The Warehouse Chain With The Cheapest Pizza Isn't Costco

For a chain of big-box warehouses, Costco has a remarkably devoted fanbase around the world. It makes sense given it's a members-only club and a one-stop shop for groceries, clothes, prescriptions, and even a surprisingly affordable lunch. More than anything, it's that cheap lunch in the Costco food court that fans watch like hawks. Though the retail store's famous hot dog and soda combo has remained $1.50 since the 1980s, Costco has been known to tweak its café offerings here and there, including adding Coke products to the food court in place of Pepsi. Costco's freshly made pizza has been touted as one of its best deals, but in truth, Sam's Club has it beat with more options and a lower price.

Neither company lists its full food court menu with prices online, but a standard pepperoni pizza at Costco will cost you $9.95, while a pie at Sam's Club is almost a dollar cheaper at $8.98. On top of that, Costco has doubled down on its policy that the food court is restricted to customers with an active membership, while Sam's Club is reportedly more relaxed when it comes to purchasing a café meal. This makes it both cheaper and easier to enjoy a warehouse chain pizza at Sam's Club.

The price difference might be all some pizza lovers need to know before running to Sam's Club. However, with cheaper pies comes a downgrade in size. It turns out that Sam's Club pizzas are 16 inches in diameter, coming up short against the 18-inch pies available at Costco. Of course, Costco only makes cheese or pepperoni pizza (shoppers still want the combo pizza back), while Sam's Club has at least one more topping option available: a four-meat combo with pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, and bacon. If you want something more than just pepperoni, Sam's Club is the obvious choice, even if the pie is slightly smaller than Costco's extra-large.

As for the taste, the main difference is personal preference. Neither food court's pie has been derided by a vocal majority as truly awful. While some commenters online complain that Sam's Club pizza is too greasy or doughy, even comparing it to Chuck E. Cheese's pizza (it's up to you to decide if that's a good thing), the general consensus is that it's good for the price. If you want to try it yourself, Sam's Club has been known to have free pizza promotions with new memberships.