RD will give you an account, but to avoid having to pay the sales tax up front, you must give them a State reseller sales tax exemption number and a copy of your state certificate. When I set my account up, they had me coded as taxed in the system, but it was an easy fix (I have a reseller number and certificate, they just forgot to click one little box on their screen). I have heard that pretty much any business can open an account at RD, even without the sales tax exemption documents, you just pay taxes. You should be able to back it out on your state report, but it makes the accounting a little more difficult (assuming the purchase is for resale and not personal consumption).
The one thing I will say about RD, is the place can be a mad house depending on what time of day you go. Early in the mornings for me at the Norcross store is totally crazy. A wide diversity of runners for restaurants pushing multiple pallets stacked (over stacked usually) with all manner of supplies and at least 6 languages being spoken between the various groups. It's interesting, but not for everyone. They do have a wide range of products and are very well stocked in meats and seafood. I can get "dry" U10 sea scallops no problem (try and find "dry" scallops at Sam's or Costco, not going to happen). Once you have a RD account, you will get the sale circulars and can log in on their website to see current prices, availability and place orders. But their website is geared towards someone who knows what they are looking at and what they want. Very little information on specific products like you would find at the Sam's Club or Costco websites. But they target a different customer also. Their business is to supply resellers, not help a end consumer decide on item a or item b. RD had whole shoulder clods for $2.29 a pound last time I looked. If I had a little more room in the freezer I would be breaking one of those down next weekend.
We used to live up near the Morrow Costco and I loved shopping there. It's not convienent since we moved and the neighborhood around it has become the dregs of Atlanta (Google Clayton County and their lovely Sheriff Victor Hill - he is famous or rather infamous). I keep wishing they would build one close to the office or to the house in McDonough (the customers would be there). But for now it's RD when I plan in advance or need a special item, or the Sam's Club right next to my office on Clairmont Rd or the local one in McDonough when pressed for time or for last minute supply runs.
We also have a big Asian food market on Buford hwy just outside I-285 and a big Mercado market just south of there at the intersection of Buford hwy and Clairmont. If you have a big Asian food market in your area, you really need to visit it at least once. You will see things you never knew existed or thought about doing with food. The DeKalb farmers market is also good for a wide diversity of items. I'm sure there are others as Atlanta is huge and you can pretty much find anything here, somewhere.
