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Is Sams as good as Costco (for those of you that have access to both)???

You read it.  Just curious for your opinions.  I am a Costco die hard myself.  Their meat is spectacular and they have a nice wine selection with an AWESOME liquor store.  We just moved recently and now Sams is 10 mins away...Costco is 35 mins away.  Don't want to cheat on Costco but man the drive makes it not enjoyable.

For those of you that have access to both is Sams as good as Costco?
Anderson, SC
XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

Comments

  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273

    Have shopped both.  Sometimes I kinda thought Costco was a bit higher end - then sometimes they seem equal.

    I probably go to Sam's more, just cause parking is such a hassle at Costco.

    Cookin in Texas
  • Costco only has boneless butts.  I believe Sams has bone-in.  

     "Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great, Here's to "Down Home," the Old North State!"

    Med & XL

  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    I quit Sam's when Costco came to town.  In my experience, Costco is a cut above Sam's.  
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    I am with VI, I gave up Sams for Costco just thought the food quality was better IMO.
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
  • Costco is, IMO, well ahead of Sam's--better staff, better quality goods under house brand label (Kirkland), etc.  I did go to local Sam's last year when they had one of the "open House" days for anyone to come in free on one day free membership.  I did not see anything that made me want to switch from Costco to Sam's.

    Costco also has good American Express card rewards program--I have the business card executive membership--AmExp card with no annual fee, 1% back on all Costco purchases, plus 4% back on Costco gas purchases--adds up over the year.

  • I think Costco's selection is far superior, and they pay their employees much better, which results in much better service.

    [Northern] Virginia is for [meat] lovers.
  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    It hasn't been mentioned, but Costco has the best return policy that I've ever seen.  No questions asked.  I took back the Sous Vide machine and just told them I didn't like it.  Ahead of me in line was a woman returning half of a flat of canned chocolate milk.  I asked the clerk if people could return stuff they've used like that, and she said "as long as it's half or more.  That woman does this every week".
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    I think 70% is about the same. Feel the wine (Costco brand) is very hard to beat. Can only get Sea Bass at Costo. If I could only have one card it would be Costco (Amex, and a small discount each year).
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
    That has unfortunately been my experience as well.  This was just an affirmation of why I continue to drive 70 round trip mins as opposed to 20!

    What about on a meat quality only basis.  Does Sams come close?
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    Mickey said:
    I think 70% is about the same. Feel the wine (Costco brand) is very hard to beat. Can only get Sea Bass at Costo. If I could only have one card it would be Costco (Amex, and a small discount each year).
    Saw a show about Costco recently... they are one of (if not the) largest wine buyers in the world!
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
  • I have not directly compared Sam's meat to Costco, so can't comment.  I do note I don't buy the boston butts at Costco because they do only have it deboned--just wait until butts on sale at local grocery and just replinish my freezer so I always have at least 2 in freezer.

     

    I do buy chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, ribeyes, salmon, ground beef at Costco--best prices around.

  • One other note on Costco extraordinary service--I once asked an employee about an item they did not carry.  The employee told me there is a comment card dropbox over by the service desk.  Fill out the card, put it in the box, and all cards go to corporate headquarters each week.  Then, there is a notebook on the same desk--check the notebook in a week or two and there will be a written response from corporate to your inquiry.  I did it, and did get a written response in the notebook--interesting to look at all the comments/inquiries and responses--they reprint all the questions in the notebook along with the response from corporate.
  • hoffmand
    hoffmand Posts: 105
    I prefer Costco for everything except pork butts. Still go to Sams for the bone-in ones. I buy sub-primals of NY Strip at Costco for $8.75/lb and cut my own steaks. I haven't seen prime beef at Sams.
    Cedar Park, TX
  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,052
    I belong to both.  The meat at Sam's has been excellent.  The pork butts are excellent and the briskets I have bought there recently have been top notch with great marbleing.  The baby back ribs seem to be consistently good so I always buy them there even if a local store has them for a few cents less. The pork loins are very good also.  The meat at Costco looks OK but it seems to be more expensive here for the same cuts that I get at Sams.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

  • KennyLee
    KennyLee Posts: 806
    I think Costco's selection is far superior, and they pay their employees much better, which results in much better service.

    Totally agree......went to Costco with the wife a few weeks ago and remarked how surprised I was at the friendliness and helpful nature of the staff and figured they must have a pretty decent comp plan.

