Attention Costco shoppers: you may once again order half sheet cakes. Yes, they have returned from a brief and controversial hiatus.
NBC Bay Area discovered that cake ordering stations have returned to warehouse locations in Santa Clara and San Jose.
The popular customizable cakes – a mainstay of the warehouse store’s product lineup -- had disappeared in June. The revelation made headlines from the west coast to the east coast. It appeared the half-sheet cake was just another change attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a late June statement to NBC’s Today show, Costco confirmed that it had pulled the product that many families large and small had grown to count on for birthdays, graduations, and holidays.
"We are currently not selling our 1/2 sheet cakes at any US locations and as of right now, we have no immediate plans to bring them back. “We are focusing on our smaller 10" White & 10" Chocolate Cakes that seem to be resonating with our members."
Costco statement to NBC News in June, 2020
The notion that Costco had ‘no immediate plans to bring them back’ motivated a handful of fans to circulate petitions on Change.org, calling for the greater Seattle-based company to bring back its sheet cake offering. The petitions received more than 3,000 signatures.
What changed at Costco HQ? We don't know -- yet. NBC Bay Area requested comment from Costco. An automated response indicted we would receive a response within 48 hours.
The newly-spotted “Cake Order Selection” stations featured designs (roses, garden, balloons, etc.) and flavors (vanilla and chocolate) that were available pre-pandemic. The listed price for half sheet cake was $19.99 plus applicable tax.
Just in time for ... Christmas in July? Enjoy.
