Costco vs. Sam’s Club — which warehouse chain has the best soft-serve ice cream?

I scream, you scream, we all scream for affordable ice cream.

Inflation has had a chilling effect on the treasured summer time tradition of going out for a cone — leaving parents and children alike stone-cold mad at the prospect of paying 2024 prices for the simple pleasure.

Happily, dessert lovers not drowning in ducats do still have some sweet solutions, like the more affordable offerings at your local fast food drive-thru, or a trip to the supermarket.

But in an article for Eat This, Not That!, one savvy swirl lover tells those who love to lick not to overlook the offerings at their nearest big box warehouse store.

Both Costco and Sam’s Club are known for selling cups of cheap and tasty soft serve — a delicious topping on an outing to one of the perennially popular retailers.

But who handles it best? Read on for the expert’s verdict.

Known for good, cheap pizza and juicy, fat hot dogs, Sam’s Club sells a cup of their fro-yo — vanilla or chocolate — for just $1 at its stores near New York City.

The treat packs a nice protein punch — 10 grams per 10 oz. serving — and is relatively low in calories and fat.

The taste tester described the treat as “immaculately pulled from the machine with a perfect curl up top, as if it were done in a legit ice cream shop. The yogurt was a tan shade of light brown. The surface looked shiny and smooth.”

Taste-wise, they called it “bittersweet upon first bite,” with a texture that’s “smooth and creamy” and “quite soothing on a hot afternoon.”

“You’d be hard-pressed to find a better tasting version for just a buck pretty much anywhere else, at least in this part of the country. Even McDonald’s charges more for its soft serve,” the pro noted.

But could it compete with the Costco version? Like Sam’s, you’ll currently have a choice of vanilla or chocolate. Here, however, 10 oz. cups cost $1.99, almost double.

This time, you’ll also be dealing with higher calories and fat content — not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Calling it “less artfully presented than Sam’s pristine version, but not unappealing,” this version comes in “more of a mocha color and looked slightly more melty than its rival.”

Looks can be deceiving, however.

“The rich flavor instantly reminded me of the old-school Jell-O Chocolate Cook & Serve Pudding, which I loved as a kid,” they said.

“The texture was more airy and light, as well, making it hard not to consume the whole cup within minutes.”

In the end, the taste test proved that you get what you pay for, the expert pointed out.

“Sam’s Club’s fro-yo is an incredible deal for the price but certainly tastes like a cheap dessert, whereas Costco’s version costs more but fittingly comes off like a higher-quality indulgence,” they said.

Twice as expensive — but “twice as enjoyable, too.”