Sam's Club

I'm giving it one star just to see if they supervise or better train the staff assigned to the parking lot. I understand they're there to help customers load their things into their cars. Today I left with my car packed to the top, as always when I come here, and the people in the parking lot didn't come over to help me; they just looked at me from a distance. A person parked next to me seemed disabled, and they didn't come over to help him either. I'm only posting this review so they pay more attention to them, since I did need the help, and so did the disabled person. Since they're there and they're getting paid, then they should do what they're supposed to.

Come here almost three times a week to buy ingredients for our restaurant. Had a bad experience this morning. They don't even care that you have the correct receipt, just staring at their crazy system. Well, really helpless. Hope they train the people who check the receipts at the door well, especially professional knowledge, patience and work attitude.

It’s Sunday and they only have two lanes open, I understand if all of them can’t be open but the line is far out of sight. One of the people working seems to be an elderly lady that should not be working that hard.

They display flowers arrangements with lower price then up up charge you. Manager admits they did that wrong and failed to apologize and instead disrespects me. To the manager - I’m not your dude, and I can buy your whole existence multiple times at the cashier. Show some respect to Sam’s club customers.

Very disappointed with Sam’s Club – Costco is way better. I’ve been a Sam’s Club member for a while, but this recent experience really pushed me to cancel my membership. First of all, the quality of their products is noticeably worse compared to Costco. From food items to household goods, I constantly find myself disappointed. But the worst part is their customer service. I tried returning a product and was met with attitude from the staff like I was doing something wrong. They asked a ridiculous number of questions, made me feel uncomfortable, and in the end, refused to give me a refund. It was frustrating and unprofessional. At Costco, returns are easy, staff are friendly, and you feel valued as a member. Sam’s Club? Not even close. Overall, not worth the hassle or the membership fee. Definitely canceling and taking my business elsewhere.

Great products but customer service poor. Employees look miserable to be at work. As someone who just signed up for a membership today, it ruins my experience as a paying customer. If the employees don’t wanna be there, then why should I? I’ll have to go visit the lakeline location now to see if they are any better.

Nothing but bad experiences here. There's a reason why people flock to Costco and avoid Sam's club. The employees were very quick to try and kick us out 5 minutes before closing And told us get here sooner next time. I tried to order food from the food court and they said I needed to use the app to order food which is crazy to me. This was a horrible experience

Feb. 2025: I've been a member 21-years but they took away the cafe's ability to order unless you install an app and give them all your permissions. You think I'm kidding? I saw them turn 3 people away unless they scanned a QR code and installed an app and gave all permissions, which none of the customers did, and they will NOT just take an order. This is not for banking. This is not for your benefits. This is not for your prescriptions. This is to get your grandkids a hot dog and a pretzel. The Walton family has lost it. Probably not going to renew for year 22.

The good part is that this usually has the cheapest gas in the area tied with Costco down the block. Unfortunately it reportedly doesn't have the detergent in it that Costco has, so it's not quite as good there. The other drawbacks are many, including that you have to have a Sam's Club membership to buy gas, of course. And since Sam's Club is popular there is almost always a big line to get to one of the pumps even though there are lots of pumps. One factor contributing to the line that is a pet peeve is that they only allow you to drive through one direction in order to control traffic flow, I guess. But that means that half the pumps have extra long lines because more people have a gas tank on that side of their car. This results in me getting in the shorter line each time and having to stretch the hose over my trunk to insert into the opposite side. Absurd! Other drawbacks are that you can't use cash and can only pay at the pump, although they have an app that you can pay from if that's easier. The hours are also shorter than average because the store isn't open late. In short, it's a very no-frills gas experience, though I still use it when I have a membership. It's conveniently located and always has window cleaner squeegees at the pumps and is well covered from the rain and sun most of the time, but it's nothing special for a few cents savings.

