Costco launches mobile app ordering for custom cakes and deli trays, easing customer woes
Digital upgrade ends decades-old paper form system that required customers to visit stores for special orders
Costco is officially retiring a decades-old system customers have long found frustrating as part of its latest major digital overhaul.
Customers will soon be able to place custom cake and deli tray orders directly through the company’s mobile app and website. Previously, shoppers were required to drive to Costco just to fill out paper order forms in-store.
Executives of the major retailer said the upgrade, which would streamline orders from start to pickup, addresses an outdated process they described as "clunky."
"Very excited about what we have coming in the app," CEO Ron Vachris said.
"We've got ordering cakes and deli trays online coming. So many of the things that we've heard from our members that could be a little bit clunky are now moving to a digital state, and we're seeing great adoption right out of the chute."
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Costco is officially retiring a decades-old system for ordering custom cake and deli trays. (Marlene Awaad/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The new online ordering system is expected to include sheet cake options as well as customizable cakes, allowing customers to choose sizes, shapes, flavors, designs and inscriptions from a catalog of available cake options.
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Customers can reportedly expect the "Order Grocery/Bakery" feature in the app by the end of 2026. (Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
The major retailer did not provide a specific date for when the system will be fully implemented across all locations. Fox 11 Los Angeles said customers can expect the "Order Grocery/Bakery" feature in the app by the end of 2026.
If the feature follows a process similar to the current paper-based system, cakes and deli trays should be ready within 24 to 48 hours.
COSTCO'S LESSER-KNOWN MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS, EXPLAINED
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COST | COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP. | 1,018.48 | +19.62 | +1.96% |
The move will give customers easier access to Costco baked goods, especially for those who must travel long distances to reach a store.
In a 2023 Reddit post, one social media user described Costco’s cake-ordering process as inconvenient and time-consuming.
A 2023 Reddit post described Costco's cake-ordering process as inconvenient and time-consuming. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"I live 40ish minutes from my local Costco, so yes, an online order process would be very nice," the user said.
Another responded, echoing the same sentiment.
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"Same. I really don't want to drive there two days in a row... when it's my Birthday," they wrote.