[sk5t]

Speaking only for myself, the red delicious takes up valuable market real estate that could better be used by some other variety of apple not resembling fresh styrofoam dunked in sugar water--I resent the red delicious for its combination of prominent place, flashy looks, nondescript flavor, and repugnant texture.

The red delicious stands apart for its extreme crispness, and to those sensitive to it, biting in is like nails on a chalkboard. Also, it seems like one chew releases all the moisture, leaving a mouthful of dry bleh-ness with which to contend.

[julian_t]

Absolutely... giant red apples with a vinyl-like skin and mushy interior, so highly polished and waxed that a chance reflection can blind you.

I call them ASOs (Apple-Shaped Objects)... and IMHO the only place they belong is in Snow White ;-)

[JoeAltmaier]

Be fair. Most grocery store fruit is a gamble - you know that going in. But Red Delicious, properly ripe and picked at the right time, can live up to its name. A perfect one is really, really good.

[mark-r]

I live in an area that grows a lot of apples - in fact the Honeycrisp was developed only a few miles from my home. But I don't think I've ever seen a locally grown Red Delicious. As a kid I fell for the storyline "they're delicious", but as I got older I realized just how poor those ones from the supermarket are. I avoid them at all costs now.