Costco vs Sams

[eman]

I have been a memeber at sams for 12 years as it's the only thing we had here. 

They will be opening a costco here next month. 

Any folks that can give me pros and cons of sams vs costco ???

 

[pc farmer]

Lucky you. I want a costco.

I am a sams member now so I will be watching this.

 

[dert]

Just switch for a year...

You'll see the difference.

 

[njfoses]

At least in my neck of the woods, Sams has a larger meat selection while Costco generally has a higher quality product.  Sams is owned by Walmart which is reason enough for me to avoid it.

 

[pineywoods]

We have memberships at both right now and Karen says we'll be dropping the Costco one

 

[alblancher]

Neither one can beat Restaurant Depot for meat.  

 

[little smokey]

Both have different products available but costco seems friendlier and the executive membership pays for itself. Nothing better than free. We had both at the same time and dropped SAMs.

 

[GaryHibbert]

We don't have Sam's in Alberta, so we have always belonged to Costco,  Really like the meat, both selection and quality.  Back in the good old days, when I still smoked, it was a lot cheaper to buy a carton there than anywhere else.  We drive the 2 hours into the city every couple of months and do a "Costco run"--mainly meat, but always a lot of other stuff too--generally about a $1000 touch (ouch)

Gary.

 

[smokin phil]

Neither one can beat Restaurant Depot for meat.  

Yeah, but some of us aren't lucky enough to have a Restaurant Depot nearby. Sams is the only decent "bulk" store in Champaign-Urbana Illinois....

 

[eman]

I am hoping that Costco coming to Baton Rouge will make sams rethink some of their meat prices. They are higher  than most of the grocery stores for choice vs choice meats.  Can shop the local ag / iga stores and beat sams case price by 20-30 cents / lb.

 

[fendrbluz]

I like Costco I can buy 2 butts 5,to 6lb under 20. we have  Restaurant Depot think now I will check out

 

[frog1369]

Our house likes Costco over Sam's but depending on what you are buying either one could be the best deal.  We're not going to try to shop them both so we do Costco, we find it cleaner, better stocked, usually better quality and the people more helpful ...... but that's just us in our area.  Now, Restaurant Depot ......... nothing like Costco and Sam's, it's a commercial market, not even something you can compare to Costco or Sam's.  You gotta love a place where you can walk around in a cooler surrounded by literally tons of meat.  For the month of April ...... 

Pork Loins $2.44/lb case price, $2.64/lb piece price

Pork Butts $1.79/lb case price, $1.94/lb piece price

Black Angus Whole Ribeyes $6.79/lb case price, $6.99/lb piece price

 

[talan64]

 
Neither one can beat Restaurant Depot for meat.  

You must be talking quality.  My local Restaurant Depot is more expensive than Costco for just about all meat, with the exception of ribs.  However, to get the best price at RD, you have to get it by the case.  Not a problem if you have plenty of freezer space, but my freezer is usually full, and I would have to plan in advance to have that much room.

I can not offer an honest opinion on the Sam vs Costco, since there are no Sam's clubs close enough to me, to make a trip worthwhile.

 

[alblancher]

RD carries several grades of beef and cuts you don't normally find at Sams.  I think they call 40 lbs a case so you can go through the displays instead of taking what comes in a cardboard box.   RD does have some really good sales that I take advantage off especially for fish briskets and butts.

Case lots fit just fine on the Lang 36 and between the vegetable garden, the fishing habit and the smoking habit I have freezers,  no room in them but I have freezers!  HeHe, right now I'm eating the devil out of blueberries and peaches to make room for this years harvest

 

[nozzleman]

I'll cast another vote for Costco having a little higher quality on their food products, they seem to have more variety as well.

 

[humdinger]

We've had both for about 5-6 years. (I'd like to drop the sams membership and keep Costco but my darling wife likes certain products at both places) My costco meat area seems to have a more "fresh butcher" feel to it than my Sam's. You can cast my vote for Costco,....I always seem to find better products there, plus I always seem to make more of those exciting "impulse purchases" at Costco. The executive membership is really good too.

The wife and I like to call one lap around the store the "Costco 200" because you can never seem to leave that place w/o blowing $200!

 

[talan64]

The wife and I like to call one lap around the store the "Costco 200" because you can never seem to leave that place w/o blowing $200!

Yea, I'm heading out the the "Costco 200" myself in a little while.  But first going to take a walk through the local Restaurant Depot, to see just how they stack up.

 

[ajbert]

Used to be a Costco member when we lived on the left coast but since we moved to the Gulf Coast there are none.  Costco is now building a store here in BR.  Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a great buy at Sam's for us.  About the only meat we buy there.  Anything else we get from the local stores on sale.

I will say buying stock size tires at Sam's more than pays the membership.  Too bad they only sale and install stock sizes, though.  My Blazer is running on 33" tires and they won't even entertain ordering, let alone installing, something the factory didn't put on.

 

[talan64]

Well I found out the hard way that the local Restaurant Depot (Portland, Or), is not open to the public.  You can only get a membership if you run a business or non-profit.  Since i do neither, I guess I will just stick to the CostCo.

 

[njfoses]

 
Well I found out the hard way that the local Restaurant Depot (Portland, Or), is not open to the public.  You can only get a membership if you run a business or non-profit.  Since i do neither, I guess I will just stick to the CostCo.

If you sign up for a kcbs membership, you can get a day pass any time in restaurant depot.