    I also feel Coscto is a cut above in quality and selection.....loved their meat and beer and wine selections.  Also seems more upscale and even cleaner to me, but YMMV.

    LBGE

    Cedar table w/granite top

    Ceramic Grillworks two-tier swing rack

    Perpetual cooler of ice-cold beer

  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    It hasn't been mentioned, but Costco has the best return policy that I've ever seen.  No questions asked.  I took back the Sous Vide machine and just told them I didn't like it.  Ahead of me in line was a woman returning half of a flat of canned chocolate milk.  I asked the clerk if people could return stuff they've used like that, and she said "as long as it's half or more.  That woman does this every week".
    My mother-in-law bought a Kuerig coffee maker at Costco. Had it for well over a year when Costco quit selling the decaffeinated cups for it (she only drinks de-caf). She took the machine back, told them if they weren't going to carry the de-caf that she had no use for it and got a full refund!
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
  • BGEGP
    BGEGP Posts: 47
    I'm a die hard Costco fan, but I don't like their briskets anymore.  They changed the way they trim them. They removed the point and most of the fat.
  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
    We have both, and avoid Sam's at all cost, but have it for a better selection of diapers and other baby stuff. Food-wise, Costco wins hand down. Quality is so much better than sam's. I'm actually kind of nervous of their meat department. Just looks sketchy. Although the bone-in pork butts are hard to beat at $1.50/pound.
    Dunedin, FL
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    It hasn't been mentioned, but Costco has the best return policy that I've ever seen.  No questions asked.  I took back the Sous Vide machine and just told them I didn't like it.  Ahead of me in line was a woman returning half of a flat of canned chocolate milk.  I asked the clerk if people could return stuff they've used like that, and she said "as long as it's half or more.  That woman does this every week".
    When I worked there, we had a guy that would buy a lawnmower in the Spring and return it for a snowblower in late Fall and vice versa. Another lady would buy cut flowers and then return them a week later because "they died too fast". Another couple would refresh their furniture every 2 years by bringing back all the old stuff and buying new stuff when they put it all out in the spring. 
    Good times. 
  • bbqlearner
    bbqlearner Posts: 760

    I like Costco better for the reason mentioned by everyone above. However, I have a Sam's right around the corner from my house and Costco is 20-30 miles away so I can't beat that for those occasional trips since it's so close.

    Anyway, they're building a Costco on the other side of my complex that'll be complete in July so needless to say, I'm looking forward to it because my drive will be very short (less than 1 mile)! 

    :D

    Houston, TX - Buddy LBGE, Don SBGE, Tiny Mini & Shiny Momma Pitts n Spitts

  • HDumptyEsq
    HDumptyEsq Posts: 1,095
    I'd like to bury my face in Costco's standing rib roast or just wear it on my head!!

    Tony in Brentwood, TN.

    Medium BGE, New Braunfels off-set smoker, 3-burner Charbroiler gasser, mainly used for Eggcessory  storage, old electric upright now used for Amaz-N-Smoker.

    "I like cooking with wine - sometimes I put it in the food." - W. C. Fields

  • GatoGordo
    GatoGordo Posts: 80
    I think it depends. We have three Costco's within driving distance and four Sam's Clubs. Each of the Costco's is different from the others as are the Sam's Clubs. For example, each Costco will carry a different selection of Beer than the others and one Costco had a cheaper price on an alarm clock I wanted to buy.

    Best bet is to visit each near you and compare the actual store to see which one you prefer.

    LBGE, Stoker WiFi, UDS, Pit Barrel Cooker
  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    Been shopping both for over twenty years.  Costco is twice the store Sam's ever hoped to be!!  The Sam's store i shop is the worst in the entire S.E. United States!!  Gainesville, Fl. !!!  Now this is "over and above" the standard store policies, very poor management, and i have talked to corporate and they know they have big problems in this store.  I have slowly weaned myself away from this store.  The rotation of products, the proper refrigeration of products and basic store management is a complete failure in this store!!  Now for over ten years i shopped at another Sam's store and had very little to complain about --- WHY?  ---- manager !!!  My closest Costco is 63 miles away, but i am happy to shop in a clean, well stocked, properly rotated store!!  They have changed the management in the Gainesville store three times and always returns to a failure???   
  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167

    There is no Sam's in our area, so, yeah, I like Costco a lot better!  

    Plus, Costco is about a seven minute drive for me..............

    :D
    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon