Again going to the subjectivity thing...I think the worst coffee on earth is at Panera. I've tried them two or three times, and could never even finish the first cup. To my palate, it always seems to taste like it's been on the burner for a couple of hours, and so bad that I don't even think it belongs in a list of coffee places. Fascinating that several people have mentioned it on this list. Not saying that it's wrong, just interesting.

I also find it interesting that someone mentioned that they don't like Starbucks due to "inconsistency." Part of the reason I like Starbucks is that I find it more consistent than any other major chain, except perhaps McDonald's. I went to one in Singapore just to check it out and asked for a House Blend, and found it virtually identical to that served at my local Starbucks. One caveat though: I don't include in this comment those places (like Barnes & Noble Bookstores) that "proudly serve Starbucks coffee." Their level of quality and consistency is all over the map (and generally not so good). Perhaps that was what the above poster was referring to....