A rotisserie chicken is a dish in which the chicken is cooked using low direct heat over a longer period of time. Since the chicken is cooked on a spit that continuously turns, every side of the chicken is slowly cooked. This method slowly roasts the bird and seals in all of its juices. It’s a popular way to cook chicken all over the world, but especially in the U.S. That’s probably why National Rotisserie Chicken Day is celebrated as a holiday every June 2nd.

The History of National Rotisserie Chicken Day

This day was first founded all the way back in 2015. This is when Boston Market Restaurants declared National Rotisserie Chicken Day in April of that year as a marketing promotion. It’s unknown when the holiday’s date was changed, but over the past few years, it’s been observed on June 2nd.

Facts About Rotisserie Chickens

Most people believe that they know everything there is to know about rotisserie chickens, but we’re here to say that might not actually be true. We found out a few things that we didn’t know about this method of cooking chickens—information we’d like to share with everyone below.

• Between 2018 and 2021, Costco sold 60 million rotisserie chickens a year. At $5 each, that’s $300 million worth of chicken.
• Costco sells so many rotisserie chickens, it has its own chicken farm and processing plant.
• Rotisserie chickens are loss leaders for Costco. This means they lose money on the chickens but hope that people coming to the store will buy other things.
• The rotisserie chicken craze first began during the early part of the 1990s.
• Rotisserie chickens are full of protein and essential nutrients such as niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, zinc, and selenium.

Observing National Rotisserie Chicken Day

National Rotisserie Chicken Day can be observed by picking up a rotisserie chicken for either lunch or dinner. These chickens can be bought at a variety of different establishments including Boston Market Restaurants, Costco, and Walmart. If you have a home rotisserie or a BBQ pit with a rotisserie attachment, you can also try to make your own chicken. While you’re doing so, be sure to use the hashtag #NationalRotisserieChickenDay on your social media accounts to tell the world that you’re celebrating this holiday. And while you’re serving rotisserie chicken, don’t forget to make some mashed potatoes, gravy, and peas to go along with it.