These are the questions I set out to answer. So I compared croissants from Costco, Walmart, and No Frills, and I'm here to tell you that only one is worth your money.
No Frills croissants
Croissants from No Frills
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
I don't regularly shop at No Frills, but after wandering around the store after securing the goods, I really don't understand why. It's so cheap?! One of the cheapest grocery stores in Canada... I've been missing out. I was going to hang out with some friends that evening, so I purchased two boxes to share — one mini and one large.
Here's the bottom line: they’re yummy, but they’re not really a true croissant. The texture was very dense and bready, with no real flakiness inside or crispiness outside. The package says, "best served warm," so I did pop it into the microwave for a few seconds; it was nice and warm, but the texture was a little odd – almost tacky.
There were a few comments that they didn't taste very buttery. One friend even complained that there wasn't enough grease on his hands for a butter croissant.
Price: $5.75 for each package
Size: Eleven mini croissants, 336 grams total ($0.017 per gram or $0.52 per unit) and six large croissants, 270 grams total ($0.021 per gram, or $0.96 per unit)
Rating: 5.5/10
Bottom line: These are obviously cheap, especially the mini options, when you're looking at price per gram, but they don't have the croissant features we all know and love. Adjust your expectations, and you can still enjoy them.
Costco croissants
Costco croissants fueling my work session
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
Everyone (three people) told me, "Costco has the best croissants," so you can say my expectations were sky-high going into this. I was first struck by the sheer volume of croissants at Costco — a whole wall of them. And the value! So affordable!
As for the quality, these were clearly better than No Frills. They were a lot flakier and lighter, visibly so. The outside had a better crisp to it, as well. Since I had to buy a dozen of them, I enlisted a few friends to eat them up. We tried them plain, as well as heated in the toaster oven and microwave. The consensus was that toasting them absolutely improved the quality, as they crisped right up and gave you that croissant consistency you’re looking for.
My only critique here is that the flavour was a little bland. Not bad, just not super buttery or decadent-tasting. I enjoyed it with my coffee as a snack, but I probably liked it even more as a breakfast sandwich with some scrambled eggs and cheese inside.
Price: $6.99
Size: 12 croissants, 825 grams total ($0.008 per gram or $0.58 per unit)
Rating: 8/10
Bottom line: These are extremely affordable at less than $0.58 each and have an overall good texture and taste. They’re a solid choice and the most “croissant-y” option I tried. Would recommend!
Walmart croissants
Stacks on stacks of croissants
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
The third and final croissant I tried was from Walmart. And you know how they say, "Save the best for last?" Yeah, well, I definitely didn't. These croissants were similar to the No Frills variety in that they were denser and less flaky than what a typical croissant should be. The texture was fairly chewy and more bread-like.
The flavour, however, was nice and buttery, which I liked. I think these croissants had really good structural integrity and would make a good sandwich option. To eat on their own, though? Kind of underwhelming.
Price: $4.58
Size: Six croissants, 270 grams total ($0.008 per gram or $0.76 per unit)
Rating: 6/10
The bottom line: The flavour of these gives it a slight advantage over No Frills, but they're very similar in texture... In that they're just not the right texture. They'd be better served as a dinner roll or bread alternative rather than the light and flaky delight that is a croissant. Unfortunately, I do think the French would have a heart attack if this is what we brought to represent their iconic pastry.
The overall winner's got to be Costco. They're not only the cheapest, but they're light and flaky in a way No Frills and Walmart just couldn't provide. The only thing to consider is that they come in a 12-pack, which is, quite frankly, just too many for most people. So, if you need something more reasonable, go to Walmart; the overall flavour is better.
But in all honesty? I'd eat them again. At those low prices (the large croissants came in under $1.00 each), you really can't go wrong with any of them for a snack, as long as you know what you're getting into.
If you want the real deal, you'll just have to book a flight and go right to the source.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
