Can You Eat At The Sam's Club Food Court Without A Membership?

Sam's Club has a lot to offer its members, like the cheapest rotisserie chickens out of all the warehouse chains, and the high-tech Scan and Go feature – perfect for skipping those long lines at checkout. The retailer also features a brightly lit Café where weary shoppers can park their carts, take a load off, and snack on cinnamon sugar pretzels or quarter-pound hot dogs. But if you're not a member, you might be wondering if you can partake in the tasty treats only. While its main rival, Costco, cracks down hard on non-members and even guests of card holders making purchases in the food court, Sam's Club is a bit more lax. Like any restaurant or fast food joint, yes, you can eat at the Café, no membership needed.

Most Cafés are situated near the exit of the store, but since you aren't buying anything, you very likely won't be "carded" or asked to show proof of membership at all (long gone are the days of card-checkers standing at the entrance of a Sam's Club). And if you do attempt to make a Café purchase and face any friction from a well-meaning employee that was simply unaware of store policy, just ask politely to speak to a manager. They'll know the rules, and they'll get you situated. 

There are more things you can get out of Sam's Club without being a member, other than just eating at its Café — and a few of them can have a positive impact on your health. That's because you don't have to have a membership to use its Pharmacy services for filling and picking up prescriptions – and there is no extra fee, either. You can also take advantage the retailer's health screenings when offered, including blood glucose and cholesterol checks. Further, the pharmacy also offers a number of vaccinations and booster shots to non-members.

If your local Sam's Club also has a vision center, you can use walk right in without a membership card, too. However, you will have to be a member to take advantage of Club pricing on contacts and lenses. Still, an eye test at Sam's can be an easy and affordable way to get a prescription, so you can purchase your optical needs elsewhere.

Finally, in a non-health-related service, Sam's Club locations that sell alcohol are legally beholden to allow anyone, member or not, to purchase it from stores. Some Sam's alcohol departments even have designated entrances, so that non-members don't have to worry about being stopped inside the store and asked for proof of membership. With so many shopping options available to everyone — non-members included — it is one of the many things Sam's Club does better than its competitors.