Smoothie And Juice Bar Chains Ranked Worst To Best

Smoothie and juice chains have seen immense growth over the past few decades, with customers looking for healthier drinks that will leave them feeling nourished. These establishments have simultaneously made their mark in the food and beverage industry while playing a crucial role in promoting healthy living.

Some generic smoothie chains can be found in shopping malls and food courts across the country. While they may offer affordable prices, these chains often use lower-quality ingredients and may not prioritize customer satisfaction. It's worth knowing what you're getting when you go to a smoothie or juice bar, as not all of them provide the same level of quality and service.

Our guide will help you navigate the sea of smoothie and juice options to help you get the most delicious taste and the highest nutrient content in every sip and slurp. Whatever your needs, there's a chain that will suit you.

Founded in 1981 in Phoenix, Arizona, Surf City Squeeze has been serving delectable smoothies to customers from coast to coast for over four decades. Its refreshing blends of fruit and lemonade were created with quality in mind to bring the most satisfaction to its customers. The chain now has about 90 different locations across the country.

Surf City Squeeze has a menu of signature fruit smoothies and pumped-up versions, which have add-ins like chromium for weight loss and creatine for strength and stamina. You'll also find dairy-based dessert concoctions like the Extreme Oreo and chocolate covered strawberry, along with freshly squeezed lemonade blended with raspberry or strawberry.

If you're looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth, you'll probably be content riding the Surf City Squeeze wave. But if you wanted whole fruits and all-natural ingredients, this chain misses that mark by using a "proprietary smoothie mix." About 90% of the menu uses the blend which also comes in a low-fat version. Customers on Yelp report that the drinks are more like "milkshakes," while others note that they have more of a slushie kind of texture.

Founded in 1983 by Jeff and Jill Summerhays, Maui Wowi Hawaiian's owners wanted to offer its customers the chance to take a break from unnatural and high-fat foods with something refreshing. The smoothie chain started franchising in 1997 and added coffee to its selection in 2003. Its tropical-flavored drinks provide a taste of Hawaii with flavors like piña colada, kiwi lemon, and mango orange. You can also opt for one of the o'hana blends that mixes assorted flavors. 

If you're hoping for an all-natural drink made with fresh fruit thrown into a blender and served, that's not what you'll get. Maui Wowi's smoothies are classified as "fruit blends" made with puree and juice, prepackaged and mixed with a "top secret" low-fat yogurt recipe. You can ask for a fresh banana to be blended in too, but overall, customers report the smoothies taste artificial. "The smoothie was an unnatural pink and orange and tasted like I was drinking straight-flavored syrup. Shortly after, I saw them wheeling out a wagon full of 'smoothie blend' cartons. [...] What's frustrating is both counters were piled high with bananas and I expected there to actually be fruit in the smoothie," a customer wrote on Yelp. Avoid disappointment by getting your smoothies elsewhere.

Founded in 2013 by two mothers seeking healthier food options for their families, Grabbagreen quickly gained popularity for its delicious and nutritious offerings. The chain started franchising in 2015 and was acquired by Kahala Brands a few years later. In addition to offering a clean eating menu filled with whole ingredients, it also offers salads, wraps, breakfast, açaí, grain and green bowls, as well as smoothies and juices.

Grabbagreen's menu includes eight different smoothies that come in three sizes, with ingredients like mango, kale, and chia seeds. The pressed juices come in 16-ounce bottles with seven options that promise to provide you with energy, power, and immunity support. Loaded with cucumber, beets, ginger, and various herbs, these will help you stock up on vitamins as you enjoy every refreshing sip. The goal of this quick-service restaurant is to leave you feeling nourished, and customers seem to agree that Grabbagreen succeeds. 

Robeks has been around since 1996 when it was created in Southern California with the aim of offering juice and smoothie options that tasted better than its competitors' products. This was a time when people looking to improve their health were obsessed with the fad of fat-free diets. But from the start, Robeks believed in serving a drink with essential vitamins and nutrients in every delicious sip.

To appeal to customers who just want something that tastes good, Robeks offers a wide range of smoothies, juices, and bowls, catering to various dietary preferences. There's a "classic" menu that features sweet ingredients like fruit, sherbets, and frozen yogurt, but there's also a nutrient-rich "superfood" list that includes açaí and supposed benefits like improved performance and wellness. There are also several fresh juices with healthy ingredients like ginger, beet, and lemon. While you'll find energizing options at Robeks, some customers complain about high prices and watery juices with sparse ingredients. 

Those looking to fuel like an Olympian might want to check out the Smoothie Factory. The chain was opened in 1996 by Olympic athlete James Villasana. To properly nourish his body for success, Villasana made sure to consume only healthy ingredients of optimal quality. He kept this philosophy in mind when crafting his menu of smoothies, juices, and bowls.

Everything at Smoothie Factory is made with real fruit, with zero bottled flavorings or syrups in any of the drinks. The menu consists of protein-packed, veggie, tropical, and berry smoothies, with the option to add "boosts" to tailor your drink to your dietary needs. Juices can be green, power-boosting, or simple with just one ingredient like carrot or orange. You can also opt for an energy shot, like wheatgrass or lemon ginger apple kale, to load up on nutrients.

Smoothie Factory offers about four different fruit bowls too, like the pink dragon bowl with dragonfruit, banana, and apple juice, topped with banana, blueberries, and granola. "My favorite place to stop and get a smoothie after the gym! Best smoothies by far! Strongly suggest the strawberry apple kale smoothie. Big bonus everything is fresh and not prepackaged," a customer raved on Yelp.

I Love Juice Bar was founded on the premise that wellness shouldn't be "high maintenance." The company began as a passion project and has since expanded across the United States, offering fresh homemade juices, smoothies, bowls, shots, and more. What sets I Love Juice Bar apart from other chains is that it uses fresh fruit and omits ice or other fillers to bulk up its drinks. The menu includes 10 different smoothies and eight juice options. 

While there isn't a ton of selection, every item is bursting with flavors thanks to the creamy mix of freshly squeezed or blended fruits and vegetables. This chain really outshines the others when it comes to the quality of its product. It even has some fans considering ditching their coffee habits. "Tangy Pitaya! Honestly thinking about switching my monthly Starbucks budget to a juice budget for the summer because this was so good," a customer wrote on Yelp. The smoothie in question contains apple, lemon, dragonfruit powder, mango, and strawberry.

Nékter Juice Bar dates back to 2010 when its founders opened it with the belief that healthy, affordable food should both taste and feel good. The company began in Southern California and has since expanded to more than 160 locations throughout the United States, sharing its unique approach to health and wellness with communities nationwide.

Nékter Juice Bar uses fresh, natural, and whole ingredients in its handcrafted juices, superfood smoothies, and açaí bowls, ensuring that customers receive the most energizing and nutrient-rich experience possible. By prioritizing quality ingredients and delicious flavors, the chain's smoothies and juices provide a hearty dose of fresh veggies and fruit in each serving.

"So many places want to pass off these ice and syrup drinks as smoothies, it drives me nuts. [...] Nékter has a nice blend of choices and ingredients so you don't always have to get the same thing. I love that they always seem to have seasonal specials, like watermelon in the summer, pumpkin in the fall, and now elderberry," a customer wrote on Yelp.