11 Reasons Shoppers Are Ditching Costco for Sam’s Club (And Not Looking Back)

Costco offers plenty of positives if you're looking to save money on groceries or get good deals on seasonal items and special purchases.

However, some shoppers are ready to ditch their Costco membership and head to Sam's Club instead for their shopping needs.

So why make the switch? Here are some reasons customers gave up Costco for Sam's Club.

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Costco is a popular option for shoppers, but sometimes it can be too popular.

"I almost always have to park near the back of the lot, every other aisle is like rush hour, and checking out or getting gas takes 15 minutes of waiting for your turn," said Reddit user Gniphe.

Costco and Sam's Club carry snacks of all kinds, from healthy to fan favorites, although the selection at Sam's Club may be better.

"If you like snacks, then Sam's a huge plus," said Redditor Soundfires, who noted that Sam's Club will also put its snacks on sale more often than Costco.

Membership to a bulk retailer can yield more savings than shopping at your local grocery store, but you might get extra cash in your pocket shopping at Sam's Club over Costco.

"It's crazy how often I find things $5 to $6 cheaper at Sam's than at Costco," posted Reddit user scotjowitt2000.

Sometimes, you might find items you like better at Sam's Club than at Costco. One example a Reddit user noticed was with the meat department from store to store.

"Costco has good meat on the East Coast, but quality is hit or miss in San Diego when I spend time with family," said user lhfitz76, who noted that Sam's Club has quality beef.

One advantage of shopping at Sam's Club is its scan-and-go feature, which isn't available for Costco shoppers. If you're comfortable with the Sam's Club app, you can scan each product as you put it in your cart and then check out without having to stand in line.

"Scan & Go at Sam's is better than anything Costco has ever provided. It's just so convenient and makes me resent the already-subpar Costco checkout environment even more," said Redditor michaelrxs.

Costco and Sam's Club each have locations across the U.S., so sometimes it's just a matter of convenience to drop one membership for another.

Reddit user TinaByKtina said, "I've always been a Costco fan, but now it's about 20 minutes away and the Sam's Club is right there. Literally end of the neighborhood."

One advantage of shopping at Sam's Club or Costco is that you can get freshly prepared meals, making it an easy dinner option after a long day.

Some shoppers, however, have noticed a difference between the two stores. "Sam's seems to have a larger variety of fresh-prepared meals for cooking at home," said Redditor breakfreeCLP.

Both stores have rotisserie chickens, which can be a tasty option for an easy meal or to shred and use for recipes.

Some rotisserie chicken fans say that one store is better than the other. "It tastes weird. It's juicy, but has a strong chemical taste from whatever they use to brown the skin," said Redditor petit_cochon.

Reddit poster sisko4 said the quality of Costco's rotisserie chicken has steadily gotten worse.

One of the perks of getting a Sam's Club Plus membership is that you have extra shopping hours just for you. Plus, members can start shopping early before the retailer opens for all members.

Redditor themishmosh said, "The Plus hours are great," while Reddit user Zorgsmom replied, " I do love the Plus hours."

Gas can be expensive, but a membership to Sam's Club or Costco can help you save money.

Shoppers, however, find that Sam's Club may be better than Costco when filling your tank. "Gas station? Way faster at Sam's," said Redditor Hunnid2000.

Sam's Club and Costco have premium-tier memberships that offer 2% cash back on purchases. Sam's Club conveniently gives you cash back to use quickly, while Costco's policy includes sending you a check that you must remember to bring each quarter.

Redditor SnowblindAlbino said the convenience of Sam's Cash with a premium membership makes it easier to shop.

"I paid for my entire cart of groceries (in the app) with Sam's cash from last month," they said, noting it's much better than waiting a year for a rebate check to arrive.

Sam's Club and Costco each have advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to review both before deciding which one you prefer.

You should also compare costs to decide how to save money on essentials and other items, especially if you compare them on a per-unit cost to your local grocery store.