Costco Says This Beloved Food Isn't Coming Back
Fact: Costco members love their Costco cakes. In June, when the wholesaler announced that it was discontinuing its popular half-sheet cake—a signature Costco bakery item that's starred in countless birthday and graduation parties over the years—many shoppers took to social media to voice their outrage.
"I love the sheet cakes! I buy very few bakery items, but I get these cakes for big occasions and they taste great. They should NOT be discontinued," commented one fan on Costco's Facebook page. Another one cried: "OMG please do NOT get rid of the personalized half sheet cakes! So good and so reasonably priced."
So you can imagine the intrigue that followed an Instagram post by The Costco Connoisseur that seemed to indicate that the half-sheet cakes have returned and are available by special order for $19.99.
Further evidence that the cakes were coming back emerged when a reporter for the local California TV station NBC Bay Area reported the existence of "cake ordering stations" in warehouse locations in Santa Clara and San Jose.
#breaking Sheet cake ordering station returns to Costco. pic.twitter.com/H1WtfMqVW2
— Chris Chmura ✈ (@Chris_Chmura) July 21, 2020
So does this herald the return of a popular item? Not so fast.
When asked about the cakes, Costco officials told us that the cakes have not returned.
"Currently we are not selling our 1/2 Sheet Cakes at any US locations and as of right now, we have no immediate plans to bring [them] back," the officials said in a statement to Eat This, Not That. They went on to say that they were choosing to focus on a "smaller," different cake that "seems to be resonating with our members."
So the mystery of the half-sheet cakes continues. Before they were discontinued, the half-sheet cakes retailed for $18.99 and could feed upwards of 40 people, which made it a special-occasion staple. The company explained in June that the cakes were being discontinued in direct response to the coronavirus pandemic. "To help limit personal contact and create more space for social distancing, Costco has reduced service in some departments," a company representative wrote in a Facebook post. "At this time, we are not making sheet cakes for special order. Thank you for understanding."
Costco has not immediately responded to requests for comment. And if you're grocery shopper who loves all things Costco, make sure you're fully up-to-speed on the 5 Foods That Are Suddenly Selling Out at Costco.
