# Bad brands **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 26, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337 "2011-07-26T00:53:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19adc/32.png) [@I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Am_The_Lorax)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/61 "2011-07-28T19:16:05Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > The best of what? It’s obvious that the beans aren’t sorted for quality and aren’t roasted uniformly. Most of their product, including the Original CfoN which I’m familiar with, is comprised of the more bitter and less complex in flavor Robusta variety, which is one of the reasons the coffee is significantly cheaper. Uh, the best tasting? I’d say it’s far from " obvious that the beans aren’t sorted for quality and aren’t roasted uniformly" considering they are ground up and mixed together in the can. To me, it’s the best tasting coffee for the money. However, I’m willing to concede I may not know my ass from my ear here; I also like Miracle Whip. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/62 "2011-07-28T19:30:19Z")
Wow,\*\* Rocketeer\*\*, do you have any idea when this happened? I ask because sitting in an un-opened box from December or January is some unopened Pyrex going with my other half to grad school. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/63 "2011-07-28T19:35:14Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > KRUSTEAZ. … Well, with [so many products](http://members.tripod.com/~homer_campo/products.html), they can’t _all_ be great. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/64 "2011-07-28T19:37:51Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > Chock Full O’ Nuts.\* There is bad and then there is CFON. The worst. Coffee is NOT supposed to have nuts in it. Chock Full O’ Nuts coffee does not have nuts in it, as far as I know. Why would you have a coffee brand that implies that your coffee contains something it doesn’t and shouldn’t? It makes no sense. Seconding the avoidance of Hartz pet products. Their flea and tick products are dangerous. There are much less dangerous alternatives available. American Airlines. I have figured out that what seems like incompetence on their part is actually a brilliant anti-terrorist plan. They will make it impossible for terrorists to execute another synchronized attack like 9/11 by never having any of their flights leave on time. I’m sure the understaffing and long lines have something to do with this, too. Israir. As the name implies, they are a cheap airline that flies to Israel. We had a terrible experience with them the last time we flew on them. The lowlight was probably when the cargo door of the plane was stuck and couldn’t be opened for a couple of hours after we landed at JFK. That inspires me with all kinds of confidence in their maintenance department. They also gave us middle seats after assuring us that they wouldn’t. General Motors. I’ve had enough bad experiences with GM cars, and such a good experience with my Honda Civic, that I don’t plan to buy another GM car. I’ve now had my Civic for much longer than I had the Pontiac Sunfire I had before it, and have had far fewer problems with the Civic. IMO, a car should get you between points A and B, with as little cost or trouble as possible. The Civic has done much better at this job than the Sunfire did. I also had a bad experience with a rented Chevy Malibu and its very loose steering. ---
**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/65 "2011-07-28T19:47:56Z")
I’ve tried and will NEVER buy again, Kraft Mayo, Land o’lakes cheese, add me to the chock full of nuts coffee haters, Classico sauce, rice a roni fried rice. YUCK. As for Mt Olive pickles, in my mind, they are cheaper because they are cheap quality. They work on hamburgers but not to munch on alone. Boar’s Head kosher dills are the best for that. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/66 "2011-07-28T19:50:26Z")
[Chock full o’Nuts history.](http://www.chockfullonuts.com/history.aspx) > [@](#): > > **1932** > > Chock full o’Nuts Coffee shops are born. After the depression struck, even William Black’s shelled nuts seemed too much of a luxury. So he converted his chain of 18 nut shops into small coffee shops, selling a good cup of coffee and a sandwich for a nickel. > > **1953** > > William Black began to sell his own brand of coffee in grocery stores and decided to name it after his original street-side nut shop - Chock full o’Nuts. The brand is an immediate success in grocery shops all over town. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/67 "2011-07-28T22:22:08Z")
> [@bump](#): > > There… edited that for you. Doesn’t matter if it’s frequent flier miles or not, AA treats you like dogshit for the most part. I won’t fly American because of their lack of maintenance and poor quality. The DC-10 crash in Chicago was a direct result of their mechanics shorting Douglas’ written procedures. Then about 10 years or so ago to prove they had gotten no better they had a 767 in for maintenance at LAX. They drained the brake system and then the guys went home. No problem except they forgot to chock the wheels. It rolled through fence and into the street. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/68 "2011-07-28T22:35:21Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > General Motors. I’ve had enough bad experiences with GM cars, and such a good experience with my Honda Civic, that I don’t plan to buy another GM car. I’ve now had my Civic for much longer than I had the Pontiac Sunfire I had before it, and have had far fewer problems with the Civic. IMO, a car should get you between points A and B, with as little cost or trouble as possible. The Civic has done much better at this job than the Sunfire did. I also had a bad experience with a rented Chevy Malibu and its very loose steering. First car I had after I started driving again a few years ago was a 1986 Chevy Cavalier. I soon replaced it with an '89 Honda Accord. The very first thing I noticed about the Honda was the sound the driver’s door made when I closed it: a nice, solid, “thunk”. I noticed it because I’d gotten accustomed to the way the Chevy’s door sounded like somebody slamming the lid down on an old metal garbage can. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/69 "2011-07-28T22:37:56Z")
