13 Things Costco Does Better Than Trader Joe's

Even if a Trader Joe's is closer proximity to your home, there are quite a few reasons to drive past it and head to Costco instead. Some of you may not like to hear that, but it's true. I should know, too. I've been shopping at both spots for many years, and they each hold a special place in my heart. I know they are just grocery stores, but I love finding a good deal or a tasty new food to try while shopping, and there is no doubt that they both deliver in those departments. Even so, there are a few things Costco does better than Trader Joe's.

If you're wondering what to keep on your regular Costco shopping list, considering signing up for a membership, or simply looking for a reason to make a trip to the big box store, I've got the details you want. I'm not saying you need to swear your allegiance to Costco and renounce Trader Joe's forever. I would never. However, if you want to make the most of your next visit to Costco — which, obviously you do — stick with me, and I'll teach you about all the ways it has proven to surpass Trader Joe's over my years shopping at the grocery chains.

Depending on the size of your household and how much cooking you do at home, you may only need to stock up on pantry staples a couple of times a year. That is, of course, if you head to Costco, not Trader Joe's, when the time comes. After all, Costco is king when it comes to making bulk purchases, and that's what stocking up is all about. One and done, am I right? At Trader Joe's, you can score all the pantry staples you need, but due to their smaller sizes, you'll definitely need to buy them more frequently. Nah, I'll pass.

Whether we are talking flour, sugar, canned goods, nuts, rice, pasta, or coffee, Costco is the place to go. In addition to it enabling you to make fewer purchases throughout the year, the prices can't really be beat, either. Trader Joe's won't break the bank, but Costco still does low costs better. For example, at Trader Joe's a 2-pound bag of Basmati rice goes for $4.99 (about $2.50 per pound), whereas at Costco, you can get a 20-pound bag of it for $24.99, aka about $1.25 per pound. So yeah, way more affordable, and that's just one example. So, when your pantry needs a good refresh, I always recommend heading to Costco.

Trader Joe's bread aisle has some tasty finds, like the ready-to-load-up flatbread pizza crusts, but when it comes to the overall selection, Costco has the store beat every time. For starters, it has two sections for bread: The bakery and the regular bread aisle. Trader Joe's only has the standard bread department, not an in-house bakery pumping out what I refer to as the good stuff. This alone equates to Costco having a more versatile and expansive selection.

Of course, when it comes to mainstream brands, Costco is the only choice. Trader Joe's doesn't stock the brands you are accustomed to finding at other grocery stores. So, if you have a popular company you are loyal to, it won't provide. For example, as a lover of Dave's Killer Bread, I'll make a special trip to Costco just for that — I've found that you get two loaves for slightly more than the price of one at your typical grocery store. 

Costco also has a reputable cake selection, thanks to its in-house bakery. Since we already know Trader Joe's doesn't have an on-site bakery, it falls short in this food realm as well. Bummer. After all, you can not special order a custom cake from them. You sure as heck can at Costco, though. Even if a custom cake isn't what you are after, it has so many other tasty options, like the Chocolate Tuxedo Cake, which is the stuff dreams are made of.

Similarly, Trader Joe's is severely lacking when compared to Costco's other baked goods, like cookies, croissants, muffins, cupcakes, tarts, pies, and more. At Trader Joe's, you can find a few tasty things, like a chocolate babka — yum! — but once again, the selection is severely limited when held up against Costco's vast offerings. Plus, Trader Joe's baked goods aren't made on-site, so Costco wins in terms of freshness as well. It's not like its baked goods will spoil quickly, but you better believe they won't have that homemade flavor we all know and love. Oh well. 

When it comes to hot-and-ready foods, Trader Joe's can not even compete with Costco. Seriously, TJ's can just forget about it. Two words and I'll prove it to you: Food Court. That's right, Costco has a legendary food court with jaw-dropping deals, and Trader Joe's has nothing of the sort. In case you don't already know, you can snag a giant hot dog and a soda for $1.50, a massive slice of pizza for about $2, or an entire party-sized pie (cheese or pepperoni) for around $10. Best of all, the low prices don't equate to poor quality. In fact, in a ranking of all of Costco's food court offerings conducted by a colleague of mine, the hot dog combo came in first place.

Then there is Costco's fan-favorite rotisserie chicken. Always hot and ready, it has been dubbed a meal prep secret weapon. Plus, it only costs about $5. It's truly shocking. Pro tip: If you are fortunate to hear a bell go off in the meat department while you are shopping, that's your sign to head to the rotisserie chicken counter post-haste — it means fresh ones are being put out. Regardless, you won't find any of them at Trader Joe's, either. Enough said.

In addition to Costco crushing the hot-and-ready food options, it also excels with its fresh pre-made meals that only require you to heat them up. Sadly, once again, Trader Joe's doesn't do this at all. It's not like TJ's doesn't care; they just don't have a staff around with massive kitchens to prepare food for us all day long. Costco does. As a result, you can find a whole slew of different meal options that are perfect for bringing to a gathering or simply taking dinner prep off your list of tasks to complete at home.

At Trader Joe's, you can find a couple of pre-made sandwiches and wraps designed as a single serving, but that is about it. At Costco, though, the options are eye-catching, to say the least. My absolute favorite is the prepared mac and cheese. Made with three cheeses — Parmesan, Romano, and cheddar — it is rich, creamy, gooey, and everything you could ever want from the dish. You could easily pass it off as homemade if you feel so inclined. Just saying. My partner also loves the street taco platter and, honestly, can't shut up about it for days after visiting Costco. Those are just two examples, too. There's lots more to pick from, and many of them are spectacular.

Trader Joe's produce department is one area of the store that frequently lets me down. It looks all shiny, new, and exciting thanks to some unique options, but don't let the appearance fool you; the produce is lackluster at best. In my experience, it spoils very quickly when compared to Costco's offerings. Actually, the same could be said about it when held up against most grocery chains' produce. As a result, I try not to purchase it there at all. Sorry, not sorry, Trader Joe's.

At Costco, though, the produce department is an affordable wonderland of fruits and veggies. Not only are the prices super low, but the quality is also on point. Some of the best produce items to stock up on at the store include things like salad greens, bananas, berries of all kinds, potatoes, and more. I always grab a large clamshell of spring mix and a bag of romaine lettuce and have enough greens to keep me going for weeks. In the past, when I've done the same thing at Trader Joe's, I always wind up tossing some of it in the garbage because it spoils, and I hate it. Ugh. No, thanks.

We may not all keep a home bar stocked, but for those of us who do, Costco is the place to help you keep it up to snuff. It carries a huge collection of wines, and it's got a great selection of booze, beer, and hard seltzer as well. In addition, there are all of the Kirkland Signature products, which taste great and are priced just right. In fact, Costco has been called a secret weapon for wine lovers on a budget, and I couldn't agree more. The Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio is one of my personal favorites, and yes, I've tried quite a few. The quality and flavor are there, but best of all, it only costs about $5 to $6.50 per bottle, depending on where you shop. Woohoo!

In my state, Colorado, only one Trader Joe's location sells liquor. Fortunately, they all have wine and beer (but this is a more recent development). Either way, though, this certainly sets them back in the alcohol department. Even if you live near a location that offers the whole shebang, you won't find the expansive selection that Costco offers. It has a pretty decent one, and many of the in-house brands are great as well, but still. Costco has it beat on quantity and availability alone. Oh yeah! Fun fact: You don't need a membership to shop at Costco for booze (in some states), so don't let that deter you. No excuses.

Hands down, Costco is the king of free samples. In fact, there is a running joke that instead of going out to eat on a date, you can save some money by simply perusing the aisles at Costco instead. Here's the thing, though: It's true. If you go to Costco at the right time (which, in my experience, seems to be almost any time of the day), you can score enough free samples to constitute an entire meal. Sheer quantity aside, the samples offered are often some of the best products lining the store's shelves. I know they've convinced me to buy many items I wouldn't necessarily have without the free sample, too, so the tactic is certainly working.

I probably don't even have to tell you this, but Trader Joe's doesn't even try to compete with Costco regarding free samples. Occasionally, you can find it offering one, or possibly two if a drink is also being handed out, but that's where it ends. It's far from reliable as well. Dreams of Trader Joe's free samples for as far as the eye can see are not going to come true. Sad, but accurate. When you want to be wowed with tasty snacks, head to Costco.

