Best value for Egg Meats - Restaurant Depot or Costco?

Chelnerul

Esteemed eggers,

@yzzi's post about KCBS providing day passes to Restaurant Depot, and @SGH's news that one can go every day should one's smoker have the horsepower, has got me thinking.

I have a Costco about a mile from my house. It's a madhouse, all the time, but it's ridiculously convenient, and it's got great deals on meat as the members here can attest.

My question is: is it worthwhile, and is there enough of a difference in quality, selection, price, etc to warrant the Restaurant Depot (via KCBS) trip as well? I've got one about 25 minutes from here but my wife works nearby the location.

Any and all experiences and opinions welcome!

Eggcelsior

It's not really a quality difference but RD does have lower prices, typically. I presume it's due to the fact that they buy in even more bulk than Costco to help restaurant's margins.

SGH

I can't speak for Costco as we do not have one. But Restaraunt Depot will be a tough act for anyone to follow. You can not only get food, but commercial grade deep fryers, cases of steam pans (I use these by the hundreds) just anything that pertains to cooking, they have it. We have a Sams and as much as I like it, Restaraunt Depot is easily the winner.

yzzi

I will probably get most of my stuff at Costco still, but they don't sell packers at all or bone in ribeyes year round. I'll do the Depot for them goods.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Rd wins on price and selection hands down. They do not carry prime beef at my location though (Costco does). They do carry a "choice +" program that is ver solid though. Still love Costco but RD wins on meat and its not even close.

Chelnerul

Seems like even if I went three or four times the $35 would pay for itself spread over the year. I'm leaning toward pulling the trigger come early next year (hope the deal doesn't go away)...

I'd like to swing by there just to see what they have, maybe take my smoking buddy. Our Costco (like many others I've read here) doesn't carry brisket packers, only flats, and the "select" packer I got from Walmart was tough as leather and took forever to smoke...

SGH

Chelnerul said:

Seems like even if I went three or four times the $35 would pay for itself spread over the year. I'm leaning toward pulling the trigger come early next year (hope the deal doesn't go away)...

I'd like to swing by there just to see what they have, maybe take my smoking buddy. Our Costco (like many others I've read here) doesn't carry brisket packers, only flats, and the "select" packer I got from Walmart was tough as leather and took forever to smoke...

It's well worth the 35 bucks. Especially if you like to buy large quantities.

Chelnerul

Seems like my neighbor / smoking buddy might be in for a reconnaissance soon - I've just read so many threads on other forums about the KCBS day pass not working because of administrivia (lapsed KCBS business account?). Still, we're both psyched.

tksmoke

After reading this thread and others, I decided to join KCBS and see what RD was about.  It's about 50 minutes from my home, so it took awhile before I could try the RD experience.  Yesterday was the day.  I'll share some random observations, and compare it to Costco.

• I had no problem getting the day pass - the person in front knew about the KCBS program.  She asked to see my membership card, and wrote out my day pass - too easy!!
• When I walked in, I didn't see any shopping carts - just large rolling carts.  They aren't there for you to buy small quantities
• It was cold inside the warehouse - I went back out and put on a heavy shirt.  The meat is kept in a refrigerated area, not in coolers like Costco.  It's cold in there - probably 39 degrees
• Huge quantities of meat - wow!! no prime, but some choice.  Here in SoCal all we see are brisket flats - those are typically $7.99.  At RD they had real packers, priced 3.29 to 3.79/lb depending on grade.
• Price on meat was less than at Costco and you can get almost anything your want.  The difference wasn't consistent, but if you were buying large quantities, it would be significant.
• Most meats could be purchased in individual quantity or case.
• They had a good selection of seafood - frozen shrimp and scallops were much more reasonable than other places.  I didn't pull the trigger on their Ahi, but it looked good.
• Other supplies and food seemed to be endless.  Some were available in each qty, others only by the case.
• For me, it will be a place to come with a shopping list, and load up.  Otherwise, it will be cheaper to go to Costco and pay a little more.  I like the idea of going in with a few friends and buying quantities to split.
• When you come out, even though you save a lot, the cost will be high.  Even more than at Costco

It was an interesting shopping adventure.

Photo Egg

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Rd wins on price and selection hands down. They do not carry prime beef at my location though (Costco does). They do carry a "choice +" program that is ver solid though. Still love Costco but RD wins on meat and its not even close.

I think the last couple times at RD I have purchased the whole primal side of boneless ribeye it was labeled as Angus Gold and it was fantastic. I like RD as well.

Chelnerul

tksmoke said:

After reading this thread and others, I decided to join KCBS and see what RD was about.  It's about 50 minutes from my home, so it took awhile before I could try the RD experience.  Yesterday was the day.  I'll share some random observations, and compare it to Costco.

