The Sam's Club Bakery Perk That Outshines Costco

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Thinking back to the days of childhood birthday parties, images of store-bought cakes or dozens of cupcakes coated in sweet white frosting might flood your mind. But at the time, you probably didn't think much about where those delicious desserts actually came from. Among the best grocery store chain bakeries for ordering a birthday cake are warehouse giants like Sam's Club and Costco. However, Costco can't compete with one of the perks that its Walmart-owned competitor provides.

Sam's Club offers extensive online ordering options for its personalized bakery goods. These include sheet (traditional and cookie), 10-inch layer, and two-tier cakes, as well as 30-count cupcakes. Cakes and cupcakes come in white and chocolate flavors, and sheet cakes can be made in marble. Additionally, customers can choose from a number of frosting, topping, and message combinations. This online system also lets shoppers see a preview of their chosen customizations.  

At Costco, customers must go to the store in person to fill out a slip of paper with their choices and slide it into a big box. Unlike Sam's Club, the ordering slip doesn't allow for cupcakes or cookie sheet cakes, and you're limited to pre-chosen flavor combinations (white cake filled with vanilla cheesecake mousse or chocolate cake filled with chocolate mousse). According to one YouTube user who went through the process, there's no way to track your order online once it's been placed. You just have to hope it'll be ready when you requested. 

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The ability to customize cakes online is a major plus for Sam's Club, but shopping there has some other major perks, as well. Similar to Costco's Kirkland Signature brand, Sam's Club has its own line called Member's Mark. In terms of bakery offerings, there are multiple Member's Mark products on our roundup of Sam's Club desserts that belong in your kitchen. These include a tray of 84 cookies and containers of chocolate cupcakes with buttercream or whipped frosting. If you're a fan of The Cake Boss, you might get excited by the brand's exclusive collaboration with Carlo's Bakery — a ginormous 5-pound cupcake.

Outside of the bakery, there may be other reasons you're inclined to choose Sam's Club over Costco. For instance, Sam's Club offers the convenience of curbside pickup for your groceries, whereas Costco doesn't. Additionally, if you're a fan of easy in-store shopping, the chain allows customers to scan their items as they shop. This eliminates the need to wait in a long line and check out at the end of your visit.

Ultimately, if the cost of entry is an important factor, Sam's Club membership options are more accessible. The basic Club membership costs $50 per year and the chain's premium Plus option is $110 per year. In comparison, Costco will charge you $65 and $130 for its equivalent two tiers of membership.