Lots of people love Costco, and rightfully so!
The amazing prices, the baked goods, and of course – the samples.
But let’s face it – this is a tough business, and these seven stores all have their superfans, who would argue that their store is superior to Costco.
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Are they right?
Well, that’s for you to decide.
And we’ll get started with:
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Where you’ll find them: Trader Joe’s started off in California, but now 43 states have at least one TJ’s. If you live near a big city, you probably have several Trader Joe’s near you.
Why they’re better: Trader Joe’s wins with staff friendliness, great prices, and great quality food. (Their frozen section in particular is just fantastic – pretty much all of their premade frozen stuff is great.)
Trader Joe’s does lack some selection – but it’s more than made up for by all its pluses.
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Where you’ll find them: Wegmans is based in New York (primarily upstate) that has gradually expanded down the East Coast over the last decade or so. Wegmans has moved as far south as North Carolina and is filling in stores throughout the space between (with several opening in Virginia).
Why they’re better: I’ve found Wegmans’ selection to be far superior to Costco’s, especially in their cheese section. But where they really shine is in their far superior store-made food. Their hot bar, their sushi and poke bowls are all amazing.
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Where you’ll find them: H-E-B, which stands for Howard E. Butt (its founder), operates exclusively in Texas, with over 300 stores in the Lone Star state.
Why they’re better: Simply, quality for the price is off the charts. I’ve heard that their branded products have to beat the national competition before they’re allowed to start selling (so if they make a Doritos knockoff, it has to win a blind taste test). I don’t know if that’s true, but try their stuff, and you’ll believe it.
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Where you’ll find them: Sprouts is on both coasts (and a few places in between) with over 400 locations in 23 states.
Why they’re better: Sprouts has lots of fantastic organic and zero waste options. In my experience, the staff are amazingly friendly and helpful.
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Where you’ll find them: Just about everywhere. Whole Foods is in 45 states and has over 500 stores.
Why they’re better: Amazing quality, fantastic selection and, since the Amazon takeover, pretty good prices too. Whole Foods is where I go for any specialty goods.
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Where you’ll find them: Mostly east of the Mississippi, with a strong presence in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, and the Carolinas.
Why they’re better: Honestly, their quality is amazing (even if the prices are pretty high). If you’re looking to save a buck, I probably wouldn’t shop at The Fresh Market – but if you’re looking for top-notch quality, I’d go there.
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Where you’ll find them: Lucky’s is a tiny chain of grocery stores exclusively in Colorado.
Why they’re better: Super friendly staff, great company culture, great quality food. It’s just a joyful place to shop.
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Where you’ll find them: Sam’s Club is in 44 states, plus Puerto Rico – and if you’re going abroad, they have locations in China, Brazil, and Mexico.
Why they’re better: No frills, bargain barrel prices. When Washington Consumer’s Checkbook ran an analysis of tire prices, the only place that edged out Costco for pricing was Sam’s Club.
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Where you’ll find them: Everywhere. There are multiple Targets in every state.
Why they’re better: I want to call out Target’s selection (especially their organic selection) and extremely convenient and efficient curbside pickup here. They make it so easy!
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Ok, I couldn’t leave without giving Costco some love.
Costco is where I shop for gift cards and a lot of dry goods – because the prices (if you have the storage to buy in bulk) really are fantastic.
And Costco is (almost) everywhere – with almost 700 stores in the USA and almost 900 worldwide, chances are good that if you live near a metro area you’ve got a Costco or three in driving distance.
And let’s face it…
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The Costco hot dog is possibly the ninth world wonder – an all-beef hot dog + a soda for $1.50? Yes please!
Costco founder Jim Sinegal once said that if Costco ever raised the price on its hot dog, it would be a sign that he’s dead.
So far no change!
And this brings me to my final question:
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What do YOU think?
Is Costco the best of the bunch? Or did one of these other stores clearly stand higher?
Let us know in the comments!
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