Fans dismayed as Costco eliminates halfsheet cakes

It had been a long quarantine for Megan Engles and her family, and they desperately needed a reason to celebrate. So when their dog Linus’ birthday arrived, Engles, who lives in Kansas City, Mo., did what she would do for any other special occasion: She headed to Costco to pick up a sheet cake. But there was none to be found.

Costco’s halfsheet cakes, rectangular creations beloved by shoppers for their affordability and freshness, have long been a staple at birthday parties, graduations and other large events. But like handshakes and crowded bars, the cakes may have become another casualty of the coronavirus.

Halfsheet cakes are not being sold at any location in the U.S., and the company has no immediate plans to bring them back, Costco said last week. The bakeries instead will focus on round, 10inch cakes that “seem to be resonating with our members,” it said.

While Costco would not elaborate on the specific reason for discontinuing sales of the halfsheet cakes, the company indicated in a response to several customer comments on Facebook that it was related to the coronavirus pandemic. “To help limit personal contact and create more space for social distancing, Costco has reduced service in some departments,” the company wrote. “At this time, we are not making sheet cakes for special order.”

Costco sheet cakes have played a role in most Engles family events, from her grandmother’s 100th birthday party to anniversary celebrations.

“They’re delicious,” Engles said. “I don’t know if they’re fresh or if Costco uses superior ingredients, but they’re delicious.”

The frosting on the grocery store cake she settled for on Linus’ birthday tasted waxy, and the cake was more expensive, she said.

While Engles realizes that under coronavirus protocol, there are few, if any, largescale gatherings happening that would require a large cake, she said customers should have the choice to buy one — even if that means having leftovers to freeze. Costco’s halfsheet cakes, which were advertised as serving 48 people, cost less than $20, customers said. Two cake flavors were offered: white, filled with 2 pounds of vanilla cheesecake mousse and topped with white buttercream frosting; and chocolate, filled with 2 pounds of chocolate mousse and iced with chocolate buttercream. Customers could choose from a variety of designs, including flowers, lattice hearts or a dinosaur.

The company announced the decision to discontinue the cakes in a video on Facebook last month, prompting an online outcry from customers. Several commenters said the sheet cakes were the only reason they had splurged on a Costco membership. One customer said she had served the cake at her wedding and had bought it every year for her anniversary.

When Shala Reed of Yorkville, Ill., became a Costco member, her first purchase was a chocolate sheet cake that read “Congrats on your new Costco card.” She said she had bought a sheet cake every month since, and pledged to flood Costco’s suggestion box until the company brings them back.

This isn’t the first time Costco shoppers have gone to battle for a food item. They expressed similar dissatisfaction when the company announced it would no longer sell Polish hot dogs at the food court. (The hot dogs have not returned.)

As for the future of the halfsheet, some customers are holding out hope that the company will reinstate it when large gatherings are allowed.