Costco Will Finally Let Customers Order Custom Cakes And Deli Platters Online: What To Know

Good news for those who swear by Costco's made-in-house cakes for birthdays and other celebrations: Members will soon be able to order the supermarket's custom cakes through its app, eliminating the need to place orders via paper order forms. The same will also apply to Costco's platters, offering party-sized servings of sandwiches, shrimp cocktail, and more. While customers will still be able to order in-store, the online option is expected to simplify the process and save members time.

Costco CEO Ron Vachris announced the news during a quarterly earnings call with the company's investors in December 2025, noting that the move to online ordering was in response to customer complaints about the current old-fashioned approach. "Many of the things that we've heard from our members that could be a little bit clunky are now moving to a digital state," he said on that call.

It's not totally clear when you'll be able to start placing those cake or meat tray orders. Vachris said that online orders would be enabled sometime during 2026 (specifically within "12 months" of the investor call), meaning there could still be several months before customers see the update. Orders would likely be accepted via the Costco app. One Reddit thread appeared to show a screenshot of the app's custom cake ordering function, though it's unclear whether the poster successfully placed an order, so it could simply be a test. Other customers have noted that the option isn't yet visible for everyone, and an employee said to keep an eye on the app as it slowly rolls out nationwide.

Costco currently only allows customers to order baked goods online for a limited selection of standard products. Though ordering custom items like personalized cakes with celebratory messages is a slightly complicated process, requiring customers to fill out a form by hand at a store bakery, and phone orders are not an option, effectively requiring two trips to the store. Online orders should streamline the process and may also reduce errors that sometimes happen with handwritten forms, making it easier for members to get exactly what they ordered.