The Exciting Change Coming To Costco Bakery In 2026
Costco is streamlining its membership experience in 2026 with an update of the Costco App that will make ordering from the bakery much easier. By the end of the year, members won't have to physically walk into the bakery department to place an order for a custom cake — a new feature in the Costco App will provide a catalog of options for customizable cakes you can order right from your phone. Sheet cakes and other shapes will be available in a variety of flavors with customizable writing. You'll order them through a feature in the app titled "Order Grocery/Bakery," a section that's already active in some areas and will be available to all customers by the end of 2026.
The digital ordering process debuting on the Costco App will replace the current, longstanding paper ordering system the bakery uses — a system that some members see as archaic while others find charming. In a Reddit thread, one member wrote, "Their system is from the 1800s, you write what you want on a piece of paper & put it in a box then nobody follows up and you just show up and hope they made it?" Another chimed in with, "Honestly everything is overly complicated in the world right now. I appreciate Costco's old school ways." Members that thought the system was too cumbersome have spoken loud enough for Costco executives to hear, though, and that's what ultimately triggered the switch to digital cake ordering.
Members had gripes with Costco's outdated cake ordering methods and lack of confirmation
Costco's sheet cakes are a great deal (they won our Costco vs Sam's Club sheet cake comparison), but up till now you haven't been able to order them online. During Costco's 2026 Q1 Earnings Call, CEO Ron Vachris said the switch to mobile ordering at the bakery will be a way to solve one of the things "that could be a bit clunky" in members' experience.
The digital process eliminates the trip which was previously necessary to place the order and it's already receiving positive reviews. One member wrote on Reddit: "It's somehow available for my Costco in WA. I live an hour away from mine so it'll save me a trip." Another said, "I have to get daycare for my Costco trips so to eliminate one of the trips to order would be a godsend."
The new update doesn't apply to the whole bakery, only for ordering custom cakes (opt for Costco's cheesecake mousse filling and thank us later) and deli platters. The small selection of online ordering from the bakery doesn't include the regular items, like the seasonal Lemon Blueberry Loaf. Pick those up in person when you go to grab groceries on your next visit.