A Costco Shopper at Sam’s Club

Author’s Note: As always, this is an unpaid and unbiased review. These are my own silly opinions. I have no affiliation with either Costco or Sam’s Club. Which is probably a relief to both of them!

Here’s my take on how the stores are similar…and different.

I entered enemy territory today. Sam’s Club had an “Open House” event this weekend, where non-members could shop the store for free. Being the greedy goblin that I am, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to buy even more giant sacks of completely unnecessary goodies. And, $195.38 later, I’m ready to tell you about my adventure.

Plus, I’ve been creeping the Sam’s Club website for a while. I have indeed. And I had a whole list of products I wanted to try.

Different, and yet the same

If anyone told you Costco and Sam’s Club are “the same,” they’re wrong. But also not wrong. There are many products that are eerily similar between the two stores. Lots of popular brands are available at both. For example, both warehouses sell King Arthur brand flour (here’s my rundown of baking supplies from Costco, if this interests you) and Bonne Maman jams. They both have Hershey’s and Starbucks and Rao’s brands. Even many store-brand items are virtually indistinguishable. But I found lots of things at Sam’s Club that Costco doesn’t sell.

Stuff I can’t get at Costco

For example, these Member’s Mark dark chocolate pistachios. My word. They’re delicious. The chocolate is midnight dark and wonderfully tangy, while the pistachios nuts are plump and crispy. There’s a flirty pinch of salt to kick up the flavor. Plus, they’re only slightly sweet, which I prefer, with only 9 grams of sugar per serving! Take my money. I would absolutely buy these a second (and third, and fourth…) time. $15 for 22 ounces. This is definitely something I haven’t seen at Costco!

I couldn’t walk away from this bag of Peach Cookie Thins (also Member’s Mark brand), mainly because the label said they were flavored with real peaches! Whaaat! It’s true — there are “dried peach crumbles” in the ingredients. Unfortunately, I didn’t like these cookies. There is added “natural flavor, ” which was fake-tasting and overwhelmingly strong. It was like trying to swallow a Glade air freshener. I spit the second bite out and threw the rest away. Never again. Plus, they seem rather overpriced at $6.78 for 16 ounces.

Some of the Sam’s Club store-brand products look similar to the name-brand products I buy at Costco. For example, I bought these Member’s Mark chicken meatballs, which look eerily similar to the Amylu Cranberry Jalapeno meatballs I’ve been buying from Costco. Same packaging and basic ingredients. This is a nice gluten-free option, too. $11 for 32 ounces. Stay tuned for a review.

And, I found Member’s Mark brand Butter Chicken in the refrigerated meals section. The sauce is packed in two vacuum-sealed pouches, which look similar to the name-brand Sukhi’s Indian Food that I get from Costco. I haven’t cracked this open yet, so you’ll just have to stick around to see what I think of it. $15 for 32 ounces.

I found these Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Thins from The Snack Factory. My local Costco has never offered this flavor, so I was stoked. Yes, I love pumpkin spice anything, and I don’t care what you think! (You can check out my review of the Snack Factory Peppermint White Creme flavor from Costco, if you want.) $9.50 for 20 ounces.

Bakery

I finally got my hands on a Sam’s Club Tiramisu, which is located in the Bakery. I’ve been ogling this confection online for a couple years (I know, I’m pathetic, that’s why I write this blog…). This is the best thing I bought today. Hands down. In fact, this is the best grocery store tiramisu I’ve ever had. There are two layers of tender, coffee-soaked lady fingers, and a thick blanket of airy, sumptuous mascarpone whip on top. Let me add that nobody skimped on the espresso — the flavor is bitter-rich and satisfying.

This tastes restaurant-quality. It’s got impressively straightforward ingredients, including real mascarpone, cream, eggs, and coffee. Even the delicate dusting of cocoa powder on top is exactly as I’d wish it to be. It has no business being this good. Hmmph! I wish I had bought five or six more of these trays to stuff in my freezer. But there’s no room in my freezer! Alas, cruel world. Must I join Sam’s Club just to have more of this tiramisu in my life? Argh. $15 for 32 ounces.

Speaking of the Bakery, Sam’s Club also has more pie varieties than Costco does. Pie! It’s October, and they had pumpkin, apple, cherry, key lime, and pecan pies available. My Costco only has pumpkin pie currently. Hmph! 

But, freshness

I regret to add that I didn’t find the Sam’s Club Bakery items as fresh as Costco’s. The Tiramisu was frozen and partly thawed when I bought it (I would have gladly bought it frozen rock solid, however). And there were loaves of sourdough bread 4 days old on the shelves. I dug through the display to find the freshest loaf possible, which was still day-old bread. Sadness. I often buy still-warm bread from Costco, so perhaps I am spoiled.

