Customers Say This Mall Food Court Favorite Is The Worst Fast Food Pizza Chain

Even bad pizza is still pretty good. In a pinch, when bellies rumble, a utility slice from Sbarro might be able to tide you over at the mall food court. But, in any other scenario, there's no reason to order pizza from Sbarro: Tasting Table ranked every major fast food pizza chain, and Sbarro landed dead last. It survived bankruptcy twice, but it couldn't keep pace with the other contenders in our lineup.

Unlike a typical takeout-pizza run, Sbarro is customarily sold by the slice. Sbarro's pies feature thin, foldable New York-style pizza crust – and, in fitting "pizza by the slice" fashion, these highly portable triangles are often sold at kiosks in transitory spaces (think shopping malls, Amtrak food courts, and airports). Indeed, we aren't docking points for on-the-go walkability, which Sbarro delivers in spades. This fast food pizza chain landed at the bottom of our ranks because it doesn't really taste like anything. As we mentioned in our review, "Although it may look fairly authentic, it's not as rich in tomato umami and fresh mozzarella as some of the other available fast food options" — a criticism which most customers seem to share.

A Facebook post asks, "What is the worst pizza in the world? My vote is Sbarro" (ouch). Elsewhere online, a Yelp review of Sbarro writes, "Almost $8 a slice for the [worst] pizza I've ever had. Lol. Can go anywhere else and get good pizza less than half the price." The brand currently has a dismal 2.5 out of 5-star average Yelp rating, indicating consistently subpar dining experiences. Think you just had a random bad slice? Think again. 

A Reddit thread dedicated to Sbarro's lackluster quality is filled with similar tales of mall-time disappointment. "I always looked forward to it at the food court mall, and every single time I was disappointed," writes one commenter. Others theorize that the yummy pizza-aroma-waft that enticed them to order a slice in the first place set up the dining experience for a letdown ("I think this is the crux of the problem. Smelled great, taste was meh"). Still, it's worth noting that some folks seem to kind of like this once-food court darling of yore. Another post in r/unpopularopinion apologetically posits, "Sbarro Pizza is not the worst pizza out there," praising the chain's intersection of utility and affordability: "Sbarro actually fits the bill if you need a quick snack before a flight or catching a train. Not someplace I would go to beyond those parameters, but definitely not the worst out there!" However, if the most glowing review of Sbarro is that it could be worse, that's not a great sign.

Ultimately, other long-discontinued mall food court chains were gone too soon and guilty of less (we miss you, Kenny Rogers Chicken Roasters). By our count, hungry shoppers are better off hitting a pan-Asian stir-fry restaurant or a Cajun Louisiana-style chicken joint ... which are incidentally oft-spied mall food court neighbors, for some reason. Or, wait until you're done shopping and hit Jet's Pizza instead – the fast food chain that took first place in our ranking for its pizzeria-level quality and flavor.