Don’t Bother With These 17 American Cities If You’re a Total Foodie

Written By Jill Taylor

Some American cities are much-loved for their incredible food, but this doesn’t mean you should think they all are. There are certain cities where there isn’t much choice when it comes to food. Here are 17 American cities to avoid if you love food. 

Pearl City, Hawaii

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Eat This, Not That tells us that Pearl City has “the least affordable food and low marks for diversity, accessibility, and quality.” It’s been ranked the worst city by foodies thanks to its high costs and poor diversity. If you visit Pearl City, don’t expect to find any gourmet options.   

Mobile, Alabama

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Mobile is constantly criticized by its visitors for lacking diversity and having too many fast food options. Even locals are dissatisfied with its food options and it’s constantly ranked low in surveys for the city’s quality of food. The lack of options available can be a common deterrent for tourists.  

Grand Prairie, Texas

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This city faces low scores for affordability, diversity, and food quality. Grand Prairie doesn’t have much to offer in terms of eating out or at grocery stores. This is because food prices are often marked as far too high compared to other cities. 

Montgomery, Alabama 

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Montgomery has a low ranking for diversity, accessibility, and quality of food. Many visitors have agreed that the city has far too many fast food outlets compared to its full-service restaurants. Both tourists and locals will agree that Montgomery needs more affordable and quality dining options.   

Shreveport, Louisiana

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Shreveport has a poor food scene and lacks quality and diversity. The city doesn’t have many affordable dining options, especially for locals. It’s consistently marked low on surveys for its food quality and accessibility. It’s a city to avoid for all food lovers.

Augusta, Georgia

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With barely any dining options, poor accessibility, and a lack of quality food, Augusta is ranked considerably low for good food. Food options in Augusta may be more affordable than in other cities, but there isn’t enough choice for the food scene to be enjoyable. 

Jackson, Mississippi

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The City of Jackson writes, “While food access is a challenge for many American cities, southern cities like Jackson, the state capital and largest urban center, have historical influences embedded into its food system that make it inequitable, unhealthy, and unsustainable.” The city is ranked poorly for both affordability and quality. 

Ontario, California

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Ontario is one of the lowest-ranked cities for food diversity, accessibility, and quality. It’s often questioned why the city is so bad for food options when it’s situated so close to Los Angeles, which has an incredible food scene. Ontario has high prices and a lack of quality dining options. 

Detroit, Michigan

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While Detroit can be popular among tourists, it’s often ranked low for its food options. This is thought to be due to the city’s economic challenges, which have impacted the quality and variety of food available. It’s a city for food lovers to avoid, even if it attracts many visitors each year. 

North Las Vegas, Nevada

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North Las Vegas is much different compared to Central Las Vegas’s food scene. It has far fewer options, with many locals dissatisfied with both the quality and variety of food available. Many people have even gone as far as saying it’s one of the worst places in Nevada for food. 

Chesapeake, Virginia

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You’d think that, with Chesapeake being close to the sea, there would be many more seafood options to make the food scene more appealing. However, locals agree this isn’t the case, and instead, food options are poor. While Virginia is a beautiful state to visit, Chesapeake should be avoided by all foodies. 

Garland, Texas

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Housely writes, “The area does not seem to have much in the way of dining options, and that’s probably why the people that live and eat here rank it among the worst cities in the country for diners.” The food scene in Garland lacks variation, causing residents to have very few dining options.

Corpus Christi, Texas

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Considering how large it is, Corpus Christi has a disappointing food scene. It’s often criticized by both the city’s residents and tourists for having some of the worst dining options. Corpus Christi needs more high-quality and diverse restaurants to maintain its tourism. 

Lubbock, Texas

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Lubbock ranks low for food diversity and quality. The city doesn’t have many dining options and has a low quality of food, especially when it comes to local produce. It’s regularly been noted for having disappointing food options as well as poor service. 

Nampa, Idaho

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Nampa regularly ranks low on food surveys. This means it’s commonly avoided by food lovers. The city doesn’t have much choice when it comes to the quality of food and has limited access to more diverse options. Nampa also has high food costs, which can be a deterrent for visitors. 

Bakersfield, California

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The food quality in Bakersfield is considered below average, even though California is often celebrated for its food options. Both locals and visitors are disappointed by the food in Bakersfield, as it struggles to keep up with the standards set in nearby cities. 

Juneau, Alaska

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The Juneau Empire writes, “Growing commercial quantities of produce in Southeast Alaska’s short cold season and wet maritime climate is difficult.” It’s a challenging location for food access, which means it can often be unaffordable and lack diversity. There are also very few choices when it comes to fine dining.

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