Kirkland Gyro Kit – Is it Worth it?

Costco likes to offer a variety of food kits. We’ve seen anything from street tacos to all sorts of pastas. This time, we have a Kirkland gyro kit. This kit comes with 6 pieces of pita bread and all of the typical accompanying ingredients.

Kirkland Gyro Kit

The Kirkland Gyro Kit comes in at around $20 at my local Costco (Salt Lake City). I did not see anything lower than $19.50 and mine cost $19.92.

The kit comes with enough pita bread to make 6 gyros and when the cost is split across each gyro it comes out to $3.32 per gyro. This is a really good value especially when considering the convenience of the pre-portioned ingredients.

In comparison, my local Greek restaurant charges $7.69 per gyro, and I’ve seen much more expensive options as well.

Kirkland Gyro Taste Test

I started out by adding the gyro slices to a pan on medium heat, as the instructions recommended.

As I was the only one eating, I saved the majority of the meat for later. I didn’t add any oil to the pan, what you see above is what was already in the meat. I would not recommend adding more oil to the pan as I found the included oil to be almost too much. I then heated one piece of pita bread in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Once that was all prepared, I assembled my first gyro and took a bite.

It did taste like a gyro. Some people have said the meat wasn’t very tasteful, and while it wasn’t the most flavorful meat I’ve tasted, it did the job just fine. They give you a lot of meat, it was more than enough to make 6 gyros. I didn’t have to ration at all.

The lettuce included was also decent. It was pretty crisp and a fresh selection. I also read that some found the vegetables mushy, and I disagree. Everything in my kit was fresh and crisp.

I only really have two criticisms. The included Tzakyaki sauce was not very high quality and I wish they would have included more. The biggest downfall was the size of the pita bread that was included. The first two gyros I made were great and I could keep it all together. But it was hard to fit the ingredients in such a small piece of bread towards the end. For the amount of meat and lettuce they included in the kit, they could have used larger pieces of pita bread.

Cooking Instructions for the Kirkland Gyro Kit

The prep time for this kit is very minimal. The meat is already cooked and just needs to be heated on a sauté pan for about 3-4 minutes on medium heat. As I mentioned earlier, there is no need to add cooking oil to the pan. The meat already has a lot included, and the oil will fill the pan once it is heated. 

I would also recommend heating the bread this way, but honestly, I simply used the microwave for this, and it tasted great!

Who is the Kirkland Gyro Kit for?

Or, what occasion is this kit for? Accounting for price, taste, and convenience, I’m not sure this should be everyone’s next pick-up at Costco. It’s quite a niche product. What I mean by that is it’s not a common food people make at home. 

I think the kit is quite novel, but I don’t think it provides enough value to beat getting one from a restaurant for takeout. My local Greek restaurant sells them for $7.69 with the opportunity to add sides and a drink. Although it is more expensive, you get to enjoy the gyro as a meal and not just by itself.

Another alternative to this kit would be piecing it together yourself. Costco also sells “Daphne’s Beef and Lamb Gyro slices.” Pair this with some Papa Pita’s flatbread and tzatziki sauce and you have yourself a much better gyro for cheaper, only at the cost of some convenience.

Kirkland Gyro Kit Nutrition Facts and Ingredients