But, I have to say that Sam’s sourdough is an excellent value at less than $4 per 1.5 pound loaf. Plus, I really liked this bread. It’s soft and moist inside, but chewy on the outside, with a pleasant tart fermented tang. I would buy this again!

Deli Meals

In the prepared meals section, there were some familiar products, like Mac & Cheese (here’s my review of Costco’s version) and hot rotisserie chickens. Sam’s also has similar chicken pot pies and stuffed peppers.

But a lot of different ones, like loaded baked potatoes, seasoned brussels sprouts, and two different kinds of enchiladas. If you’re eating healthy, there are quite a few fresh salad options.

Sam’s Club has the upper hand on Costco as far as variety of prepared meals. I bought the Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas meal ($12.90 for 3.24 pounds), which was heaped with a truly generous quantity of grated cheese.

Frozen Stuff

Some products sound similar, but are actually quite different. For example, both Costco and Sam’s Club sell a seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake of gargantuan proportions. But, Costco’s is made fresh in the Bakery, whereas Sam’s is sold frozen in a box. I don’t find this a “negative” at all. In fact, it’s definitely a plus if you want buy the cheesecake ahead of time and thaw it out right before your event. Or, hoard it until later in the year. You know.

Sam’s cheesecake is marbled and denser than Costco’s, with surprisingly clean ingredients. When I asked a Sam’s employee where to find it, she grinned and gushed about how much she loved it herself. This is definitely a beloved product that might warrant a membership. $19 for 72 ounces. (Here’s my review of Costco’s Pumpkin Cheesecake, if you’d like to compare.)

I also found these Member’s Mark frozen sausage puff pastries bites. $10 for 20.3 ounces. Sam’s Club definitely has more of their own store-brand frozen appetizers than Costco does, including breaded salmon bites, mini quiches, spanakopita, and more.

I also indulged in a box of frozen Member’s Mark King Crab Cakes. If you’ve been reading my reviews, you know I love crab cakes. Costco doesn’t have a store-brand frozen crab cake, which is surprising, since Aldi, Publix, and Sam’s Club do. The deciding factor in this purchase was the ingredients, which were straightforward and surprisingly natural.
I haven’t popped this box open yet, so stick around to hear the verdict. $17 for 18 ounces.

Sushi

My Costco doesn’t have fresh sushi, but Sam’s Club does. I have to say, it looked a lot better on the Sam’s Club website than it did in the store. The rolls look very hastily made, and maybe not as fresh as I’d like. I still bought a tray.

I tried the California Combo, which featured four different rolls. It tasted okay — the seaweed was a tad soggy and old tasting, but the krab meat was plentiful and beautifully flaky. The veggies were slightly shriveled. The sushi I’ve tried from Publix and Sprouts has been fresher. I was disappointed by the miserly 2 packets of soy sauce for 4 rolls (ain’t no way!). And this is proportionally the tiniest amount of wasabi and pickled ginger I’ve ever seen for this many rolls. But it was a great value at only $11.53 for almost 18 ounces.

Smaller package sizes

I did notice Sam’s Club has some products available in smaller sizes than Costco, which is attractive to a single person such as myself. For example, Sam’s Club has a virtually identical Oven Roasted Turkey Breast (you can read my review of Costco’s version here), for essentially the same price per pound as Costco.

But, Sam’s Club’s turkey is available in much more petite chunks. Instead of paying $20 for a bigger bird at Costco, I found a little turkey lump at Sam’s for just $11.52, or $4.78 per pound And yes, I bought this. Absolutely I did. Stay tuned for a silly review.

I was also surprised to find a Member’s Mark store-brand Hickory Smoked Uncured Ham in small packages. This is fantastic for singles and couples. $4.67 per pound.

Another “similar” store-brand product available in a smaller size is the Member’s Mark Belgian Cookies. Costco sells a 49.4 ounce tin of imported European cookies (which I reviewed here), but Sam’s 35.2 ounce tin is a more manageable size for smaller stomachs (and smaller budgets). $15.76 compared to Costco’s $20. I will say that you get 15 different cookie varieties in Costco’s tin, compared to only 12 varieties in Sam’s.

Both wider and narrower selections

Sam’s has a wider selection of some items, like cocoa powder and dried coconut (my Costco doesn’t carry these at all). But, fewer options in other areas, like only two flavors of jam (strawberry or grape), and fewer options for milk. I bought a 3-pack of half-gallons of Organic Whole Milk for $13.44, which is somewhat higher than Costco’s ($12.29).

However, you can buy carbon-copy 4-pound packs of butter at either Sam’s or Costco. Both warehouses offer the Salted or Unsalted versions. The price is nearly identical, at $11.94 versus $11.89.