Hershey’s chocolate. Absolutely foul and rotten. Reeks of spoiled milk. It hardly tastes like chocolate at all. Last week I went to a local ice cream shop where they advertise their stuff as hand made and I got some regular chocolate ice cream. Bleagh. It reeked of Hershey’s chocolate sauce. Horrible, horrible crap. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/70 "2011-07-28T23:18:44Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Hershey’s chocolate. Absolutely foul and rotten. Reeks of spoiled milk. It hardly tastes like chocolate at all. > > Last week I went to a local ice cream shop where they advertise their stuff as hand made and I got some regular chocolate ice cream. Bleagh. It reeked of Hershey’s chocolate sauce. Horrible, horrible crap. Yeah, Hershey’s uses soured milk in its regular chocolate, so that’s where that distinctive slightly vomit-like smell and taste comes from. I like it from time to time, but it is pretty odd if you’re not used to it. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/71 "2011-07-28T23:24:20Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Hershey’s chocolate. Absolutely foul and rotten. Reeks of spoiled milk. It hardly tastes like chocolate at all. That might be because some of their products contain vegetable oil in place of cocoa butter. 😃 Also, it’s my understanding that part of their manufacturing process essentially sours the milk. I will admit that I loved having a Hershey bar with an orangeade after school. (Well, that will teach me to preview!) ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/72 "2011-07-29T02:13:57Z")
If you think Hershey’s chocolate is bad, try those off-brand hollow chocolate Easter bunnies. They don’t even taste like chocolate at all. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/73 "2011-07-29T02:23:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, Hershey’s uses soured milk in its regular chocolate, so that’s where that distinctive slightly vomit-like smell and taste comes from. I like it from time to time, but it is pretty odd if you’re not used to it. Vomit! Exactly the sensation I was trying to describe. > [@Ponch8](#): > > If you think Hershey’s chocolate is bad, try those off-brand hollow chocolate Easter bunnies. They don’t even taste like chocolate at all. I prefer that to Hershey’s vomit. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/74 "2011-07-29T02:24:43Z")
I try to avoid buying any of the chocolate or candy that becomes available for Easter, unless it’s a brand that I know that I like. Little kids just want a BIG Easter basket, stuffed full of candy. Lots of candy. They really can’t tell that the candy is nasty. If I’m going to raise my blood sugar, I’m damn well going to enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/75 "2011-07-29T04:40:55Z")
> [@bump](#): > > There… edited that for you. Doesn’t matter if it’s frequent flier miles or not, AA treats you like dogshit for the most part. **bump** , I realize you’re joking but it’s still strictly against the rules to alter another poster’s quote. Don’t do this again. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Niply\_Elder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/76 "2011-07-29T05:18:49Z")
Windows. Minimizing a certain engineering program causes it’s memory to be immediately dumped to virtual, then takes forever to reload, and meantime everything slows down a factor of 100. US Airways (I’m unwittingly flying with them in a week, yay :rolleyes: ) Walmart. I try to give them less than $100 a year. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/77 "2011-07-29T06:04:55Z")
I live in Texas and I’ve never once seen Texas Pete for sale here. The only place I have seen it is Chik-fil-a. I wish they did sell it because my daughter loves it! I will agree to the Jennie-O turkey bacon. It really was terrible stuff and I’m not picky at all!! ---
**Author:** ![JuliaSqueezer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/82dd89/32.png) [@JuliaSqueezer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JuliaSqueezer)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/78 "2011-07-29T14:45:44Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > [Chock full o’Nuts history.](http://www.chockfullonuts.com/history.aspx) A bit OT, but this reminded me of a funny experience. A few months ago, I had a dollar-off coupon for Chock Full O’ Nuts coffee. It’s not a big brand around here (Michigan) and I’d never tried it. Obviously not a big seller at my local Kroger store, either, because I couldn’t find it anywhere in the coffee aisle. I did find it a few minutes later, sharing shelf space with Planters and Emerald nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/79 "2011-07-29T15:26:58Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > Wow,\*\* Rocketeer\*\*, do you have any idea when this happened? I ask because sitting in an un-opened box from December or January is some unopened Pyrex going with my othe half to grad school. I remember a thread here on the Dope about it, but I’m currently waiting 111 seconds before performing another search. :rolleyes: Here’s a [Popular Science article on it](http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-03/gray-matter-cant-take-heat). [Snopes is a bit uncertain](http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/pyrex.asp), but [Consumer Reports](http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2011/january/home-garden/glass-cookware/glass-cookware/index.htm) published a long report and appears to believe that the new glass is less resistant to high temperatures. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337/80 "2011-07-29T16:11:42Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, Hershey’s uses soured milk in its regular chocolate, so that’s where that distinctive slightly vomit-like smell and taste comes from. I like it from time to time, but it is pretty odd if you’re not used to it. I’m glad you posted that. Being in the UK, I don’t have much exposure to Hershey chocolate, but the first time I tried it I thought it must be off - it tasted fine at first but had a really odd sour-milk/soap aftertaste. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-brands/590337.md?page=5)