Two attendants chatting, the pump we tried near where they were talking they were standing nearby in the way. We got them to move- seemed they were deep in comvo instead of helping us get fuel which is the purpose they are there- RIGHT? No! Get this: First, the card reader didn't work- ok- the guy tried to help- fine. Then we went to another pump which since it was pretty much empty we circled around and ended up facing the entrance to try and get fuel. The male attendant talked to me, all the while my boyfriend got fuel and told us the manager will turn off the pump if he sees anyone doing that. The only way around it is him staying there talking to me. He told me that on another occasion- there was an incident where a woman got mad for some reason- got an attorney and sued Sam's. Strange. Anyway, I felt intimidated and upset because by that time the place started filling up and then we would have had to wait in line again to get fuel. Doesn't the manager take that into account???? No!!! Meanwhile, the woman whose thought left- comes back and starts chatting with my boyfriend like she's trying to pick him up, the male attendant get mad at her tells her to leave- she refuses, they start FIGHTING! Angry words, nothing physical but GEEZ!!! Horrible experience- would give them no stars if I could. I hate Sam's! My boyfriend has a card, I used to and quit because of the bad prices. See prior posts. How I hate coming to Sam's! Yet another awful experience!!!

This membership $$ club store's service at the tire shop is ridiculous. The management team at this location is of poor quality in service , Jeremy the club store manager should be ashamed of him self, having this type of poor management customer service culture. His employees in the tire shop have their own policies and procedures, of Walmart quality! I'll rate this location a straight "F" for poor quality of service to the customer!

Now, this is by far the worst Sam's Club I've been to. They have a very low inventory on most things I like to buy. The layout is confusing and allows shoppers to be clustered together in lumps which is hard to navigate. I never care for the lack of healthy goods in the frozen section. They have a lot of meats, cheeses, and processed this and that junk, but there's hardly anything vegetarian or vegan friendly. I picked up some ketchup when we were about to leave, the lady, Regina scanned the ketchup to tell us that it was supposed to be in a three pack, so why was it on the shelf without its pack? That's the job of merchandisers at Sam's Club, not the customer to go locate. (I worked at Sam's Club in college). So our options were to go find the three-pack or refund. We just refunded because this Sam's Club ain't got their stuff together (pun intended). Also, when we were checking out, we scanned all our items in the self-checkout. My boyfriend was getting ready to pay and the machine wouldn't take his card because though it says that you can just swipe your card, it kept glitching like it wasn't accepting the swipe option. So we called over the "green shirt" associate who is the supervisor and she got on her walkie-talkie to talk to someone else about something else and completely ignored us. Then, when she got done, she turns to say, "well I don't know why it is not working and it isn't my problem and maybe you can go to another self-checkout register. I don't know what to tell you guys." That's how I remember the management at Sam's Club, unhelpful at best!

This is a limited review: I do not walk into Sam's Club anymore. I did years ago and the madhouse inside ran me out. I now do pick up outside. Pick up is very smooth, even though at times the waiting period for my goods' arrival seems excessive. I don't use Sam's for a lot of items, because like a lot of other reviewers, they have a lot of junk food, but they do have many things that suit my needs, so I patronize them.

This Sam's Club location is wonderful !!!! The floral section is fabulous the prices are great & they make arrangements that are so very beautiful !!! We were recently in the store & spoke with the gentleman in the floral section & told him how beautiful the arrangements were. He was very nice & thanked us for our comments & readily pointed out what had been used in the arrangement. We just love shopping here !!!!

I like it here. There's always that Sam's vs Costco debate but personally I get a lot of my needs met here from photos to glasses to Rx to bulk food and church bulk needs. Now that we got onto the better membership plan we are actually making $ cashing back and waiving the annual fee. Yes the place may look drab and it's dimmer so more depressing to shop here vs Costco but still it's roomier, people are friendlier and there's no one pushing carts into you. Samples are during lunch or snack times and they give alot and there isn't crazy shoving lines like Costco. Overall prices are good esp when there are deals. Funny how some stuff they have here Costco doesn't so we still hit both but meats I've found better deals here. I like their pizza here too. Thinner and maybe greasier but it's good. Their chicken salad croissant sandwich is good. They give alot. Their ice cream is bigger and cheaper here too and their hot dogs are huge. This Sam's is our go to. Very convenient location too. Been going here for decades and Love seeing same friendly faces still working here. Kerp it up Sam's!

Very good sams, quality merchandise in bulk, gas prices are good and the food at the end is really yummy

I like to come to this location because it convenient and closest location to me. Well, the past couple of times I had to go visit the Service Center, in which I had to interact with the same lady, which is not friendly nor helpful. She looks like she's always mad and just wants you to go away. I kept telling her It scanned an item twice in which she DID Not believe me when she sees it with her own eyes. The receipt writing is pretty small and I didn't have my glasses, but I can see it was scanned twice.

Sam's was never my favorite out of the wholesale warehouse stores, but it's been stepping it's game up lately. I have a membership to both Costco and Sam's because well why not. The parking lot is so much better than some other wholesale warehouse stores, and the prices are comparable, so that is a plus in my book. There are items here that you can't find in other whole sale clubs, like powered sugar and brown sugar. There is a different selection in both places so I think that Sam's has a lot of pluses. It's good for business owners since they have a lot of supplies, like utensils plastic and real. They have a large selection of towels that you can buy separately and not in a package. They have a great selection of snacks. The cakes here are pretty awesome though and now they will make to order tiered cakes! The only downside to Sam's for me is the food court, the food is not very good but they do have Icees if you want some sugar syrup and it's super cheap. The other food isn't so good in my opinion, but it is cheap so if that's what you are going for then there you go. The other wholesale club has a better food court hands down. The gas prices are awesome and the lines for gas is pretty small so you can get in and out fairly quickly most of the time. The best part is that they accept more than just one type of credit card, they accept Master, Amex, and Discover. You can of course use your Visa Debit card too. I definitely will keep my membership here and continue going here.

I have memberships at both Sam's and Costco, because both have their merits. Costco has a lot of higher end products and Sam's has a lot more junk food. Here's what hurts this Sam's club. First, the temperature inside this location was warm -- like no air moving at all. Second, the selection is heavily geared toward business customers, especially food service and restaurants. The selection of foods and paper products seem more like Restaurant Depot than a store geared to the general public. Finally, this Sam's makes the exit process painful. The gentleman checking receipts as you leave is slow and apparently has to scan individual items before you can leave. It's doubtful I'll renew my membership, at least based on this location.

Haven't been in this store in forever, but have used them a couple of times in the past 6 months for curbside. It's not my nearest Sam's Club, but they sometimes have items my store is either out-of-stock on or doesn't carry. I've been consistently impressed with the speed and accuracy of their curbside service. My last pickup was when they opened on Sunday at 10a, and I was driving away by 10:05. Can't beat that.

This Sam's club sucks in the cafe literally 5 times that we have stopped here they never have any one that can do the cafe.

Michael at the gas station deserves a raise! So helpful and efficient. Had issues with the app not working at the gas pump and he didn't hesitate to use his employee card and get me moving through the line. Please give this guy some recognition.

Cake decorating is AWFUL. The message looks like a 5th grader wrote it. I took it back to be re-written. I was polite about it: I said I don't mean to offend anyone but the folks planning the party are not happy with the writing, could you please make it neater and a little less squished together? The girl gave me so much attitude, glaring at me, "well, everyone has different handwriting!" If Sam's is going to offer cake decorating, they should hire a professional. It should look presentable. And if the decorator can't make it look decent, they should at least be nice to their customers! YES, everyone has different handwriting- my own is terrible- but I am not a cake decorator. You wouldn't want me to decorate your cake. Shame on Sam's for not hiring correctly.

Linda in the flower shop is the heartbeat of this store. There is no one I've ever met in retail that goes the extra mile like her. I will forever shop at this Sams Club as long as she's working Thanks Linda.

My experience today at the Panera Bread establishment at 9901 N Capital of Texas Hwy, Austin,TX was something that I must share with the world. My wife and I have NEVER felt so special, appreciated or treated so nicely at any Panera anywhere in the country (and we've been to many as we are Pro-Drivers). A special thank to the Asst Manager Ryan, the person who has set the "gold standard" for his staff to follow at this Panera Bread location. The great service we experienced at the hand of Ryan should be emulated by all the Panera Bread Stores around the country. We received a warm, friendly welcome, top notch table service by this true professional and food prepared "right" the first time! He really "blew us away", talk'in bout "A" game-Ryan was/is on it!! So Panera Corporate if there was anyone you were considering promoting to manager of one of your stores, this customer recommends Ryan hands down--Thank You Ryan for making our day special with your great service. My promise to you is fulfilled.

This used to be a store enjoyed going to. I've had a membership for two decades. But for about the last two years pushy salesman have been allowed to hassle people at the entrance and the exit of the store. Are usually Spectrum cable, home improvement services, etc. today one of the Spectrum salespeople greeted me by saying, "How are you doing boss?!" To me the term "boss" is a condescending micro aggressive term along the likes of "chief" and "sport". I immediately corrected the salesman and told him, "I don't respond to boss." He changed his line to, "How are you doing today sir?" I said, "Better!" and kept on walking. The salesman have no business in the store that people pay monthly dues to be in. I loathe the pushy salesman that Sam's Club has allowed to proliferate the store at the entrance and the exit. I may be switching to Costco to avoid future nuisances.

The customer service representative was very rude. I tried twice, but both times he was working and I felt I had to leave both times. Went to another eyeglass location and received far superior service. K** was very strict on enforcing Covid "Standards" that may or may not have been standard procedure (I haven't reviewed their policies, but many seemed made up), but more importantly he did not follow what he was preaching at all. He kept encroaching on my space even though I tried backing up several times. He mumbled badly and with a mask was all but understandable. I doubt if he will last long, and hopefully they will have acceptable service after that.

This is your typical Sam's club with the usual products in the store. A strange thing we found was Krispy Cream donuts on sale in the bakery department. Do you know what is better than a dozen Krispy Cream donuts? A big giant box with about two dozen Krispy Cream donuts!!! Score! Enjoy folks.

Only one lane open to try to force you to use self check. This location is dirty and the staff is rude. Will drive 10 miles down the road to another Sams or just go to Costco from now on.

Overall I can say this is a good store, but I would avoid the tire department. To be concise, it is extremely difficult to speak with them and get any sort of solid information, even simple stuff. The only other general complaint I have is they like to offer the plain food varieties in bulk which I typically don't like. But everything else is spot on. Great prices and brands on most stuff and really cool non-grocery products that rotate out so there's always new stuff coming and going. This is beyond the review itself, but I just want to note that as with all bulk item warehouse stores there will always be products to stay away from. Luckily bad deals are fewer and farther between than years past, but it really pays to shop around and figure out what is worth buying and what is not. Depending on your needs you may be able to save a LOT of money NOT buying specific items from warehouse stores. Just food for thought.

Went to optical to get lens for my glasses. Great job and less than a two week turnaround.

I never usually write bad reviews especially on stores but I felt this was needed! this sams club is terrible. Due to the COVID-19 businesses can only have a certain amount of people in store, understandable. The man at the door literally harassed me when he asked for my sams card and got upset because it had a card sister on it (it not against sams policy to have that). He continued to say "why would you even do that?" and "that so dumb. why" ITS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. It's a picture of my niece and nephews. All you need is the barcode on the back of my card to verify my membership sir. He was so rude. I get people are stressed due to covid-19 but I do instacart and I deal with people everyday, don't take it out on others. I'll stick to the sams club on Sundance where the employees aren't complete dickheads.

This location is pretty much the same as all the other Sam's clubs except for the fact that the employees kind of do not seem to know what they are doing. Not only did the cashier not make sense about why he had to check my ID when my wife was buying alcohol but on top of that, they just went ahead and charged us for it AFTER we said that we don't want it anymore. Just FYI , don't ever try to get their yogurt because they never have it! We already went three times and they have never had it, ever! Maybe it's time to try Costco out? hehe

I went there shopping and wanted to say thank you to one of the staff helped me to controling my son by giving him a candy cane. That really made my day.

