As a kid, I loved traveling to the mall for one reason: The food court. There’s just something about walking through the crowded food court as the smell of food from various vendors hits you. Good, bad, delicious or atrocious, here are 10 classic mall food court restaurants ranked from worst to best. You’ll thank me during your next trip to the mall.
10. Sbarro
I know a good pizza when I see one, and this is not it. Although I’ve eaten at Sbarro more times than I would like to admit, this place ranks the worst in the food court world. It’s cheap fast food that tastes pretty cheap itself. I shudder thinking about that greasy cheese pizza I used to stuff my face with as a kid.
9. Hot Dog on a Stick
Hot Dog on a Stick, a super kid-friendly place, offers hot dogs, fries and lemonade. It all sounds great, but why is it called “Hot Dog on a Stick” when the store is literally selling corndogs? Hot Dog on a Stick, I see you trying to be slick, but you’re nothing different than the store-bought corndogs in my freezer.
8. Panda Express
Chinese takeout is a staple for college students. Nothing beats fried rice and chow mein. Although I (at times) enjoy Panda Express’s fried rice and orange chicken, its food is pretty greasy and packed with MSG. After eating here, you’ll be feeling sluggish, which is not ideal during a shopping trip.
7. Charley’s
If you haven’t eaten at Charley’s, you’re seriously missing out. Charley’s is the first place I experienced a Philly cheesesteak. From what I can recall, it was mind-blowing. However, I’m not from Philadelphia, so it might not be the most authentic. Regardless, come for the cheese fries, which are both cheesy and greasy in the best way.
6. Jamba Juice
Smoothies are a great snack and an easily-digested source of carbs to fuel you through your workout (erm, I mean, shopping trip). Jamba Juice probably helped start out the whole smoothie craze, and though I do enjoy an occasional smoothie from this place, I try to avoid Jamba Juice because of its biggest downfall: It’s packed with sugar (and not the natural kind).
5. Cinnabon
I could write a love letter to Cinnabon because, no matter where I go, no matter what cinnamon roll I try, Cinnabon will always be my favorite. It’s classic, timeless and mouthwatering. With its zany, cool variations like caramel pecan or Chillatas, there’s no way to get tired of it.
4. Dairy Queen
Beat the summer heat by escaping the scalding sun to an air conditioned mall and grabbing a Dairy Queen Blizzard (aka a gift sent from above). These indulgent, notoriously thick and creamy concoctions, which come in a wide array of flavors to curb any craving, are the perfect treat that’ll have you screaming for more.
3. Mrs. Fields
I was surprised to learn that a lot of my friends do not know what Mrs. Fields is — what? Admittedly, I got more defensive with them than I should have when they told me. For you uneducated barbarians, Mrs. Fields is the best cookie chain store out there.
You can buy prepackaged cookies in tons of convenience stores, but the real, fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies are on another level. Did I mention that they have cookie cakes?
2. Auntie Anne’s
You know a food is good when the fabulous Cristina Yang (the best character to have appeared on Grey’s Anatomy) marvels about it. That’s because the mall and pretzels are intrinsically tied. No mall food court is complete without Auntie Anne’s.
Pretzels are a portable, hearty snack that holds the perfect amount of flavors to satisfy your sweet tooth or salt craving. It’s a pick-me-up that makes every shopping trip feel like a success.
1. Chick-Fil-A
And the winner of the best classic mall food court restaurant is, of course, Chick-Fil-A. It’s got quality fast food for an amazing price. You can’t find the sauce elsewhere, and the nuggets are the best in the realm of cheap restaurants.
The next time you’re at the mall food court, go ahead and grab an overpriced smoothie. Snack on a pretzel while you’re at it. And don’t forget to get your #6 with a Large Arnold Palmer at Chick-Fil-A.