[Zerohead]

Longtime Costco and 1 year BJ’s.

Both have your daily need stuff in bulk at good prices. Costco snack bar has a lot more choices than BJ such as oversized pizza slices, salads, soft ice cream etc

Costco has a larger variety as well as occasional novel itens they are “trying out”.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by ehonour

Surprising (to me) answers to this question, most of them by people who don't shop at Costco. Gotta love it when people have an opinion about something they've not explored.

The difference is quality.

I've been a Costco member for well over fifteen years in other locations. When we moved to TV, I tried both Sam's and BJ's because they were close. Neither one came up to the same standards as Costco. So I continued to drive down to Tampa (now Clermont) to go to Costco. There are lots of boxed/wrapped commercial items (toilet paper, kitchen appliances, etc.) for which there is no difference. But most of the foodstuffs are simply better quality at Costco: better flavor, better choice, better price. I look forward to their opening here in TV.

Where do you get the idea that most are commenting on something they have not explored? It looks to me like 11 of the 15 answers that mentioned shopping had actually shopped at more than one. Those answers have to be at least as valid as the person who has always shopped at Costco but "tried" BJs and Sams once to confirm they were not the same and now continues to shop only at Costco.

[Rocksnap]

2 things that stink about Costco. Much of their meat is “blade tenderized”. Meaning it’s poked full of holes by dozens of needles as it passes down the processing line. To me, that’s a seriously hi chance of contamination.
Then there is Costco announcing their W0ke policy. When that seems to be in the opposite trend than it recently has been. As many other companies have rethought that policy, as it had a negative impact on their business.

[Rzepecki]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

I haven't been in the other 2 for years, but I believe that Sam's Club is the only one where you can watch them squeeze orange juice, then buy it and take it home.

I happily pay the membership fee, just for the OJ. 3.5L/week. My Dr. says it's not incontrovertible scientific evidence, but I haven't had a cold since the 90's.

We’re hooked on the fresh squeezed orange juice too.

[TheWarriors]

Both have pluses and minuses. Where Sam’s beats Costco is in hours and checkout. You can use the Sam’s app to checkout rather than waiting in long lines at Costco. It’s always a 15 minute wait to checkout there.

[nn0wheremann]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

I have never been in a Costco store, but many on this forum wax lyrical about them.

What are the main differences between a Costco and the other two?

Thank you

Costco uses fewer suppliers, so gets deeper discounts, and uses those suppliers to make its own brand of merchandise. Less choice better quality, allegedly.

BJs is a pain in the neck, coupon centric, poor choice, higher prices.

Sams is a better grade of Walmart, and has a great meat department. Wide variety, better quality, good to fair prices.

[mraines]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

I have never been in a Costco store, but many on this forum wax lyrical about them.

What are the main differences between a Costco and the other two?

Thank you

I really don't know as I don't frequent any of them. I hate the big box stores and don't understand why retirees have a need for buying in large quantities.

[mraines]

Originally Posted by Rocksnap

2 things that stink about Costco. Much of their meat is “blade tenderized”. Meaning it’s poked full of holes by dozens of needles as it passes down the processing line. To me, that’s a seriously hi chance of contamination.
Then there is Costco announcing their W0ke policy. When that seems to be in the opposite trend than it recently has been. As many other companies have rethought that policy, as it had a negative impact on their business.

I don't shop at Costco or any other big box stores but if I did, I might go to Costco. Why are you hung up on Woke? Do you even know what it means or do you just parrot what your station tells you?

[mraines]

Originally Posted by JerryLBell

I've been members of all three. Sam's Club and BJ's are pretty good, having cheaper gasoline and pretty good quality meats (in bulk, of course!). Costco is usually bigger with more choices, perhaps a shade lower in prices. What I notice mostly is how enthusiastic and helpful Costco employees generally are in comparison to the employees at the other two. I guess you get that when you pay a better wage, offer better benefits and don't try to keep employees under 40 hours a week to keep them from getting benefits. Or maybe it's the fact that the CEO of the company makes something like 7 times as much as the average employee (I may have the number wrong; it's from a special I saw on them years ago) instead of 50 or 100 times as much.

Some people just freakin' LOVE the $1.50 quarter-pound hot dog-and-a-soda deal that Costco has had for years. I tried it once and I thought it was a tube full of gas instead of meat. But then, I'm annoyingly particular about hot dogs.

While I no longer eat them, I found the best hot dogs were the ones sold by the vendor in front of Home Depot.

[Federspiel]

I have been a member of all 3 and currently I am a snowbird with a Costco membership up North and BJs in TV. Will continue paying for both because of savings and convenience. I golf cart to BJs and am 2 miles from Costco by car up North. Costco is the best. May drop BJs depending on how far new Costco is from my village home, even if by car. Gasoline savings alone pays for either memberships.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Switter

Meat department: I compared steaks at Sam's, BJ's, and Costco. Costco steaks are about 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" thick. At Sam's you're lucky if it's 3/4" thick. BJ's meat department isn't even worth mentioning. Costco has awesome sirloin, ribeye, and New York strip.

Bakery: the stuff actually tastes like it was made by a real bakery, not store-bought like Sam's. Again, BJ's bakery isn't even worth mentioning.

You've obviously never been in the Sam's Club in Lady Lake.

[biker1]

By your own admission, you don’t regularly shop there so you probably don’t really know about the quantities. I guess you could consider buying 4 tires at their auto center to be buying in a large quantity ;-). There are many other available items that nobody would consider a “large quantity”. It is a good place to buy a TV, and other electronics, and you don’t have to buy a dozen TVs.

Originally Posted by mraines

I really don't know as I don't frequent any of them. I hate the big box stores and don't understand why retirees have a need for buying in large quantities.

[Arctic Fox]

Thank you for all of your insights - if Costco offers a "free" membership like BJ's did we'll try it for a year

I love the idea of finding a good source of lamb, but I'll be giving everyone's hot dogs a miss!

Happy shopping, all, and don't miss out on those post-Christmas bargains :-)

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

Hmmm. Never driven (or been in) either of those :-)

No need to drive or ride in either.

The point is...............the Sam's/Costco debate is the same as the age-old Chevy/Ford debate.

It's 100% opinions.

Millions like Sam's (Chevy), million's like Costco (Ford).

[Lynnesail]

Originally Posted by shaw8700@outlook.com

But the new one will be golf cart accessible!

Right now we are members of BJ’s but I'm looking forward to what Costco offers.

How do you shop at Costco in a golf cart?