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. BBB grade: A+ BBB score: 97 Trustpilot stars: N/A Yelp rating: 4.5 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 0.00 BBB grade: A BBB score: 96.99 Trustpilot stars: N/A Yelp rating: 4.5 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 0.03 BBB grade: A+ BBB score: 97 Trustpilot stars: N/A Yelp rating: 4.25 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 12.22 BBB grade: A BBB score: 94 Trustpilot stars: N/A Yelp rating: 4.25 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 22.10 BBB grade: N/A BBB score: N/A Trustpilot stars: 4.7 Yelp rating: 4.0 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 24.44 BBB grade: A- BBB score: 93.99 Trustpilot stars: N/A Yelp rating: 4.14 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 27.51 BBB grade: A+ BBB score: 97 Trustpilot stars: N/A Yelp rating: 3.92 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 28.35 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. BBB grade: A+ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb BBB score: 97 Trustpilot stars: N/A Yelp rating: 3.66 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 41.06 BBB grade: A+ BBB score: 97 Trustpilot stars: 3.3 Yelp rating: 3.80 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 45.16 BBB grade: B+ BBB score: 89.99 Trustpilot stars: N/A Yelp rating: 4.0 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 47.52 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. BBB grade: A+ BBB score: 97 Trustpilot stars: 3.0 Yelp rating: 2.95 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 77.42 BBB grade: N/A BBB score: N/A Trustpilot stars: 3.0 Yelp rating: 3.71 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 80.16 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. BBB grade: C+ BBB score: 79.99 Trustpilot stars: N/A Yelp rating: 3.73 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 93.64 BBB grade: C BBB score: 76.99 Trustpilot stars: 2.4 Yelp rating: 4.0 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 94.74 BBB grade: C+ BBB score: 79.99 Trustpilot stars: 3.0 Yelp rating: 3.57 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 97.78 BBB grade: A+ BBB score: 97 Trustpilot stars: 1.6 Yelp rating: 3.00 Dissatisfaction Index Score: 98.39 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.
