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When you’re making a grocery store run and just don’t have time to cook, one of the best solutions is the grocery store deli. Almost any grocery chain worth its weight has some sort of deli these days. You typically find rotisserie chicken, deli sandwiches (Publix has great subs, by the way), soups and salads, and warm items, such as fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and ribs. However, some of the tastiest items you might see at the best grocery store delis are chicken wings. Publix and Costco are two such delis that specialize in ready-to-eat chicken wings, and customers seem to be fans of both. But which brings better value? Let’s dig in, starting with the cost.
In the Publix deli, you’ll find a five-piece order of the store’s nonbreaded or breaded chicken wings for $6.41, or $1.28 per wing (cost may vary by location). You can also order a 20-count of chicken wings for $18.79, which is a better value at 94 cents per wing. In the Costco deli, you’ll find its Kirkland Signature brand chicken wings with garlic pepper seasoning. These usually sell for about $6.50 per pound. The catch is it comes with about 24 to 30 wings when weighing 3 or so pounds (so $21 or so), according to customers. This equates to roughly 88 cents per chicken wing at 24 wings for $21, making Costco’s wings the better value.
Costco’s wings are slightly cheaper, but Publix offers more variety
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At 88 cents versus 94 cents per wing, the value nod goes to Costco when buying in bulk. The only issue is if you would rather not buy in bulk. Costco’s wings have great reviews as well. “Those are DELICIOUS,” one Redditor says. “I ate half of them in the parking lot.” That said, other Redditors complain that the wings have soft and “slimy” skin. If you take them to-go, a common suggestion is to reheat the wings in the air fryer to improve the texture.
As for Publix, customers seem to indicate the quality of the wings are outstanding as well, though some also complain about the breaded wings, saying they’re tiresome and overly salty. Though more expensive, Publix also has a wider variety of choices when it comes to its wings, both in quantity and flavors. The grocery store chain offers breaded, non-breaded, sweet and spicy chili, and hot and spicy wings. Costco seems to stick to the Kirkland Signature wings with garlic pepper seasoning.
So, Costco is the clear winner for better deli chicken wing value in terms of cost per wing, though some customers still prefer Publix because of its variety of choices. Costco is well known for its affordable items customers can purchase in bulk, and that’s certainly the case with its chicken wings.
