Costco Vs Sam's Club: Which Bakery Reigns Supreme?

Costco and Sam's Club are wholesale bulk retailers with a long history of competition. The store we know today as Costco opened as Price Club in 1976 and later merged with Costco, while Sam's Club was opened in 1983 as part of the Walmart company. While both originally opened to serve smaller businesses with wholesale products, they both now open their doors to the public with membership options. The similarities between the two retailers have led to many discussions about which store is superior.

We already investigated whether Costco or Sam's Club has the best food court, so now it's time to break down the bakery. When it comes to the bakery, the two wholesale giants have a lot of similarities. While Costco sells bakery items from its store brand, Kirkland's, Sam's Club brands its bakery items under the name Member's Mark.  You'll find some crossover in the items they offer, such as dinner rolls, croissants, cakes, danishes, and pies. Both bakeries have their own strengths and weaknesses, but which one is better overall? We searched high and low on the internet to find out which wholesaler shoppers crown as the supreme bakery.

If you're considering which bakery to do your shopping in, you might start by looking at price. Sam's Club has the lower membership fee of the two, a mere $50 per year compared to $65 at Costco. But the savings extend beyond that — it seems that Sam's Club gives you some perks that Costco doesn't when it comes to bakery prices. 

Comparing prices from both of my local stores, Costco's Kirkland baguettes were listed at $5.84 for a 2-pack, while the Member's Mark 2-pack baguette was $3.98. A dozen Kirkland croissants cost $7.01, where a Member's Mark dozen cost just $5.98.

Things get a little more complicated when comparing the two stores' custom cakes. Sam's Club's $19.98 custom half-sheet cake easily trumps the price of Costco's, which rings up at $26.99. However, you won't get the exact same cake. While both cakes will feed 48 guests, Costco's comes in two layers with a filling, while Sam's is just one plain slab of cake. This is a great example of why some shoppers say that Costco's higher price tag is justified by the quality and value it offers.

When shopping at Costco, bulk buying is the name of the game. That system seems to apply to its bakery, too. When shopping for items like muffins, croissants, and bagels, you might find that the items are priced for a minimum purchase of 12 or even 18 units. While they may be packaged by the half dozen, the price listed is often for two packages, leading customers to worry about what they'll do with all those baked goods. Sam's, on the other hand, offers 4-packs of Danishes and 6-packs of muffins, allowing customers to buy just what they need.

"The [Costco] bakery is amazing but that's really a con cuz I don't need 12 monster muffins or 18 croissants in my house," said one Redditor in a thread comparing the two stores. It doesn't help that the lack of preservatives means many shoppers saw their items go bad before they got to enjoy them. 

Some commenters were unfazed by the bulk requirements because they had larger families. Others opted to buy in bulk and freeze their baked goods for later consumption. The muffins were a particularly popular item for this hack, as many shoppers shared that they thaw muffins from their freezer as needed. If you don't like the idea of buying in large bulk, this will definitely be a point against Costco's bakery for you.

Customers rave online about Costco's wide variety of breads. While Sam's offers a respectable standard rolls and buns selection, Costco keeps it a little more interesting with a rotation of flavored breads that include a roasted garlic and Parmesan, and a walnut cranberry loaf. Some shoppers shared that they love the specialty loaves so much, they even buy extra to keep in the freezer for when they go out of season.

But it's not just the fun flavors that customers love. Reviewers give Costco's more basic staple breads high praise, too. "Kirkland Country French may be the best bread I've eaten in my entire life," shared one Reddit user. In another thread, users raved about the Kirkland baguettes. "I can crush a whole baguette with just some butter," said a commenter. In yet another post, commenters praised the ciabatta buns, with one even saying the buns were their "#1 staple from Costco."

Costco's pumpkin pie is famous for its great value. At just $5.99 for 3½ pounds, the bargain is undeniable. It even has its own Facebook fan page, and shoppers line up every season to buy it before it sells out.

So how does the Sam's Club pie measure up? Surprisingly well. In a Reddit post comparing the Costco and Sam's Club pumpkin pies, one poster said that Sam's won hands down: "Texture is much nicer, has a good cinnamon-y and clean pumpkin flavor," they shared. In the comments of a similar face-off TikTok video, commenters agreed. "The Costco one to me always seems like it's not cooked enough. I prefer Sam's club," shared one user.