Typically have better service but I was simply calling to schedule a apt with the tire apt and I was left on hold for 38 mins. And when I tried to call back they had everything on do not disturb. It's like pulling teeth to get someone on the phone. Please fix this so we can have a better experience with your club.

SAM's Club, SAM's Club, SAM's Club (in Round Rock)!!!!! I had no choice but, to go to the SAM's Club in Round Rock because the SAM's in my area had ran out and discontinued the Patio heaters I wanted. Before, I even went all the way to Round Rock I called and asked that the heaters be sat-out for me so, that I wouldn't have to wait because, my plan was to just walk-in purchase the items and leave! One of the reason's I'm giving this review a 2 is because I felt like the customer service agent on the phone was rushing me off and honestly, I didn't think the heaters would be pulled like she said. However, they were and so, the story goes on! Well, like I mentioned earlier,,,,,when I got there the heaters were waiting there for me just as they promised over the phone but, believe it or not....they only had 2 (TWO) cashiers working and the lines were OUT OF CONTROL long. It seemed like everyone in the lines that were "locals" were complaining about the waiting time and seemed to be getting very frustrated about the situation! After waiting for about 10 minutes I decided to do the self-check out and was out of there a lot faster than all the other people. I'm going to think positive about this store and say maybe they didn't have enough cashiers because of the holidays or maybe they were all at lunch and just maybe, the lady that I spoke to over the phone was just rushed because of all the customers they had in the store. I would only go again if I absolutely, necessarily had too! :)

REVIEW OF BAKERY Check out their bakery- quick, great cakes. They made a personalized cake with my son's photo in less than 24 hours...The rest of the store may not be anything surprising, but the bakery wowed me. Super nice, too. See photos of the cake they made. My son chose a favorite photo and ta-dah. Big hit.

As a 20+year veteran of customer service, I am an above-average judge of quality in that competitive field. When I encounter an off-the-charts, above-and-beyond level of service, I take it upon myself to ensure that the management is made aware. I have been a member of Sam's Club, (off and on) since the first warehouse opened on North Lamar in Austin, Texas in 1986. Since then, I have come to depend on Sam's to deliver a quality product at a reasonable price. On this rather rainy and challenging day, I encountered the best level of service I've ever seen at a Sam's club here in Austin or anywhere else. Sabrina Juarez' main function in this warehouse is promoting home improvement services for Power Home Remodeling. Sabrina was gracious enough to assist my friend and me in choosing just the right poinsettia for my friend's family gathering. Sabrina did not have to assist us, she could have been promoting handyman services. She took it upon herself to be sure we had the right poinsettia to add the family touch. Both Sam's and Power Home Remodeling are indeed fortunate to have such a diligent and courteous worker in their employ. Sabrina's exemplary level of service will bring me back to this warehouse in short order. Please commend Sabrina with the highest accolades that corporate protocols allow.

I have been calling all day today May 25 2021 trying to reach the tire center. The phone rings but no one answers. I have also called "customer service" rep option and that one rings also and no one answers. I called the pharmacy to ask them if the tire center was open and they did not know. They transferred me to another line which again, rings and rings and no one answers. Then I called the optical department and an employee answered, said the tire center was open as far as he knew, but he was busy and couldn't help me. I asked him to transfer me to a manager. He said OK, and again, I get transferred to a line that rings and rings and no one answers. I also called corporate headquarters and the rep put me on hold for over 10 minutes and I gave up. What is the deal? I need to get my tire repaired which I bought at your store and I don't want to make a special trip to your store if your tire center is closed today (which I understand now that the tire centers are sometimes closed during the week). I am extremely frustrated and plan to cancel my membership.

One of the cheapest gas stations in all of Austin. Came here to fill up before driving to Dallas.

update: the juicy lemons bag now says made in usa and theyre great, juicy and full of seeds, I will be buying them now

A million times better than the disgusting Costco down the street. Less crowded and pretty much the exact same products with the same prices and then some. I will never understand why people bypass sams to go to that place unless they're some silly hipsters that associate them with walmart and following the "I'm never shopping at walmart but will shop at amazon owned whole foods" mentality. The bakery here is top-notch for any type of event. Especially weddings and birthdays. The meat department always has someone available for me to get meat custom cut or by the case. The staff here is very friendly (I do see them lots as I shop here daily so I may be biased). I have not had a bad experience here. Everything is always very professional and they honor every warranty and return issue I've ever had sometimes after over a year (with automotive batteries and the like). Great place.

Although I have a membership, but was denied from entering without knowing the reason why. If you want customer why would you denied them from coming, maybe this is telling me just to stick to Costco. Horrible management.

This location constantly sells food product that is out of date. I have pointed this out numerous times (6 times) over the last 2 years. Nothing has changed expect when Im there they remove the product in question only for me to come back and see another product being sold beyond the expiration date. There is no accountability there is no quality control and management doesn't give a flying F. ---Again is this company that screw the poor and the less advantage. There is never an issue at Whole foods/ HEB.

Been coming to this store for nearly 4 years, after moving into the neighborhood. In all that time, I ALWAYS have a good experience at this store. Staff is friendly, helpful, smiling/laughing. Never had issues with food or supplies purchased here. Bathrooms, Customer Svc is quick, gas is cheap, and store is clean! Happy customer, thanks Sams!

I wish I can give them 0 the worst customer services I ever seen after an hour trying to get my tire fix they came and say we are not going to fix ur tire we are not able to unlock ur tire to take it out to get it fix I could not believe it , that there specialty They have very bad attitude never ever going back there

I waited in que for 30 minutes and was #6 in line. The whole chat disappeared. I was on hold on the phone for about 15 minutes and then it just disconnected. Both the phone and the chat have taken me in circles before I got into the que in the first place. What is going on? I can not access my account. I have repeatedly tried changing my password. The wonderful people in the store have tried to help but they finally said to call customer service. I cannot get help from anyone. Where is customer service?

Thanks for helping us and everyone through this year and keep up the great work. from ysleta middle school 2/19/2021

Went into sams club and was harassed by a employee named Donella. She asked me for identification of my service dog which is illegal and does not exist. Per the law it states business are allowed to ask three questions THAT IS NOT ONE OF THEM. Your employees should know the law they are trying to enforce before they infringe on more of your customer's rights. Next time this happens I will be calling the police and you can explain to them why you think it's okay to take away my rights!

Horrible service, long lines ..... Only 2-3 registers open at a time.the cashiers often seem new and super slow. I get frustrated every time I come in. It's going to be tough to keep a business account buying 10 items and waiting in line 40 min

Shop on Mondays and you'll speed through the check-out. The checkers will even remember you. It is $40 to join, which I did a couple of weeks ago. I stumbled upon the Sam's Club, and even though I'm a single gal, I decided to join. I saved at least this much due to the purchase of a vacuum cleaner, coffee maker, toaster over, and stereo speakers. All of these items are high quality brands and were more expensive elsewhere. It's a must stop for us new to Austin and need stock up on supplies. Some things that are nice for people without 20 mouths to feed each day include: a nice wine selection, great stop for gifts (I know where I'm going Christmas shopping), coffee, books and magazines, basic clothes (yoga wear, pjs, socks, etc), anything freezable, cheap flowers, and school supplies. I just enjoy wandering around and people watching. Every once in a while you get a good bargain on a surprising item you never knew they carried. I think I have the Sams Club gene-- inherited from my father (who shops at the Sams Club in his are at least 3 times a week).

Best place to buy avocados. I think the avocado is the best fruit on the planet. No doubt. It has fat, calories, creamy smooth texture, and more potassium than a banana and more vitamin C than an orange. Why it is not a "superfruit," I dont' know. Didn't the aztecs revere the avocado? Despite all that, I refuse to buy avocados in the store b/c they don't know how to ripen them correctly and they are always bruised and too expensive...whew that was a runon. The avocados here are either just right or not ripe at all, but I don't mind because I can ripen them myself at home. Also, the meat here is fabulous. Lamb, brisket, whole porkloin...the list goes on. Best sirloin steaks too.

