You’re in New York City; you’re wandering around Time Square and find your stomach grumbling. You look left, you look right, and ah-a! A neon sign reading “Sbarro” catches your eye. But whilst the food may look appetizing, it’s all summed up in a statement from Neil Irwin of the New York Times: “You eat Sbarro not because you want Sbarro, but because it is the food that is available; at the moment you want some food.” Sure it serves the famous New York-style pizza, but New Yorkers are even scratching their heads as to why it’s there in the first place.
Whilst the pizza is sloppy with cheese that could possibly be fake (?) it’s the cost that surprises us – at almost $4 US a slice, a whole pizza would set you back over $30! Yeah, no, thanks! If you’re still curious, Sbarro can be found at your local deserted mall. Consumer Score: 34%
Hardee’s
One of the “Eat Like You Mean It” gang, next up sitting inside our top (or bottom?) 10, is Hardee’s. Popular in the South and Midwest states, it's known for its charbroiled hamburgers and er… questionable commercials. Like it’s a bit 1980s to be using scantily clad supermodels to endorse your products, right? Grow up! We know for sure that your market isn’t just deprived males! Okay, we got a little feisty there, but seriously!
Sure your rivals are McDonald’s but be a little smarter and less obtuse! But we’ve got to hand it to them; Hardee’s actually admitted they weren’t exactly the best with service or with their food. But it seems that instead of changing things, things stayed the same. Disappointing, hence their position on our list! Consumer Score: 34%
Jimmy John’s
Gourmet sandwiches, huh? Opening their doors in 1983, the sandwich giant claims they are “Jimmy Fresh”! But we just want to point out that in their “About Us” section, the first sentence contains an asterisk. Problematic, no? And the asterisked word in question is “all-natural,'' referring to the meats they use. Scroll down, and the disclaimer goes a little like: “all-natural means our meats are minimally processed (except for caramel color on roast beef) and contain no artificial ingredients.” And we had to squint to read short sentences. Ah… no thanks.
Aside from the questionable meats used, they were in hot water regarding an employment contract clause that forbade them from working at other delis for two years after the end of their employment at JJ’s. Oh, and there have been one or two E. Coli and Salmonella incidents. ‘Nuff said. Consumer Score: 34%
Burger King
The American raised global hamburger chain was found in Jacksonville, Florida, and now boasts a whopping 17,896 stores worldwide! Incredible! You’d think that with that number of stores, they’d be onto something – you don’t keep opening stores if your product isn’t good or in demand, right? Most customers walk on through into Burger King for their Whopper burger, but often customers are disappointed!
Reviews generally complain of a lack of toppings with too much onion! Not to mention the dismally sized patty itself. Sure, people who complain are often disgruntled and have something else going on in their lives, but it seems that they’ve done something really wrong to be ranked so poorly on the list! Consumer Score: 33%
Carl’s Jr.
Founded in LA back in the early 1940s, Carl’s Jr is “here to serve you. We’re known as the place to go for juicy, delicious charbroiled burgers. Because if you’re gonna eat, you should Eat Like You Mean It.” And that neat little line is trademarked, thank you very much! What began as a hotdog stand became a multimillion-dollar fast-food empire, memorable for its marketing and menu options. Sure, the servings are generous, and in America, bigger is better (right?). But whilst it looks all shiny and new on the outside, customers are complaining.
Oh, and, not to mention, the overtly sexual commercials – come on, we’re not still in the 1940s team! So with the advertisements and alarmingly high level of trans fats used in their meals, you’d be better off having a meal at home! Consumer Score: 33%