Sam’s Club vs. Costco: Which Store Wins on Summer Cookout Staples?
Should you shop at Sam’s Club or Costco for summer cookout staples?
There are great deals to be found at both warehouse clubs when it comes to grilling meats, sides, drinks and more essentials but our careful price matching reveals there’s a clear winner in most barbecue categories.
Be Aware: 5 Items Frugal Middle-Class Americans Should Buy at Sam's Club Before Summer Price Hikes
Find Out: 9 Subtly Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money — That You Should Do, Too
We studied the prices of eight popular summertime groceries available at Sam’s Club and Costco to see where your membership goes the furthest and couldn’t believe the results. Keep these prices in mind for the biggest savings.
Discover More: The Best Sam's Club Buys for the Money Right Now
Hamburgers
Some cookouts feature hamburgers made from fresh ground beef while others prefer grilling frozen beef patties, the latter of which you can find sold in bulk at both clubs.
Sam’s Club wins this round with Member’s Mark ground sirloin beef patties ($34.57) available for $5 less than the Kirkland Signature ground beef patties. Both bags come with 18 beef patties.
Hot Dogs
Determining which storefront has the better deal on hot dogs ultimately depends on the number you’re serving up.
If you only need 12 hot dogs, Member’s Mark beef franks are your best bet. They’re $12.96 per pack, or $1.08 per hot dog. The Kirkland Signature dinner franks retail for $21.55 for a 15-count package, which comes out to $1.44 apiece.
Sam’s Club emerges victorious if your focus is the cheapest possible hot dog. However, if you need to feed a crowd for under $1.50 apiece, they’re both winners on the bulk franks front.
Condiments
You can find condiment variety packs for sale at both warehouse clubs, but Costco walks away packing the most bang for your buck.
Its Heinz classic variety pack is $13.61 with two ketchup, one yellow mustard and one barbecue sauce bottles inside. A similar condiment trio at Sam’s Club consists of Heinz ketchup, yellow mustard and Kraft mayonnaise bottles for $9.98. You save a few dollars at Sam’s Club but get fewer condiment bottles in return.
Plus, it’s worth noting every condiment in Costco’s variety pack is Heinz brand while the Sam’s Club lineup is a mix of Heinz and Kraft brands.
Potato Salad
Sales are key to successfully shopping for bulk potato salad.
The Reser’s classic potato salad available at Costco costs $7.73, and the price per pound is $1.93. Compare to Sam’s Club, which offers 5 pounds of Member’s Mark Southern style potato salad for $7.44.
Sam's comes out on top here. Not only do you get more potato salad, but you pay as little as $1.49 per pound.
Sweet Corn
Sam’s Club easily has the best deal on eight ears of sweet corn. You can bulk buy this grilling must-have for $4.97 or pay nearly $3 more at Costco.
Doritos
The best deals on Doritos are at Costco and Sam’s Club.
Costco’s 30-ounce bags are $8.27, or 28 cents per ounce of chips. Doritos at Sam’s Club come in 18.38-ounce bags and cost $4.48. This means paying 24 cents per ounce, but you’d still have to buy two bags to ensure you have over 30 ounces of chips to serve during the cookout.
That said, you still end up paying less than 30 cents per ounce at both warehouses, which is a pretty good deal.
Ice Cream Bars
Stock up on bulk ice cream bars at Costco instead of Sam’s Club. You can’t beat the price ($11.91) or quantity (18-count) on Kirkland Signature ice cream bars.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola soft drinks are becoming increasingly expensive at traditional supermarkets which makes buying ‘em in bulk the best move during cookout season.
It’s also $3.40 cheaper to pick up a 35-count package of Coca-Cola from Sam’s Club at $18.78 compared to spending $22.18 at Costco.
Editor’s note: Pricing and availability may vary depending on location.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
More From MoneyLion: