The Most Outrageous, Unusual Feature of Costco's Bakery

Growing up, birthday parties were a staple in my life. I vividly remember the sizzle of hot dogs and burgers on the grill, the ice-cold cans of soda chilling in coolers (yes, I’m Midwest through and through despite my Manhattan zip code), and most importantly, the iconic birthday sheet cake. As a kid, I was all about chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. In the Midwest, supermarkets reign supreme when it comes to birthday cakes. The bakery departments are responsible for bringing your cake dreams to life with every order, and in my humble opinion, some regional grocery chains bake the best cakes around. One chain that's especially famous for its cakes is Costco.

Costco might be best known for its endless free samples, beloved food court, and unbeatable gas discounts, but let’s not forget about its bakery. From an impressive selection of pastries to a wide variety of sweets, Costco also takes custom cake orders. The process, however, feels like a blast from the past—here’s why.

How to Place an Order for a Cake at Costco Bakery

If you’re someone who prefers the convenience of online shopping, I hate to break it to you—Costco doesn’t offer cake orders through their website. Instead, you’ll need to visit a nearby location, head to the bakery section, and fill out an order form in person.

The order form includes details like the type of cake (white or chocolate), available decoration options, any custom text you'd like on the cake, your preferred pickup time, and your contact details. Be sure to give the bakery at least 48 hours to prepare your cake. Once you've completed the form, simply drop it into the slot box and carry on with your day.

It can be a bit unsettling to realize that the most crucial part of your celebration hinges on a single piece of paper. There's no immediate confirmation that your order was received, yet somehow, the system always seems to work without a hitch.

"I’ve been working at a Costco bakery for over 6 years, and we’ve never lost or misplaced a cake order form," shares Reddit user Hippiegrenade in a thread discussing this 'old-fashioned system.' "Sure, we've had customers try to pick up their cakes too early (sometimes a week in advance because they wrote the wrong date), forget when they ordered the cake, or mistakenly show up at a different warehouse to pick up, but we’ve never lost an order," they add.

The 'slot box' method may feel a bit outdated, but it doesn’t depend on WiFi or electricity, and there’s no risk of someone misinterpreting the details due to a poor phone connection. Just make sure your handwriting is clear and legible!