Costco Is No Longer Selling Its Beloved Sheet Cakes

Tim Nelson
·2 min read

Everything’s bigger at Costco— or at least that seems to be the case at the big box retailer. From giant lobster claws to bags of popcorn measured in feet and 6.6-pound tubs of Nutella, there’s no shortage of large foods to find within its massive aisles.

But amidst a pandemic that’s instituted purchase limitations, closed food courts, and ended free samples, Costco has quietly shelved one of its signature mega-sized items: the half-sheet cake.

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Once customers took to complain on social media, Costco explained its reasoning. Apparently the move was made in order to free up space in the bakery to keep both employees and customers safe. “To help limit personal contact and create more space for social distancing, Costco has reduced service in some departments,” they said on Facebook in response to multiple questions about sheet cakes.

Given that Costco half-sheet cakes offer a ton of deliciousness for $20, you can’t blame the people for being upset. But at the same time, Costco notes that the realities of social distancing (as practiced by responsible people at least) mean that ordering so much cake in one go just isn’t as practical as it used to be. Instead, Costco tells CNN Business that smaller, round 10-inch cakes “seem to be resonating with our members.”

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If you’re a cake lover who feels like staging a protest outside of Costco, just know that they aren’t the only retailer to arrive at this decision. CNN says Kroger and Sam’s Clubs have also stopped selling half-sheet cakes (or at least have taken them off of their websites). So it’s not like Costco doesn’t want you to have cake, they just have to think about what makes the most sense for their business during a very weird time.

For now, Costco says it has “no immediate plans” to bring the half-sheet cake back. Maybe someday, when it’s safe to gather in large groups again, we can all enjoy half-sheet cakes from Costco. If you want that day to come sooner rather than later, be smart and wear a mask.