While warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam’s Club have existed for years, still many are new to shopping in the stores, which are known for selling items discounted in bulk and having incredibly-affordable food courts in addition to offering exclusive discounts to members.

Sam’s Club was started by Walmart founder Sam Walton in 1983. In addition to more than 600 locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Sam’s Club has international locations in Brazil, China, and Mexico. Costco began as Price Club in 1976, and today has more than 800 locations worldwide. Both warehouse clubs require a membership to shop there.

There are more than 800 Costco locations worldwide, and like Peloton riders or Disney fans, if someone is a member of the warehouse club, they’ll tell you all about it. Why? Costco is known for everything from its exclusive Kirkland brand of products to its food court, where guests can snag a quarter-pound beef hot dog and a soda for just $1.50.

The company first opened in 1976 as Price Club, a warehouse club for businesses. In the early '80s, the first Costco opened in Seattle, Washington, and by 1993, the two had merged into one mega-store. What makes Costco different from a grocery store, in addition to the savings it offers to those who buy in bulk, is its highly-selective stock: Where grocery stores can carry 30,000 different items, for example, Costco only sells about 4,000 products at a given time. Costco believes this helps it provide the best quality and value possible to its members.

I've been an avid Costco shopper for most of my adult life but when my family relocated from the Northeast to Central Florida seven years ago, I was disappointed to learn the closest Costco to my beach town was a 90-minute drive away.

The trip seemed just a bit too far so my family and I looked for other warehouse-store alternatives. Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club were only about 15 to 20 minutes away so, over the course of six years, I shopped at the two stores. However, I was never completely happy.