# BJ's Wholesale Club vs. Sam's Club **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2021, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bjs-wholesale-club-vs-sams-club/943989 "2021-06-10T18:06:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Old\_Wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecccb3/32.png) [@Old\_Wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Old_Wench)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bjs-wholesale-club-vs-sams-club/943989/1 "2021-06-10T18:06:12Z")
I just learned today that my area is getting it’s first BJ’s Wholesale Club (the nearest one is currently 80 miles away in Ohio - I’m in Pittsburgh). They’re just starting on the foundation so it won’t open for at least a few months. I have a Sam’s Club membership and like it (Costco locations aren’t convenient). What do you think of BJ’s vs. Sam’s Club? I took a quick look at BJ’s website and it seems like their product selection and prices are pretty similar. Does BJ’s have gas stations? The new BJ’s will be in a busier shopping area than my current Sam’s Club is, so unless they’re offering at least a free trial membership or some other benefit, it may not be worth my while to even try it out. Comments, suggestions, etc.? Thanks.’ ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bjs-wholesale-club-vs-sams-club/943989/2 "2021-06-10T19:34:22Z")
I think they do offer one-day passes so you can see what they have to offer. I’d particularly expect them to do that in a new market. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bjs-wholesale-club-vs-sams-club/943989/3 "2021-06-11T02:18:06Z")
We have both BJs and Costco around here. I am not a connoisseur of big box warehouse retail outfits like that. But having tried both they are indistinguishable to me. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bjs-wholesale-club-vs-sams-club/943989/4 "2021-06-11T02:58:09Z")
There are just BJ’s around here. I there’s a Sam’s Club at one point, but BJ’s is more convenient. I’ve been using BJ’s for years. Good selection, lots of coupon sales (and it’s rare that they run out of a coupon item. Big issues is their lack of low-salt items (but I suspect the other clubs have the same problem). Their store brand stuff is always good. I do know that before BJ’s came to town, there were a lot of complaints that there was no supermarket in that side of town; I haven’t heard them since then. Back in the 80s, I did graphic design for one of their brochures, digitizing their location maps. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bjs-wholesale-club-vs-sams-club/943989/5 "2021-06-11T03:28:10Z")
> [@Old\_Wench](#): > > Does BJ’s have gas stations? Yes. Around here they’re usually around 10-15 cents a gallon cheaper than most others. Almost 25 years since I was last in a Sam’s Club, so I can’t compare the two.