If you're on the go and you pass by a food court,
should you grab some carb-heavy pastries, the sweetest of sugary drinks,
or just all the free samples you can handle? We're here to steer you straight.
Is there anyone who doesn't like free samples? Possibly, but if there's anyone out there who
isn't able to enjoy a no-strings-attached sliver of teriyaki chicken from Sarku Japan,
we haven't met them. Those free samples aren't the only great thing about this quick-service
Japanese chain, as it sells plenty of filling and delectable products. The relatively slim
menu likely plays a hand in Sarku Japan's success. It generally focuses on the teriyaki,
while also including tempura sides and premade sushi rolls.
Frankly, few restaurants embody the food court ethos quite like Sarku Japan. And with more than
200 food court locations across the United States, it's not too hard to track it down. So the next
time you're walking by, make sure you're hungry enough to snag a free teriyaki chicken sample.
We've enjoyed many corn dogs in our day, but that doesn't mean they're
worthy of building an entire restaurant around. Nevertheless, Hot Dog on a Stick
has somehow risen to food court prominence, though we wouldn't recommend it. As of 2023,
it operates in only five states, and we wouldn't advocate for it to expand any wider.
The sheer fact that this chain is known for selling such an odd, gimmicky item is just
not that appealing. Furthermore, we can't help but also knock Hot Dog on a Stick's bizarre,
overly bright color scheme. Between its eyesore setup and extremely niche product, we can't say
we're disappointed that Hot Dog on a Stick has been slowly receding from American food courts.
"Hot Dog on a Stick." "I've never had a hot dog.
I didn't even know it was-" "What?!"
Whether it's sweet or savory, we'd almost always accept a soft pretzel.
And if the pretzel in question is from Auntie Anne's, we'll be absolutely over the moon!
The overall quality and delectability of this chain's pretzels is obviously a huge plus,
as is the fact they're always made fresh on-site. Attempting to decide
which variety of Auntie Anne's is the best may be a fool's errand. But if push
came to shove, we'd have to say that the original five-ingredient pretzel ranks above all the rest.
There may be times when we'd prefer a full-blown meal at the food court, but more often than not,
we're looking for just a snack that we can enjoy on our feet. With that in mind,
an Auntie Anne's location is a sight for sore eyes and empty stomachs.
It feels sort of unfair to criticize Subway too excessively. Then again,
as evidenced by its long-term decline in sales through the 2010s,
there's no way around the fact that this chain has been sorely outpaced by its competitors
for a while now. Consequently, considering its lingering ubiquity in and out of food courts,
we feel we have no choice but to call Subway out for its shortcomings.
You might be wondering if Subway at least deserves credit for recognizing its less-than-stellar
reputation and introducing a widely-revamped menu in 2022. Ultimately, that's a matter of
perspective. To be sure, there's something to be said for a business expressing public humility
while attempting to reverse its largely negative image. But Subway isn't running a charity,
so we're not exactly inclined to give a major company the benefit of the doubt in this case.
"Subway sandwiches: Dad's attempt at dinner."
Finding a culinary treat that exceeds the mouthwatering heights of a fresh-baked
cookie is nearly impossible, especially when that cookie is quite hefty. It's no
wonder then that we hold Mrs. Fields in such high regard. And if you disagree with that assessment,
we'd have to assume that you've never actually tasted a Mrs. Field's cookie.
Frankly, there's no reason to ever not be excited for a baked good from
Mrs. Fields. When you walk into a food court and you're in the mood for a warm,
fresh cookie, there's simply no better option.
If you've ever been enticed by the intoxicating aroma of fresh cookies near a food court,
you know how easy it is to end up drawn toward Mrs. Fields. Since cookies offer a similar
walk-and-talk convenience as soft pretzels, it's easy to see why they're an ideal food court item,
and thus how Mrs. Fields earns its place as one of the best of the best.
Whenever fast food pizza is the topic of discussion, we tend to forget that Sbarro
even exists. Maybe that forgetfulness doesn't apply to everyone, but still,
that bit of memory lapse doesn't exactly bode well. It may have something to do with the
fact that this chain's locations have recently been disappearing across the country. Frankly,
Sbarro's reputation as a low-rent fast-casual Italian joint is fairly widespread,
and that's why it earns a spot on our list of the worst food court options.
If you're wondering why Sbarro is held in such low regard by many customers nowadays, it's not
that hard to figure out. As restaurant consultant Michael Whiteman explained to Reuters in 2014,
"Its biggest shortcoming is that it sells food that has been sitting out for a while,
and more people want food made to order."
The simple reality is that Sbarro offers an overpriced product that underdelivers
in both taste and quality. Perhaps sometime in the future, this chain might be able to
turn its reputation around. But for now, it remains at the bottom of the food court heap.
"As you can imagine, this news about Sbarro's has really upset a lot of fake Italians."
Like many other chain restaurants, there's both good and bad to be found on the Jamba Juice menu,
nutritionally speaking, at least. Of course, though, even their unhealthy products are a
treat for the taste buds, as anything with a ton of added sugar tends to be. But the
fact that this smoothie chain also offers an array of incredibly healthy offerings
that dazzle with delicious flavors is quite the accomplishment. With all that in mind,
it's exceptionally easy to declare Jamba Juice as one of the best food court restaurants around.
