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This Is the Most Unpopular Coffee Chain in America

According to consumers, getting coffee at this place isn't always the most pleasant experience.

Man with a cup of cappuccino with a sad face
nito100 / iStock

The average American spends $3 a day on coffee, and while that may not sound like much on its own, it ultimately amounts to $1,100 a year, according to a report by financial services company Acorns. With so much of your money being spent on your daily caffeine kick, you likely have opinions as strong as your cup of joe as to which coffee houses are worth your hard-earned cash and which you'd rather drive right by. And there are probably a few factors that go into why you choose one cafe over another. Of course, there's taste preference and convenience, but the way you're treated by the baristas brewing your beloved beverage also likely plays a part. That’s why we at Best Life set out to determine the most hated coffee chain in America.


For our list of coffee chains in the U.S., we started with the 20 chains that have at least 25 or more locations either within a state or in different parts of the country. Then, we gathered the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) ratings of the different coffee chains across the U.S. (Scores were available for 18 of them.) The BBB uses public data, as well as information provided by companies themselves, to assess how well a business serves and interacts with its customers, such as the volume of complaints received from customers, whether or not those complaints went unanswered or unresolved, and if there is evidence of a pattern of failure to address complaints. In its overall assessment, the BBB also considers the transparency of a company's business practices, competency licensing, advertising, and government action. The resulting ratings are provided as both a letter grade, as well as a numerical score on a 100-point scale, both of which we've included in our analysis.

We also included, where applicable*, the number of stars a brand received on the popular review site Trustpilot. Lastly, we calculated the average Yelp rating for the locations in the state where each company's operations are based—in other words, where the brands are headquartered. (In the case of Tim Hortons, which is a Canadian brand, we used their Detroit locations based on the significant presence the company has there.) Both sites have five-star rating scales.

Finally, we gave each metric a weighted value before running them through our exclusive algorithm to see how each brand scored on our 100-point scale Dissatisfaction Index—with a score of zero indicating excellent customer service and 100 representing the worst. Read on to discover the most hated coffee chain in America, and find out how your favorite java joint stacked up. And for another rocky consumer experience to watch out for, find out The Online Store With the Worst Customer Service in America.

*Editor’s note: “N/A” indicates that data was not available for that particular metric. We adjusted the algorithm to ensure that each brand was scored fairly and accurately.

20 | The Human Bean

The Human Bean Coffee Drive Thru in Medford, OregonBraunger/ullstein bild via Getty Images

BBB grade: A+

BBB score: 97

Trustpilot stars: N/A

Yelp rating: 4.5

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 0.00

19 | Classic Rock Coffee Co.

The exterior of a Classic Rock Coffee Co. in Springfield, MissouriShutterstock

BBB grade: A

BBB score: 96.99

Trustpilot stars: N/A

Yelp rating: 4.5

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 0.03

18 | Hard Bean Coffee

Hard Bean Coffee LogoHard Bean Coffee

BBB grade: A+

BBB score: 97

Trustpilot stars: N/A

Yelp rating: 4.25

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 12.22

17 | Ziggi's Coffee

A Ziggi's Coffee Cup in front of an espresso machineLewis Geyer/Digital First Media/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images

BBB grade: A

BBB score: 94

Trustpilot stars: N/A

Yelp rating: 4.25

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 22.10

16 | It's a Grind Coffee House

the sign of an It's A Grind Coffee Shop in Corona, CaliforniaShutterstock

BBB grade: N/A

BBB score: N/A

Trustpilot stars: 4.7

Yelp rating: 4.0

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 24.44

15 | Rock ‘n’ Joe Coffee Bar

The outside of a rock'n'joe in Millburn, New JerseyShutterstock

BBB grade: A-

BBB score: 93.99

Trustpilot stars: N/A

Yelp rating: 4.14

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 27.51

14 | Dunn Brothers Coffee

The exterior of a Dunn Brothers Coffee Shop in St. Paul, MinnesotaShutterstock

BBB grade: A+

BBB score: 97

Trustpilot stars: N/A

Yelp rating: 3.92

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 28.35

13 | Caribou Coffee

The entrance of a Caribou Coffee shop in the Mall of America in Bloomington, MinnesotaShutterstock

BBB grade: A+

BBB score: 97

Trustpilot stars: N/A

Yelp rating: 3.73

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 37.63

And for more insight into bad shopping experiences in person, check out This Store Has the Worst Customer Service in America.