• I had no problem getting the day pass - the person in front knew about the KCBS program.  She asked to see my membership card, and wrote out my day pass - too easy!!
• When I walked in, I didn't see any shopping carts - just large rolling carts.  They aren't there for you to buy small quantities
• It was cold inside the warehouse - I went back out and put on a heavy shirt.  The meat is kept in a refrigerated area, not in coolers like Costco.  It's cold in there - probably 39 degrees
• Huge quantities of meat - wow!! no prime, but some choice.  Here in SoCal all we see are brisket flats - those are typically $7.99.  At RD they had real packers, priced 3.29 to 3.79/lb depending on grade.
• Price on meat was less than at Costco and you can get almost anything your want.  The difference wasn't consistent, but if you were buying large quantities, it would be significant.
• Most meats could be purchased in individual quantity or case.
• They had a good selection of seafood - frozen shrimp and scallops were much more reasonable than other places.  I didn't pull the trigger on their Ahi, but it looked good.
• Other supplies and food seemed to be endless.  Some were available in each qty, others only by the case.
• For me, it will be a place to come with a shopping list, and load up.  Otherwise, it will be cheaper to go to Costco and pay a little more.  I like the idea of going in with a few friends and buying quantities to split.
• When you come out, even though you save a lot, the cost will be high.  Even more than at Costco

It was an interesting shopping adventure.

AWESOME recce, @tksmoke, thanks for going to the trouble of capturing your impressions and observations!

mgoblue0484

Can you get a day pass without a busines license or business affiliation?

Eggcelsior

mgoblue0484 said:

Can you get a day pass without a busines license or business affiliation?

You may be able to go look around, but that's it. KCBS seems to be the work-around. For me, the price difference in one brisket based on what I pay locally outside RD would make the $35 fee pay for itself the first time I walk in the door.

Cookinbob

No Costco here (though one will be opening next year). If you can handle the quantities, Restaurant Depot has the best prices I have seen, and they do not seem to fluctuate.  Lots of meat

Terrebandit

All I got is Costco and I spend a couple hundred per month there. A good part of that is household basics and MEAT.

Zmokin

I routinely go to Costco to buy Kirkland Toilet Paper.
Why I don't escape spending less than $100 is beyond me.
At least I sample as many free foods while there as I can.
they also are my source for low-sodium bacon, but now that I'm getting myself an A-maze-N smoker, I might not buy Kirkland Bacon as often.  And I've never seen Costco sell Pork Belly, so I may be spending more at the local butcher shoppe in the near future.  I'm guessing that if I like my home smoked bacon better than store bought, then I'm going to increase my amount of cooking "Bacon wrapped anything".

YEMTrey

Just throwing this out there.  But in Cincinnati and I'm sure in other areas there are GFS stores.  I've had very good luck picking up whole packer briskets there.  Last time I got a 15lb'er for $3.79 a pound.  If there are any near you, it's worth the stop.

dihtn

Ok-so how do you qualify for a membership card?

anton

My card and certificate, and a copy of the Bullsheet arrived today!! Woot, I am going to call ahead to my RD location, verify the KCBS program, and then go down and blow some serious dough, Can't wait!
:-bd

JethroVA

Yesterday I bought baby backs at RD for $2.93 lb.

JethroVA

Friend got select beef tenderloin for 11.75lb.

Terrebandit

I got pork tenderloin for 2.99 today and SAMs was 3.88. Costco is going to put SAMs out of business one of these days.

JRWhitee

I go to both and here in Atlanta the restaurant depot is a better deal for pork butts, ribs and briskets. The rib roasts are a toss up though. 

bboulier

We belong to BJ's.   One of the reasons is that the meats (pork, beef, chicken, and lamb) are very good.  Much better than we can get at  the usual grocery stores.

theyolksonyou

I like BJs

nolaegghead

who doesn't

badinfluence

nolaegghead said:

who doesn't

Second that!

Hungry Joe

I posted this in another thread by accident so......

I priced bone in butts at Sam's club and they were close to $2.50 a pound the other day. Today at RD they were $1.68lb for doubles and $1.44 case price.

That is as cheap as I have seen them in a long time. I like the bone in so I never price them at Costco.

BTW the two I bought were almost 23lbs, I've never see them that big at Sam's Club. Instead of doing three I will probably be able get by with just the two.

Also I got my RD membership when I was buying some stuff for a benefit and they gave it to me with no business or tax ID.

Chelnerul

Where are you located, @Hungry_Joe?

R2Egg2Q

I hit the RD in Oakland/Alameda CA this AM. Some prices this AM: Ribeye roast bone in - Superior Angus Choice $9.39/lb, Brisket packer - Halal - $3.85/lb. Was hoping to find a Prime grade packer today but no luck finding any this time.

anton

@R2Egg2Q, we might have been there same time, I got there about 9 am, I just got home, picked up a Choice Angus prime rib, packer brisket, bunch of misc. had a blast, only blew a few hunskies, I will try harder next time! Place was incredible, since I have never shopped for a restaurant, I am blown away at not paying tax!! I feel like I stole!! KCBS membership paid for already. Regarding those briskets they did have, I hung out and asked every person who picked one up what they thought of them, they all said same thing, they all have restaurants, they cook them all the time, they have no complaints, like you, I will be back to find some choice and primes though.
:-bd