I compared a $12 lunch at Costco and IKEA to see which is better (the results shocked me)

IKEA lunch: Meatballs, cinnamon bun, and coffee

I ordered the Swedish meatball plate because it's the most iconic option, and it had been too long since I'd had them. I needed to see if they lived up to the elite status I've held them to in my mind.

And, well, the meatballs hold up. They're really yummy, with lots of flavour. The gravy plus the lingonberry sauce (think cranberry sauce but make it Swedish) adds a nice savoury-sweet-salty complement. The mashed potatoes were standard, very normal; no notes. The peas were cold, so I was not a huge fan of that.

I also got a cinnamon bun and coffee to round out the meal — both were good, though not great. The cinnamon bun was maple-flavoured, so I liked that it was a bit unique, but it was quite dry so I only ate the inside bit. The coffee was perfectly average and acceptable, though free refills for members are a nice touch!

The portion size was good for one person, and I think overall great value for the price to get a full meal, dessert, and unlimited coffee.

Price:

• $8.99 for the meatballs and mashed potatoes; you can also pay more for +4 meatballs
• $1.50 for the maple cinnamon bun
• $1.50 for a coffee (with free refills)
• TOTAL: $12.59 including tax

Rating: 7.5/10

Costco lunch: Montreal smoked meat sandwich and a caramel sundae

I won't lie to you — I had a hard time choosing what to purchase for lunch at Costco.

First, you have the iconic $1.50 hot dog-and-pop combo. Delicious, classic, good value-for-dollar. Or there's the poutine, which I love. Or chicken strips and fries — also amazing. But I'd tried them all before and can confirm that they are delicious and worth getting.

So I tried something new: the Montreal smoked meat sandwich. It was pretty simple, just a chibatta bun and the smoked meat with a pickle on the side (the largest I've ever seen). I added some mustard from the condiment stand, but the meat was really flavourful on its own, so I'm not sure it needed it.

Portion-wise, it was a healthy amount of meat and was flavourful, hot, and well-constructed (so the meat stayed in the bun). It was simple, but good.

The pickle, on the other hand? Kind of weirdly watery and not very good.

I also grabbed a sundae with chocolate and vanilla "twist" ice cream and caramel sauce. I mean, it's ice cream, so it was good overall, though the caramel was frozen and very sticky.

The only "downside" is that it's truly massive — in typical Costco fashion — so I couldn't finish it all.

Price:

• $7.99 for the Montreal smoked meat sandwich
• $3.49 for the sundae
• TOTAL: $12.05, including tax

Rating: 7.5/10

The tie-breaker

I gave lunch at Costco and IKEA both a 7.5/10. That's because they were both tasty, but not exceptional, and offered good value for money. I mean, I was completely stuffed for $12.00 at each spot.

And while I only chose a couple of menu items to compare, both IKEA and Costco have a ton of well-priced options. I don't think you can really go wrong with any, so long as you're not expecting gourmet cuisine.

So, I needed a tie-breaker.

I've compared the meals based on taste and price, but there's one last important consideration: the atmosphere.

Simply put, IKEA has a lovely dining area with friendly staff, lots of seating, and refillable coffee stations; Costco offers a dirty, crowded place to stand and shove food into your face. The staff are all champions at keeping up with a high volume of customers, but the reality is that the environment is simply not that enjoyable to spend time in.

Based on this, IKEA gets my vote.

...But I'm willing to go back and try more options and have a re-do!