Costco often offers lower prices than traditional grocery stores, especially for bulk meat. A package of beef back ribs at Costco was labeled and priced as USDA Choice at $5.49 per pound, but the plastic packaging was embossed with USDA Prime from the processing facility. A former Costco meat department worker noted suppliers sometimes include prime-graded cuts to meet demand. A Costco meat manager suggested the meat may have been received as Choice and thus sold as Choice. The USDA grades beef as Prime, Choice, and Select. Prime comes from younger cattle, has substantial marbling, is juicier and more tender, and comprises about 2% of U.S. beef.
One Reddit user posted photos revealing a package of ribs with a "USDA Choice" sticker attached. In fact, the Costco label also lists the beef back ribs as USDA Choice, priced at $5.49 per pound. However, the rest of the packaging is clearly embossed with the USDA Prime label printed directly on the plastic, which comes from the processing facility before Costco adds its own labels.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) categorizes beef in three different grades: prime, choice, and select, with prime being the highest. Prime beef comes from younger cattle and has substantial marbling, making it juicy and tender, and is usually served in higher-end restaurants and steakhouses. Prime is also the most rare category, with only about 2% of U.S. beef achieving this grade.
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