When Costco brings out a fresh batch of its rotisserie chickens, shoppers swarm the shelves instantly, which has to do with more than the chickens' taste, value, and freshness.

The frenzy around the $4.99 read-to-heat-and-eat chickens is intense because employees remove the chickens from the shelves after two hours, compelling shoppers to act fast.

One may think Costco would withdraw the chickens because they're no longer safe to eat, but in reality, it’s because Costco thinks its chickens don’t taste as good after two hours.

While the exact shelf-life of the chickens is unknown, they reportedly include a saline solution and a food preservative called sodium phosphate to remain fresh, plump, and tasty.

Hence, the chickens can’t possibly spoil after spending just two hours on the shelves. They remain safe to eat even if you cut them close to the end of the two-hour sell-by time.

Once pulled from the shelves, the leftover rotisserie chickens are processed further by the kitchen in the back and repurposed into other Costco food offerings.