The Worst Store-Bought Pumpkin Pie Comes From This Grocery Chain

For many foodies, pumpkin pie is the ultimate fall dessert — and, of course, it's one of the most popular dishes to serve at Thanksgiving get-togethers. While it can be fun to make your own pumpkin pie, sometimes you simply don't have the time or energy to bake one from scratch. In this case, you'll need to know which pre-made option is the best, most delicious option. To help you out, we put together the ultimate ranking of store-bought pumpkin pies. And while Marie Callender's pumpkin pie was our favorite and became our top recommendation, the choice that we placed last should absolutely be avoided: Kroger's Bakery Fresh Goodness pumpkin pie.

In our ranking, we considered the taste, texture, and aroma of each pie. When it came to Kroger's, there wasn't much to be impressed by. Kroger's pumpkin pie featured a crust that was both dry and had a strange, synthetic taste. Meanwhile, the filling came off as overly spiced and, bizarrely, almost like it was already spoiled. All in all, these qualities made it far from the ideal pumpkin pie.

And we're not alone in our ranking; there are plenty of customers who have had negative experiences with this pie as well. The pie has an average customer rating of just 2.13 out of 5 stars. "Terrible," wrote one customer. "Can't describe how awful this pie really was."

Overall, the reviews for the Bakery Fresh Goodness pumpkin pie are mixed, but there are plenty in full agreement with our assessment. To begin with, multiple reviewers also found that the pie is overly spiced. "This is the worst!" said one reviewer. "Too much pumpkin pie spice[,] which overwhelmed the pumpkin flavor."

Additionally, there are many complaints about the crust. One reviewer called it "worse than soggy cardboard," while another complained that it "doesn't taste like it was fully cooked because the crust on the bottom is doughy." Many reviewers also call the filling "mushy," which is certainly not what you want from a good pie. Finally, one person wrote an especially negative review. "This pie doesn't even deserve one star!" they said. "Filling is gummy, sticky[,] and tasteless. I was SO embarrassed after [my] guests (and I) tasted this."

There are also some positive comments mixed in the product's reviews, as some people found this pie to be tasty, well-spiced, and adequately cooked. One person even said it's the "only pie [they've] ever loved," while another customer said it's as good as the pumpkin pie at Costco (which is beloved amongst shoppers and is totally worth the purchase). Still, there are far more negative reviews than positive, so you're much better off going with a different store-bought pumpkin pie (if you're not going to make your own).