‘I Flipped It Over’: Phoenix Man Issues Warning For People Who Buy Meat At Costco After Talking To The Butcher. Always Look At The Stamp On The Back

A Costco shopper stumbled on a great meat hack after noticing a labeling disparity on what he thought was a package of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Choice ribs. His video is highlighting the difference between Choice and Prime meat.

After speaking with a Costco butcher, Taz (@tazfrase) was ultimately able to get to the bottom of this meat-sticker mystery. The Phoenix, Arizona-based cooking content creator decided to share his newfound knowledge in a viral TikTok, which accrued over 292,000 views. 

USDA Choice Ribs… Or Are They?

Taz begins his video by issuing some words of caution to Costco shoppers who purchase their meat from the popular bulk retail chain. “All right, guys, for those of you who buy your meat at Costco, this video is for you. Learned something very, very interesting,” he says, before delving into his recent shopping experience.

“I was at Costco getting some meat. I had just picked up a few steaks. Went over to the ribs section,” he says, holding a slab of frozen, plastic-wrapped ribs. 

He points out that the front of the package has a sticker on it noting it’s USDA Choice. But then, he flipped the package over. 

“I saw something interesting on the back. And some of you might know this. But if you don’t, we’re on this learning journey together. And… so I see this interesting stamp on the back,” he says.

Back Of The Ribs

He shows that the backside has a marking that clearly reads, “USDA PRIME.” 

There’s another, circular red-inked stamp. And inside of this circle, there appear to be four lines of small text sandwiched between “U.S.” up top. On the bottom of the smaller text is the phrase “EST. 267.”

Taz then delves into the particulars of these markings while bringing the ribs closer to the camera. It’s in focus for a short moment and reads, “U.S. inspected and passed by Department of Agriculture.”

“If you can read that, it says, ‘USDA Prime.’ And so I was like… that says ‘Prime’ on the back. But this says ‘Choice’ on the front, and even the label says, ‘USDA Choice,’” he says. “So, I was very interested to know why it was labeled ‘Prime’ on the package. But then the stickers and everything else said ‘Choice.’” 

So he headed to the meat counter to figure out the reason for the discrepancy. 

Costco Worker Breaks It Down

Taz says a Costco employee told him the red markings on the back of the packaging are the real deal. 

“And he basically told me: Default to this. Because when they get these in a box, everything is USDA Choice and up,” he says. 

Taz says, according to the store worker, Costco primarily purchases USDA Choice meat. However, occasional Prime cuts will make their way into the mix—meaning that customers can find themselves scoring what is marked as higher quality meat. 

Taz shares a hack he learned from the worker. “Sometimes there is Prime Grade in with the Choice. And if it’s labeled Prime, but it comes in like a Choice package, they have to sell it at a Choice price,” he says. “If it says Prime on the back here and then Choice on the front, you’re gonna get a Choice price… on a Prime cut. Go to Costco. I don’t know if this applies to other cuts. I think it’s just the ones that come like sealed and labeled already.” 

“Take that for what it’s worth. Make sure to check your ribs at least before you buy them,” he says at the end of his clip.

Prime, Choice, And Select

According to the USDA, Prime meat is the creme de la creme of beef. It notes that Prime meat “is produced from well-fed beef cattle. It has abundant marbling, and is generally sold in hotels and restaurants. Prime roasts are excellent for broiling, roasting, or grilling.”

Choice meats aren’t bad by any means. However, the USDA does indicate there are some differences when compared to Prime. The agency writes that Choice meat “is high quality, but has less marbling than Prime.” Per the USDA, “Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib” are tender and well-suited for “broiling, roasting, or grilling.” Those from the round are less tender and are good for “braising, roasting or simmering on the stovetop with a small amount of liquid.”

The lowest beef grade on the totem pole is USDA Select, which packs “less marbling” than both Choice and Prime. Consequently, the USDA reports that these cuts “may not have as much juiciness or flavor.” Select is well-suited for grilling, marinating, or braising. 

What Kind Of Beef Does Costco Sell?

Marketing Scoop reports that in addition to USDA labels, Costco implements its own marking system for its beef. Costco sometimes slaps its meats with Kirkland Signature, Grass-Fed, and Organic labels as well. 

• Kirkland Signature: This meat comes from trusted suppliers. Meat from the Costco private label brand is also held to higher, stricter standards. 
• Grass-Fed: This meat is “leaner and higher in certain nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E,” per Marketing Scoop.
• Organic: Meat with this label is “free from hormones, antibiotics, and synthetic pesticides,” according to Marketing Scoop.

Kirkland Signature options, which also include pork and chicken, are well worth the cost by both Chowhound and Marketing Scoop’s estimation. Shopping the brand should save around “20-30% on Choice steaks.” And if you regularly reach for Prime meat, you’ll get “up to 40%…compared to the national averages,” Marketing Watch says.

Commenters Sound Off

Viewers felt validated in their decision to shop for meat at Costco. “God I’m so glad this didn’t go in another direction. Costco is one of the few stores I feel good shopping in,” one said. 

Some were appreciative of Taz for sharing the information. 

“SCORE! Good to know Im checking next time all the meats,” one said. 

“Thought I was TRIPPING when I bought choice ribs a year ago in Prime packaging. Thanks for the info this settles something I memory holed,” another said. 

A commenter who says they are a Costco worker chimed in to explain further why the chain sometimes offers Prime. “It’s Choice grade or higher when the vendor runs out of choice they will send Prime,” they wrote. 

BroBible reached out to Costco to learn more about its meat-labeling practices via email. BroBible also Taz via TikTok comment.