others view it as a Costco fail. "Texture was off, and I couldn't find a heating method to improve them. Kinda hard crusty and overly chewy. Not tender like you want," said one person from Kansas City (via Reddit). Elsewhere on social media, the asking price for the pork bites created controversy.

The original poster in the r/costco subreddit noted they thought the price of the store's pork bites was $7.99 per pound. Someone in New Jersey confirmed that price in their area, but folks in different regions of the country reported higher prices. One person indicated the hot food item was $8.97 per pound at their local warehouse, while folks in Iowa and California said it was going for $9.99 a pound. That's the price being shown in many videos of the product online, and plenty of people think that's a big ask for a pound of pork.

One Facebook commenter on a video of the pork bites priced at $9.99 per pound in Cincinnati said, "Oh absolutely no way at that price! I got four huge pork tenderloins for less than that price at Raley's just a couple weeks ago!" Another Facebook user on a separate video of the product said, "Ten bucks a pound for a $2.50 lb cut of meat."

Still, the cost didn't put everyone off, and some Costco shoppers even thought the smoky meat would serve as an excellent pairing for rice and kimchi. One person mentioned chopping them up, adding barbecue sauce, and making a sandwich with them. Another fan suggested incorporating the meat into a classic side dish: mac and cheese. It seems the lesson here is that if you dig into Costco's deli item with an open mind (and wallet), you just might be impressed.