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As a kid, I would get so excited whenever I would attend any family events. Not just because I would be able to hang out with my favorite cousins, but because I knew there would be an overflow of pastries and pies. My family is from the South and down here, we love to get together and eat good.
Though we would rarely see items that were store-bought, there were a few exceptions when it came to these gatherings, and the main one was a cake that was purchased from either Costco or Publix. And while over time, I’ve been no stranger to picking up a cake from Publix, up until recently, I haven’t picked up a cake from Costco myself. So, when I heard that the famed warehouse still uses an old-school cake ordering method, I figured what better time than now to revisit a favorite.
How to Order a Cake at Costco
For those of you who only visit Costco’s bakery to pick up pre-made desserts, you may not have noticed that you can have a cake made for you there, too. While the premise of the order is still the same as someplace like Publix or Walmart — you can choose a 10-inch round cake ($15.99) or a half sheet cake ($24.99) in white or chocolate — the ordering process is much different.
When you order a cake at Costco, you don’t speak to an associate when ordering. You have to physically walk into a Costco location, fill out a form, place it in a designated slot box, and return on the date and time that you indicated with hopes that your cake will be ready. There’s no follow-up call or text letting you know your cake has been made and it’s ready for pickup — or that the order has even been received to begin with. Of course, I was skeptical, but that didn’t stop me from giving it a try.
The order form does ask that you give Costco at least 24 hours to complete the cake you’re ordering, but to be safe, I asked for it to be ready in 48 hours. On the date and time of my pickup, I went to the bakery section, told them my name, and lo and behold, my cake was ready for pickup!
The cake, which was a 10-inch round white cake with cheesecake filling, was just as delicious as I remember and was beautifully done. The only grievance I had with the order, however, was that they misspelled the name I indicated on the cake. Instead of the cake reading “Welcome Home Gambit” for my new giant schnauzer, it read “Welcome Home Grampit.” I thought it was kind of funny and it’s now a running joke that when he starts acting like a lazy, old, grumpy man around the house, I call him Grampit. So technically, I guess I can thank Costco for giving me a new nickname for for my dog!