I love coming here. Best deals everas a proud parent of 3 college students. We have to save money all the time. With coupons or not come here and know u will get a lot for little money.

I love every single Sam's Club except for this one. Several times have I been looking forward to purchasing wholesale goods at this location, only to be let down by rude employees and lackluster management. Fun fact, they don't let of-age adults purchase alcohol ‍

I'm not trying to brag... but I'm totally a member of Sam's Club. Not only that, I have a SPECIAL membership that allows me shop before the rest of you plebeians. I can buy in bulk whatever my heart desires, before you can, but I can't use my credit card because they don't allow that. I can buy discounted gas and 20 rolls of toilet paper for a dollar. You can't. I'm special. For all my boasting, you can tell how much I utilize my membership, right? NEVER. I COME FOR THE PIZZA. I know it's probably made of paper. I know Bufalina would scoff at the ingredients I consume here. I don't care. For $1.50, I- with my super special membership that is actually not required to order from their food court- can get the most delicious, cheesy, flavorful pizza in a 10 mile radius (this could be wrong.. I'm playing a lot with hyperbole here). I just LOVE Sam's Club's pizza! It's amazing, cheap, delicious, better than any chain and frequently more befitting my mood than a less than stellar nearby experience such as Mangia.I adore it, I cherish it, and it falls in that middle ground between chain and actual good restaurant pizza. But for $1.50 for a giant slice and a drink? I think appreciation needs to be given. People don't understand you, Sam's Club pizza. I do.

Sam's vs. Costco Having grown up in a small town, the nearest Sam's Club was over an hour away. And since Hybrids had yet to be invented, the savings from buying in bulk would be offset by the cost of gas. So my first experience in a "buy-in-bulk" chain was when we moved to Austin 4 years ago. I wanted to get the most bang for my buck, plus I had started tossing around the idea of transitioning to organic, so I wanted to know whether I should join Sam's or Costco. Half of my friends sided with Costco, the other half with Sam's. Lots of help there. Finally I decided to get memberships at both. Final verdict: I like Sam's better. Maybe it's because I grew up in Walmarts and Sam's has that Walmart feel. I don't know for sure. But here are the observations I have made. #1 - Stuff is easier to find in Sam's. Walmart is great at laying out stores, even if they are massive. The aesthetics are just better. I think it is the use of space, but it is just more appealing to me. #2 - The selection is better at Sam's. There were many things that I normally get from Sam's that I wasn't able to find at Costco. And there was quite a bit of things I saw in Costco that didn't really make sense to buy in bulk. Plus I want to go organic, but I don't want that to be my ONLY option (which it was for certain items.) #3 - Sam's just fits my lifestyle better. I felt that Costco catered more to upscale buyers than to people like me whose day is made by finding a high quality camping chair for $25. Obviously the people at the door feel this way too because they always card me when I walk in. #4 - The produce section is FREAKING cold. I don't like walking into a damn freezer to get items. Literally a walk-in freezer. No. This is not necessary. And I don't want 4 massive lemons for $10 just because it weighs 5 pounds. When I buy a 5 lb. bag of lemons, I expect more than 4 lemons, I don't care how big they are. The produce section was the real deal breaker for me. When I need to use my American Express card for something, I go to Costco's (since I paid for a membership) but most times I just go to Sam's. I feel the prices are mostly better. One positive note for Costco - their selection of canned organic foods is excellent. In fact, they do have quite a good selection of organic. Sams has organic, just not as much as I'd like to see. Costco has almost everything organic.

Worst customer service experience ever. We live over an hour away from Sam's club. Went there in person for the first time in Oct, 2020. Spent almost 400. One of the items I purchased was Lobster ravioli. When I got home I noticed it was out dated by over two weeks. Called the store and asked for a credit to be put on my account for an unedible item they sold. They told me I would need to bring the item in with my receipt. I explained that it would be a 3 hour trip and cost me more to do that then the ravioli. I asked for just a credit for the item be added to my account. That it was their fault and not mine. Was told they would not do that. Beware of this store selling you food that is outdated. Beware of a store that can not make right things that are their fault.