Produce

I was looking forward to the Sam’s Club produce section, because I manage a local Costco Facebook group where shoppers have repeatedly said Sam’s has better, cheaper, and fresher produce than Costco. Unfortunately, I did not find ANY of those things to be true. The selection and pricing is very similar, and the produce wasn’t in better shape than Costco’s, unfortunately. In fact, there was a bad smell permeating this area of the store, and spilling over into the bakery. I wanted to get away from it as quickly as possible.

(I complained about Costco’s produce, too, in my guide to what I buy at Costco as a single person on a budget.)

Sam’s had a gorgeous display of HUGE fresh pumpkins ($6.98 each), and a few specially items, such as these Baby Guava Fruits (a bargain at $2.27). Aldi is still a better value for a lot of staples, like potatoes, onions, etc. I didn’t end up buying anything in the produce section at Sam’s Club.

Non-food items

This is a food blog, so I’m not going to dive into all the non-food items and other membership perks Sam’s Club has. From trotting around the store, they seem to carry a similar array of home goods and clothing items as Costco. There were fewer furniture options, but lots of holiday decor choices.

I will say that I longingly caressed a few sweaters in the clothing section. Such as these uber-soft Vince Camuto fall-themed sweaters. (I’m a Vince Camuto fan; I like their shoes!). But I live in Florida where we don’t need sweaters, thankfully. My wallet escaped by the skin of its teeth.

There are also Land’s End and Gap brand clothing items, which surprised me. Like Costco, there’s no place to try the clothing on inside the store. So, take your chances!

On the downside, I don’t think I would buy live potted plants from Sam’s Club. At least, not based on my experience at this location. The plants were not in good shape, and there were few options. Plus, even the “clearance” price seems way too high for the condition of these plants. Costco is a better option for me in this department.

Product information

I really like how Sam’s Club labels the Bakery and Deli items with both the ingredients and nutrition facts information. However, I was disappointed that I couldn’t find the country of origin on certain products in the store, although, they were not Member’s Mark products. For example, I buy US-grown garlic from Costco (same 2 pound size and price) but I couldn’t find a country of origin on Sam’s Club garlic. I also checked the pine nuts, because Costco’s come from China (and they clearly label it as such), but again, I couldn’t find a country listed for Sam’s Club pine nuts. Boo.

On the other hand, I greatly appreciate the Sam’s Club website. It’s much easier for non-members (aka, creepers like me) to check out the products online before visiting. The ingredients and nutrition facts are clearly listed with the product description, and there are multiple product pictures and reviews from customers.

I also prefer the Sam’s Club printed savings booklet over Costco’s. I got a free one today, and it’s much more comprehensive and attractive than Costco’s monthly sales book. 

The overall shopping experience

Functionally, the Sam’s Club store layout is very similar to Costco. The few differences are that Sam’s labels their aisles (hallelujah!) and offers Scan-and-Go shopping, as well as curbside pickup and delivery. I didn’t use the Scan-and-Go option, so there was the same receipt check point on my way out the door.

The store was less crowded than Costco, which was nice. However, I have to say, Sam’s Club seems to attract a different clientele than Costco. I can’t imagine my local Costco ever selling giant plastic barrels of fried pork rinds. And there was a lady jerking an unhappy-looking pitbull on a leash around the store today. Things I’ve never seen in my Costco. I think Costco tends to offer more bougie items, which attracts more bougie shoppers. Perhaps.

The open house experience

The only drawback to attending the Open House is that you have to give the Customer Service staff an ungodly amount of personal information. I had to give them an email, cell phone number (I tried a landline, and they wouldn’t take it), my driver’s license (which they painstakingly entered line by line into the computer). And a DNA sample. Well, maybe not that last one. But seriously. I almost turned around and left. Especially because the staff couldn’t provide a privacy policy or any concrete information on how my personal data was going to be used. Dislike! 

On the upside, there wasn’t a line, and the Customer Service staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. In fact, they said I was the very first customer to sign up for an open house pass! Woot. I got a bag of free samples, including Zeiss lens wipes, Oxi Clean laundry detergent, and Dude Wipes. I’m not a dude; can I still use these?

Dramatic Conclusion

I don’t think choosing Sam’s Club or Costco based on prices alone is a viable option. They seem pretty much neck-in-neck as far as product pricing. Sam’s Club offers a cheaper membership fee, however. There are certain Sam’s Club products that may resonate with you more than Costco products, and vice versa.

I enjoyed my visit to Sam’s Club, and if I didn’t have to pay for a separate membership, I’d probably be back. For a single person, it doesn’t make sense to have a membership to both warehouses. And, although I appreciate the selection of products I can’t find at Costco, it’s not enough to convince me to switch teams. Well, maybe for the Tiramisu. I might switch for that.

The End.

More Reviews You Might Like (or Hate)

Check out these other reviews I’ve written. Or don’t. That’s fine, too:

• My first visit to The Fresh Market
• What I buy at Aldi as a single person on a budget
• My first visit to Sprouts Farmers Market