Walmart’s Sam’s Club changes its operating hours | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Sam’s Club has expanded its operating hours.
Costco recently did the same, but just for some members.
Not everyone is happy with Costco.

Walmart’s Sam’s Club has decided to extend its operating hours for all members beginning on Oct. 21.

The move comes after a controversial Costco move to stay open longer, but only for higher-priced executive members.

Costco recently angered members by extending its hours to open an hour earlier on Sunday through Friday, and opening for them a half hour earlier on Saturday mornings. That move prioritized Executive members, who pay $130 per year, over regular Gold Star members, who pay $65 per year.

That added fee already came with a 2% cash bonus up to $1,250, but it’s easy to see why Costco would want to give even more perks to Executive members.

Executive members represented 47.7% of paid members and 74.2% of worldwide sales. “…We have recently seen a lift in upgrades in the U.S. after we announced our executive member exclusive hours and other benefits,” CFO Gary Millerchip said during Costco’s fourth-quarter earnings call.

“We estimate these incremental hours have added about 1% to weekly U.S. sales since implementation. This has been very well received by our members.”

Costco CEO Bob Vachris

Hours can vary by location, and it always makes sense to check with your local club.

Sam’s Club store hours

Starting October 12, 2025, all Sam’s Club locations in the U.S. will operate under the following hours:

Monday–Saturday: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday: All members: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Plus members: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Previously, Sunday hours were 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sam’s Club fuel center hours

Sunday: 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.

This is an expansion from the previous 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. schedule.

Prior to the changes, many Sam’s Clubs did not open until 10 a.m. Walmart, which owns the chain, does allow store managers to have some discretion based on their market and customer mix.

Some stores, for example, opened earlier because they serve a business clientele that needed to shop before going to work.

Sam’s Club holiday hours

Closed: Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve & New Year’s Eve: Open until 6 p.m.
Labor Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day: Plus members: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Club members: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Costco saw sales rise after extending its hours of operation.

Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Costco store hours

Costco’s hours vary by location, but the general schedule is:

Monday – Friday: 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Costco Executive member early access

Starting June 30, 2025, Costco reintroduced early store access for Executive members:

Sunday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

This benefit is exclusive to Executive members, who pay $130 annually.

Costco holidays hours

Costco observes the following holiday schedule:

Closed: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day
Christmas Eve & New Year’s Eve: Open until 6 p.m.

Costco took a risk

Sam’s Club expanding its hours for all members is likely to be a universally popular move (at least with customers).

“The earlier hours add another benefit to the Executive tier of the membership program. Yes, it may cause a little confusion (and even resentment) but it may also encourage some people to trade up to a higher tier. It’s not as if other tiers lose anything as the opening hours will remain the same as they are now,” GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders told RetailWire.

But David Biernbaum, an experienced retail veteran, sees the move as a mistake.

“Exclusive hours may appeal to some customers seeking a more personalized service, but they may also alienate others who are inconvenienced by the restricted access. This limitation may deter potential Executive Members from shopping during the designated times, potentially resulting in a loss of sales. Furthermore, managing these exclusive hours could entail additional operational costs, which could offset any potential profit increases,” he shared.

Warren Shoulberg, another RetailWire Brain Trust member, praised the move.

“This is yet another brilliant move by Costco, which continues to run rings around most other retailers. By treating its best customers best it reinforces why you should be a best customer,” he shared.