The majority of reviewers seemed to prefer the taste of the Maker's Mark pie, and the difference apparently extends beyond just pumpkin. One shopper praised the Sam's apple and berry pies as well, saying they "consistently blow the doors off of Costco's." In a surprising twist, we're giving this one to Sam's Club.

Both Costco and Sam's Club offer decorated cakes and custom made-to-order cakes for birthdays, weddings, and more in their bakery. In a Reddit thread discussing which store is better for purchasing a custom wedding cake, the overwhelming majority of commenters preferred Costco. "Go straight to Costco. Do not pass go, do not collect $200," one user joked. Many others said they love the whipped mousse filling and that you can ask for your Costco cake to be scored for perfect slicing.

Sam's Club cakes still had a few fans, but were far less popular. One commenter said, "...it was more similar to a regular grocery store cake — not as moist and rich." Some who chose Sam's Club for their wedding did so for aesthetic reasons. Costco only offers custom sheet cakes and round cakes from its in-store brand, whereas the Sam's Club brand also offers two- and three-tiered cakes in the style more traditionally seen at a wedding or more extravagant celebration.

If you're just looking for great taste and value, it seems like Costco is the way to go. But if you're in search of a taller and more elegant cake, you might be better off heading to Sam's Club.

Costco's huge food court cookie is already famous among fans of the wholesale retailer and chocolate chip cookie enjoyers everywhere. So when the store started packaging them for the bakery in 2024, it was certain to be a hit. One Reddit user described them as "nothing short of a religious experience." But the chocolate chip isn't the only cookie people love at Costco — the s'mores, sprinkle, and brown butter cookies are also popular with shoppers.

Sam's Club bakery cookies don't get quite as much love. "The variety pack of cookies from the bakery at Sam's is terrible," one commenter shared. Another user asked, "Are they supposed to be hard as rocks?" Others agreed that they often found the Sam's Club cookies to taste stale, even before their expiration date.

In the cookie department, Sam's Club does secure one victory: cookie cakes. Shoppers love the large iced chocolate chip cookie trays, which Costco doesn't supply. Although Sam's discontinued the treat in early 2024, it announced its return in February 2025.

Costco seems to win the cookie war overall. But if you're after a platter-sized cookie for a birthday or other celebration, Sam's Club is your best bet.

In the category of pastries, Costco once again received the most praise. While the Kirkland pastries may be among Costco's unhealthiest bakery foods, they're also some of its most delicious. One commenter summed it up on Reddit, saying, "The croissants in Costco blow the Sam clubs croissants out the water and by far," they said. "Same thing goes for cookies, Danish and other snacks." Most reviews said the Costco pastries were flakier, crispier, and more flavorful.

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When it comes to danishes, Costco also offers a wider array of flavors than Sam's Club does — everything from berry and cheese to almond to cherry. Meanwhile, Sam's Club just offers its plain cream cheese danish, which isn't quite up to snuff according to shoppers. "The cheese is kind of on the gummier side," one TikToker described the Sam's danish, going on to say that Costco's were "melt in your mouth delicious." Sounds like another Costco win to us!

Through our research, we've seen that there are positive aspects to both bakeries, but Costco ultimately wins with the best bakery overall due to its superior quality and value. Shoppers consistently ranked Costco's pastries, cakes, breads, and cookies higher than Sam's Club. While the Kirkland items may come with a higher price tag, the gourmet flavor means that in most cases, shoppers get more bang for their buck at Costco.

Still, the Costco bakery had its downsides. For those looking for a budget option or shopping for a smaller household, Sam's might be the best option. If you're looking for a specific item like a tiered wedding cake or cookie cake, you might want to skip Kirkland brand desserts and head for Member's Mark instead.

Ultimately, everyone's tastes are different and there might be some items you prefer from one store over the other. For now, the people have spoken, and Costco's bakery reigns supreme.

The selections in this article are based on analysis of hundreds of shopper and employee experiences shared across the internet. We consulted Reddit forums, video reviews, and comments on YouTube and TikTok to determine which items and bakery most people prefer. We verified objective factors like quantity, price, and preparation methods from the suppliers and weighed them against more subjective elements like taste and quality from individual shopper accounts.