Both Trader Joe's and Costco see a lot of action. People love the chains, and they can't seem to get enough, so it's no surprise that their parking lots are typically bustling. Even so, this is another area where Costco comes out on top. Its parking lots may be crowded, but the big box store plans for this. All the proof you need of that is to see the massive size of one of the parking lots. They know people are going to come in droves, and they make sure there is plenty of space to accommodate their members' vehicles. At Trader Joe's, not so much.

The parking lots at Trader Joe's are comically small. As a result, if you go at any kind of prime time, i.e., after 5 p.m. or on the weekend, it can be extremely challenging to park at many locations. I live in Denver, and I refuse to go to two of the locations because of this exact problem. I will say that Trader Joe's is more centrally located within the city, so real estate comes at a pretty penny, and it's somewhat limited. I'm sure that contributes to the restricted size of the chain's parking lots. Still, it sure would be a whole lot nicer if they were big enough to handle the demand for spots.

Bulk goods are Costco's bread and butter. The same can't be said for Trader Joe's — as it turns out, they don't have any. So, obviously, if you live in a large household or are planning for a gathering of some sort, Costco is the best place to shop. Not only does buying the items you need in bulk quantities help keep costs low, but it also means you won't have to go to the store as frequently. At least when it comes to purchasing for larger households. Ideally, gatherings should only require one trip regardless. That is, of course, unless you forget something.

Circling back to prices, many party staples, like cheese, burgers, hot dogs, buns, and more, come at significantly reduced prices when you choose to buy them at Costco over Trader Joe's. One of my favorite examples of this is burger buns. I say favorite because it is something I keep on-hand at all times — they are great for more types of sandwiches than just burgers, after all, but I digress. At Costco, a large 12-pack of burger buns costs slightly more than $3. At Trader Joe's, you only get a standard pack of 8 for $3. That's quite the difference. 

Alright, now it's time to address one of many people's favorite foods: Pizza. In addition to Costco serving some tasty pies in its food court, it also features a wide selection of fantastic frozen pizzas. Trader Joe's also has some yummy options, but they are more unique.

There's nothing wrong with creative pizza recipes, but sometimes you are just in the mood for a classic style, not something off the wall, like a Roasted Garlic & Pesto Pizza with Deep Fried Crust. Trader Joe's also has some traditional picks, but they aren't nearly as tasty as Kirkland Signature ones. As someone who has tried most of the options from both places, I should know. In addition to flavor, I also find that Trader Joe's frozen pizzas feature much drier crusts compared to Costco's, and that's never a good thing.

Costco pizzas also come at better prices. For example, a four-pack of pepperoni pizzas only costs $13.49 at Costco. At Trader Joe's, a single pizza costs around $6. Yikes. 

One look at Costco's sprawling meat department is all you need to know that it blows Trader Joe's selection out of the water. In fact, many people agree that Costco is the best grocery chain for buying meat, and this is for more reasons than just a large quantity of offerings. I have never heard anyone even suggest such a thing about TJ's. Why? Well, the meat department at Trader Joe's takes up a small area off of the produce section. At Costco, it includes several rows of fresh meats, several more featuring pre-packed meat options, and an entire fresh-cut meat department where you can request specific cuts and see butchers working their magic in real time.

In addition, people hail Costco as the best grocer for purchasing meat due to its low prices. Prime beef in particular costs less, around $6 to $9 per pound. You better believe those dollars will add up fast, too. Lastly, consumers praise Costco for having exceptionally fresh meat, and we all know that fresher is better for any type of food. So, whether you are stocking up or simply looking to bite into some top-tier, fresh-as-can-be cuts of meat, Costco has your back.

No surprises here, but when it comes to purchasing anything other than food and drinks, Costco beats Trader Joe's every single time. Sure, Trader Joe's has a few household items like lotion, soap, paper towels, etc., but that's about it. At Costco, you can find appliances, both big and small, clothes, outdoor gear, shoes, electronics, gift cards, tires, gas, vacation packages, a pharmacy, and so much more.

Actually, part of the fun of going to Costco is that you never really know what you'll come across. One thing is for sure, though; it will always have great stuff to outfit your entire life. Of course, this could serve as somewhat of a distraction if you are trying to get in and out as quickly as possible, but now that you know the areas of the store where Costco excels, you can hone in on them when time is of the essence and leave meandering through the many aisles for another, more leisurely visit to the store.