Whether you're in the mood for something heavy or something light, this chain can
absolutely accommodate. That ability to pivot from an indulgent and unhealthy smoothie to one
made with nothing but fruits and vegetables only elevates the chain as a reliable go-to option.
While that fairly even variety between healthy and
unhealthy options is crucial to its food court appeal, there's another big factor
in Jamba Juice's favor. And it's one of the most important when it comes to food courts,
as it's a perfect product for moving around while drinking it. Since we have a clear preference for
options designed for easy transport, how could we not be big fans of this staple?
"And get me a Jamba Juice with a protein boost."
No restaurant's signature product has ever seemed more nutritionally deficient than
Cinnabon's. We may not have all the data in the restaurant world to compare and contrast
completely and thoroughly. But a quick peek at the nutritional info for Cinnabon's Classic Roll
pretty quickly tells you what you need to know. It contains a jaw-dropping 880
calories and 61 grams of sugar, which isn't exactly something you should bite into on a
regular basis. Cinnabon's artery-clogging nature is simply too great to ignore.
Moderation is the key to a healthy life, of course, and there's absolutely nothing wrong
with indulging on occasion. So it's okay to have a calorie bomb of a snack every once in a while.
But in our opinion, Cinnabon's food is more of a trick than a treat. The combination of
cloying sweetness, an overly rich heavy roll, and excessive frosting is simply too much to overlook.
Plus, when you also factor in the dreary black-and-white images of Gene Takovic,
aka Jimmy McGill, aka Saul Goodman, working at a Cinnabon on Better Call Saul,
it's clear that there's hardly anything appealing here. So even though Cinnabon
can be a little tasty, it's not enough to overcome its deficiencies.
Soft pretzels are a nearly unbeatable food when you're on the go. So the bar to clear
wasn't exactly all that high for Wetzel's Pretzels. But we're not in the business
of rewarding subpar products. Which is to say, despite the ease of the assignment,
the fantastic flavors of Wetzel's Pretzels clinched this spot all on their own.
And we're clearly not the only ones partial to the fresh, toothsome pretzels from Wetzel's. In fact,
the chain reported record sales in 2021, which included a rather astonishing
24 percent increase compared to 2019. And working at the chain is reportedly a fairly
decent experience for employees, so we're not burdened with any guilt over our purchase.
Now, you may be curious how Wetzel's stacks up to Auntie Anne's. But the fact of the matter is
we're not here to pit them against each other. Simply put, there's room enough for both of
them in the soft pretzel game, and they're also both among the best options at the food court.
"Who wants a pretzel?! Huh?”
"Get on in there!"
Orange Julius is one of those chains that seems to be synonymous with the food court.
But that doesn't mean it's one of the best selections there. Unfortunately,
with little to offer customers besides sugar-saturated juices and some of the least
healthy smoothies on the market, Orange Julius ranks as one of the worst food court joints.
We're not really interested in investigating whether or
not Orange Julius has ever existed outside a food court setting. Instead,
we're just here to explain why it belongs at the bottom of the pack. And it might
have something to do with the fact that it's closed numerous locations in recent years.
It may be a simple matter of consumer tastes and preferences shifting through the years,
to the point that an empty-calorie beverage like the classic Orange Julius has no real
place in modern diets. Ultimately, we can't help but brand the once-mighty
Orange Julius as a chain that simply isn't worth your time, money, or appetite.
"So the day we moved in, we found him sleeping in the back on the floor. He stood up and with
a cup of nails and said, 'Uh, do you want to buy a cup of Orange Julius?"
Before we explain why Panda Express is among the food court all-stars,
we want to make one thing clear. If you're craving American-style Chinese food and can
wait until you're able to order from somewhere besides a chain, we highly recommend that.
But if you simply must scratch this particular culinary itch while you're in a food court, you
can't do much better than the large portions and moderately healthy selections at Panda Express.
Simply put, Panda Express is among the best American-style Chinese options out there.
We wouldn't necessarily rank it among the best of the best in this category on a wider scale,
but it gets the job done, and that goes a long way at the food court.
Panda Express may have a reputation for being low-quality or poor-tasting among some foodies,
but we have to declare that that misconception is way off-base. We're
immensely confident in our assessment of this chain, and we're not afraid to say so.
Fast-casual bakery and cafe Au Bon Pain feels like it's basically an artifact from the turn
of the 21st century. You might be surprised to discover that this faux-Parisian chain is even
still in business. Its supposedly fancy products have always left us deflated,
which is why it ranks among the worst options at the food court.
This eatery has quite the extensive menu of hot and cold sandwiches, soups, salads,
pastries, and desserts. But the bottom line is, you can get higher-quality versions of
pretty much all of these items at other chains that likely aren't too far away.
Quite frankly, other than the fact that this chain appears to offer free WiFi to its customers,
there's little to love about Au Bon Pain. If you were under the mistaken impression
that it had gone under in recent years, you're probably not shocked to see us even mention it.
But since it is still operating, and it's even reportedly been adding new locations,
we have no choice but to call a spade a spade.