12 | Aroma Joe's Coffee

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Portland, Maine with 63 locations across Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Florida. Aroma Joe\u2019s is a local destination for hand crafted coffee and espresso drinks, unique infused blends, signature AJS RUSH Energy Drinks and a variety of all-day food offerings.Aroma Joe's via PRNewswire

BBB grade: A+

BBB score: 97

Trustpilot stars: N/A

Yelp rating: 3.66

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 41.06

11 | Coffee Beanery

Coffee Beanery signBestPhotoPlus / Shutterstock

BBB grade: A+

BBB score: 97

Trustpilot stars: 3.3

Yelp rating: 3.80

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 45.16

10 | PJ's Coffee of New Orleans

The exterior sign of a PJ's Coffee shop in New OrleansShutterstock

BBB grade: B+

BBB score: 89.99

Trustpilot stars: N/A

Yelp rating: 4.0

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 47.52

9 | Starbucks

Bangkok, Thailand - July 19, 2019 : Starbucks coffee logo in front of the shop in Bangkok.iStock

BBB grade: B

BBB score: 86.99

Trustpilot stars: 2.63

Yelp rating: 4.03

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 64.98

And if you're fitness focused in 2021, make sure to check out This Gym Has the Worst Customer Service in America.

8 | Dunkin'

gas station dunkin storeShutterstock

BBB grade: A+

BBB score: 97

Trustpilot stars: 3.0

Yelp rating: 2.95

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 77.42

7 | Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea

The entrance of a Sweetwaters Coffee House in Walnut Creek, CaliforniaSmith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

BBB grade: N/A

BBB score: N/A

Trustpilot stars: 3.0

Yelp rating: 3.71

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 80.16

6 | The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

The Coffee Bean, & Tea Leaf shop in Queensbay Mall in Penang, MalaysiaShutterstock

BBB grade: C-

BBB score: 73.99

Trustpilot stars: 4.0

Yelp rating: 3.95

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 88.95

And for more exclusive rankings delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

5 | Biggby Coffee

the store logo of a Biggby Coffee shop in Ann Arbor, MichiganShutterstock

BBB grade: C+

BBB score: 79.99

Trustpilot stars: N/A

Yelp rating: 3.73

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 93.64

4 | Peet's Coffee & Tea

The exterior of a Peet's Coffee and Tea shop in Lake Forest, CaliforniaShutterstock

BBB grade: C

BBB score: 76.99

Trustpilot stars: 2.4

Yelp rating: 4.0

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 94.74

3 | Bottom's Up Espresso

Customer places an order at the Bottoms Up Espresso on Yosemite Blvd., in Modesto, CaliforniaDebbie Noda / Modesto Bee/ZUMAPRESS.com / Alamy Stock Photo

BBB grade: C+

BBB score: 79.99

Trustpilot stars: 3.0

Yelp rating: 3.57

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 97.78

2 | Tim Hortons

the exterior of a Tim Hortons Coffee shop in Toronto, CanadaShuttterstock

BBB grade: A+

BBB score: 97

Trustpilot stars: 1.6

Yelp rating: 3.00

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 98.39

1 | Gloria Jean's Coffee

A Gloria Jean's Coffees shop in Istanbul City, TurkeyShutterstock

BBB grade: C

BBB score: 79.99

Trustpilot stars: N/A

Yelp rating: 3.60

Dissatisfaction Index Score: 99.99

And for more eateries that are leaving customers unsatisfied, This Is the Most Hated Restaurant Chain in America.