Costco Has a Fast Food Copycat Fans Are Finishing by the Box Full

Courtney Kassel is a Brooklyn-based writer and recipe developer with over five years of experience writing and producing food content for various media outlets including Food Network, Food52, Paper Magazine, and more. She is driven by the idea of making the most of every meal, snack, and every bite in between. This means staying on the lookout for new trends and product releases, constantly cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, and spending way too much time on TikTok for "work." In her spare time, she also writes Sifted, a newsletter of recipe recommendations and general food musings.

We love a fast food chain as much as the next person, but lately, it seems the chains have gotten inconsistent and more expensive—will the real Dollar Menu please stand up? Plus, it feels as though just as we are falling in love with a menu item, it gets taken off the menu in favor of something new.

Perhaps the most notorious discontinued menu item that customers want back on the menu more than any other is the McDonald's chicken Snack Wrap. It spawned plenty of fast food imposters and even change.org petitions. Then, in late 2023 McDonald's announced the Snack Wrap is finally coming back to menus. Kind of.

But I stumbled upon a freezer find from Costco that will have you ditching the Snack Wrap and the drive-thru entirely. Why? Because they taste just as good, if not better, and come out to about $1 apiece. Here's why you need to try the Sandwich Bros Chicken Melts from Costco.

Sandwich Bros Chicken Melts at Costco

I first stumbled upon this frozen find when this TikTok came across my "For You" page. It starts "Do not buy these from Costco." I know what you're thinking. Then the creator, @ahaise, continues, "I brought these home tonight, I've already had eight and I've got two more cooking." Naturally, I was intrigued, always on the hunt for more dinner shortcuts from our go-to big box store.

The comments on that video affirmed my curiosity: "I had to stop buying this because my whole family acts like we’re having a competition and finishes by the end of the night," reads one. "I would eat those like they were saving my life. They're sooo good," adds another. "I eat the whole box in one sitting," confesses another commenter.

The product in question? The Sandwich Bros brand Chicken Melts. Costco sells 15-packs of these single-serving crispy chicken wraps for about $15-16 depending on the location, about $1 a piece.

So I cross-checked with my other go-to source for Costco product recommendations, Reddit. I found this post, entitled "Chicken melts have kept me away from Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, and McDonald’s." Then, I found another thread posted about three weeks ago asking for honest reviews. The comments all but sold me; "Always have a box of them in the freezer." "My favorite struggle meal for when I have no food and get home after a long day and just need to eat something." I'm always in the market for more "struggle meal" options.

In my research, I came across a few tips. First, there are two ways to prepare these. While some prefer to microwave these according to the package directions, many recommend the air fryer. One TikTok video in which they air-fried the melts for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F demonstrates just how crispy and delicious they get. But if you prefer a softer, chewier wrap texture, opt for the microwave, like so many commenters on that video.

Second, these need a sauce! They're super simple—just a flatbread, crispy chicken patty, and a slice of cheese—so condiments go a long way. A swipe of my favorite mayo (also available at Costco), BBQ sauce, Buffalo sauce, or special sauce is crucial, and a few pickle slices, some lettuce, and tomato all help this rival the best fast food sandwiches. And, at a buck a piece, that's one struggle meal I can get behind.