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The Kitchn published a comparison of Costco and Sam’s Club, covering membership costs, rewards, return policies, credit cards, store brands, prices and food courts. It found differences in fees and returns, but the supplied report excerpt does not include its full price or food-court findings.
The Kitchn has published a comparison of Costco and Sam’s Club, examining annual membership fees, rewards, return policies, branded credit cards, store brands, prices and food courts. The report describes Costco as costing slightly more to join, while finding that its membership rewards can offer a higher maximum annual return; its excerpt also favors Costco’s return process, but does not provide the full findings on prices or food courts.
The comparison lists Costco’s Gold Star membership at $65 a year and its Executive membership at $130 a year. Executive members can earn a 2% annual reward, capped at $1,250, according to the report. Sam’s Club charges $60 a year for Club and $120 for Plus; Plus members can earn 2% back in Sam’s Cash, capped at $750 annually. Sam’s Club also periodically offers discounts on first-year memberships, the report says.
Both retailers provide two membership cards per household and offer satisfaction guarantees covering memberships and merchandise, subject to policy restrictions. The report says Costco generally allows members to return most products with a membership card, while Sam’s Club prefers an original receipt and reserves the right to limit returns. Both have exceptions or limited return windows for some categories, including electronics.
The article also compares co-branded credit cards. It lists gas, dining and other purchase rewards for both programs, with Sam’s Club warehouse rewards varying by membership tier. The author says the card offers are comparable. The report describes Kirkland Signature and Member’s Mark as the chains’ respective private-label brands, but the supplied excerpt does not include the complete analysis of store brands, prices or food-court offerings.
Membership Costs and Return Trade-Offs
The comparison matters to households deciding whether a warehouse membership will pay for itself. The annual fee is only one part of the calculation: shoppers also need to weigh reward limits, eligible purchases and redemption rules. The report says Costco’s Executive reward has a higher maximum than Sam’s Plus reward, but Sam’s Cash is redeemable at Sam’s Club rather than being unrestricted cash, according to the article.
Return policies can also affect the value of a membership, particularly for expensive or unsuitable purchases. The Kitchn’s preference for Costco is the author’s assessment of convenience, not a finding that every return will be accepted without restrictions. Both companies list exceptions, so shoppers should check the applicable terms before buying.
Price comparisons are especially relevant because warehouse clubs sell large packs and product ranges that may differ between locations. A lower unit price is not automatically a saving if a household cannot use the quantity. The source excerpt does not supply item-by-item prices or a standardized basket comparison, so it cannot establish which retailer is cheaper overall.
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How the Comparison Was Made
The Kitchn report is based on the author’s experience as a long-time Costco member and former, intermittent Sam’s Club member, alongside research using the retailers’ websites and apps and conversations with friends. The author says she has been a Costco member for 14 years and visits a nearby warehouse regularly. That experience informs the article’s judgments, including its preference for Costco’s return process.
The source states that listed prices were accurate when the article was published, but the supplied material does not give the publication date. Membership fees, card rewards and product prices can change, and some offers may be temporary. The comparison should be read as a report of the terms and information available at that time, not a guarantee of current prices or benefits.
“I started to wonder which warehouse club was better for my family.”
— Patty Catalano, The Kitchn food editor and report author
Price and Food-Court Findings Missing
The supplied source ends before the comparison’s full sections on store brands, product availability, prices and food courts. It is therefore not possible to report the article’s complete conclusions about which retailer offered lower prices, a broader selection or the better food-court value. The excerpt also does not provide a dated price basket or details showing whether comparable products were checked in the same locations.
The publication date is not included in the material provided, and the fees and rewards described may have changed since publication. The stated prices were accurate at the time of publication, according to the report, but readers should verify current membership terms and return rules directly with the retailers.
Check Current Local Terms
Shoppers considering either club can compare current membership fees, reward terms and return exclusions on Costco’s and Sam’s Club’s official websites before joining. They can also check local product availability and compare the unit prices of items they regularly buy, rather than assuming the report establishes a chain-wide price winner.
The full Kitchn article may contain additional findings on prices and food courts beyond the excerpt supplied here. Until those details and the publication date are available, the comparison supports conclusions about the fees, rewards and return-policy descriptions included above, but not a complete verdict on overall value.
Key Questions
Which membership costs less?
In the fees listed by The Kitchn, Sam’s Club costs less at both levels: Club is $60 a year and Plus is $120. Costco’s Gold Star costs $65 and Executive costs $130. The source says Sam’s Club periodically discounts first-year memberships.
Which membership has the higher maximum annual reward?
The report lists Costco Executive’s 2% annual reward with a $1,250 cap, compared with a $750 annual cap for Sam’s Club Plus. Sam’s reward is paid as Sam’s Cash and can be spent at Sam’s Club, according to the article.
Which retailer has the better return policy?
The Kitchn author favors Costco, citing returns that generally do not require an original receipt. Both chains have exceptions, and Sam’s Club says it prefers receipts and may limit returns. Electronics and other categories can have restricted return windows or rules.
Does the comparison show which club has lower prices?
Not from the supplied excerpt. Although the report says it compares prices, the material provided does not include its item-level findings, price basket or conclusion about which retailer is cheaper.
Are the fees and rewards guaranteed to be current?
No. The article says prices were accurate at the time of publication, but the supplied material does not include that date. Check each retailer’s current membership and reward terms before joining.
Source: thekitchn.com
