Costco Vs Sam's Club: Who Has The Best Meat Department?

If you're debating whether to get a Costco or Sam's Club membership for meat, there's a lot to consider. In an in-depth investigation on Mashed, these two warehouse membership heavyweights went head-to-head to see which was worth the money. Everything from value to freshness was taken into account, with only one winner crowned. While the best meat department for you varies based on your needs and preferences, for most people, that store is going to be Costco. Based on comparing factors like price, variety, and shopping experience, Costco's wider selection of beef, seafood, and pork earned it the title of the overall best.

"While it isn't anywhere near exhaustive, [Costco's selection] provides an admirable variety of sliced, fileted, and whole fish, something Sam's Club didn't have," explained the Mashed writer. In the beef section, Sam's Club had plenty of options, but Costco offered more like flank steak, tri-tip, New York strip, and grass-fed strip loin. This was also the case with poultry, with Costco offering more options like organic chicken drumsticks, breasts, and tenderloins, alongside party wings. And as far as pork goes, "every pork cut possible is represented in Costco [...] aside from the exotic parts," said the Mashed comparison.

And while the fish was slightly pricier at Costco, the warehouse chain giant had a wider selection. Generally, the difference in price between the stores was negligible, so it really came down to what was normally in stock. Sam's Club's Scan & Go feature, where you can buy any in-stock selection, then scan it in-store while skipping the checkout line, was the only aspect where the retailer beat out Costco. Otherwise, Costco's meat department is going to be the best choice for you. 

A store's meat department isn't going to be the only aspect you'll consider when getting a membership, but it could be the defining factor that tips the scales. And everyone's go-to meat department depends on different things. For some, that can be the hassle of waiting in lines versus the convenience of shopping online or curbside pickup. "Have fun waiting in line to check out with your 'better' meat OP. I'll be cruising to my car thanks to Scan and Go™," proudly states one Redditor.  Many also state that they like shopping the Sam's Club meat aisles because it's less busy than Sam's Club, but this is more about the experience than the meat itself.

Another point of contention between Sam's Club and Costco's meat department is the fact that Costco blade-tenderizes meat cuts, and Sam's Club does not. While some believe the tenderization risks introducing surface bacteria into the beef, employees sanitize the tenderizing needles several times throughout the day. And if you cook them to a safe temperature, you likely won't have a problem. Still, this is one of the main reasons some may prefer Sam's Club over Costco. 

As one commenter on Reddit summed it up, "Costco usually has better quality while Sam's gets better deals." Many agree that Costco's selection is top-notch, but there's also something to be said about those early-morning deals at Sam's Club. Ultimately, it may come down to what works best for you. For some, that's which one is the closest. Even if Costco does have better meat quality, Sam's Club may be the only option nearby. You'd still be getting good quality and selection, just maybe not as expansive as at Costco. 

Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and Mashed.