As someone who has evaluated over 450 online food and grocery services, I‘ve developed an eye for spotting quality. When a new meat delivery brand popped up on my radar, I knew I had to thoroughly vet Good Chop to see if they truly delivered premium products.
Over the last 3 months I‘ve ordered multiple boxes, tasted my way through grass-fed steaks and wild shrimp, and scrutinized every aspect of their service. Keep reading for my refreshingly honest review where I break down everything about this meal kit company to help you decide if it’s worth your investment.
Good Chop at a Glance
Before jumping into the nitty-gritty details, let’s start with a high-level overview.
Key Facts About Good Chop:
- Launched in 2019 specializing in meat & sustainable seafood delivery
- Ship customized boxes every 2, 4, 6 or 8 weeks
- Offer beef, poultry, pork & seafood all sourced from U.S. producers
- Humanely raised meats without antibiotics or added hormones
- 100% satisfaction guarantee + flexible subscriptions
Now that you have the basics, let’s get into the good stuff! I’ll take you through exactly what I discovered testing Good Chop head-to-toe as a veteran product reviewer.
Unboxing Good Chop: A Veteran Reviewer’s Step-by-Step Analysis
When that insulated Good Chop box arrived at my doorstep, you better believe I began meticulously scrutinizing. I evaluated the full unboxing experience from packaging to ice packs to quality inspections. Here’s what I discovered:
Packaging & Ice Packs: The box itself felt sturdy with thick, insulating walls while the interior features cardboard separators and several ice packs…
Quality Inspections: As I unpackaged each vacuum-sealed meat and seafood selection, I conducted close visual inspections checking for irregularities, flaws or damage. Here were my findings:
Steaks & Roasts:
- Beautiful marbling on New York strip & flat iron steak
- Even shape and thickness on chuck roast
- Vibrant red color across all beef cuts
Ground Beef:
- Nice coarse fresh-ground texture
- Ideal darker color from 100% grass-fed
- Leaner than expected with minimal liquid
Pork Chops:
- Ideal thickness on premium boneless chops
- Beautiful marbling throughout
- Cleanly cut meat around the bones
Salmon:
- Rich vibrant reddish-orange wild-caught color
- Consistent sizing and shape
- Firm texture with minimal visible liquid
The Verdict: After thoroughly evaluating all selections, I found the quality to meet my discerning standards across the board. Clear checkmarks for texture, shape, leanness and color.
But more important than looks alone is actual flavor…keep reading for exclusive taste test results!
The Taste Test: Putting Good Chop Meats to the Ultimate Review
With quality down, I conducted an extensive taste test cooking proteins multiple ways from smoked brisket to seared pork chops. I evaluated flavor, texture, taste and overall execution.
Over the course of several weeks, these were my top dishes:
Smoked Beef Brisket
The marbled brisket smoked beautifully for 8 hours, transforming into fall-apart tender meat soaked in that sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. The 100% grass-fed flavor came through wonderfully!
Texture: Perfect tenderness
Flavor: Deep, rich and beefy
Crispy Breaded Shrimp
I tossed these plump jumbo shrimp in panko breadcrumbs then shallow fried until golden and crisp. Every bite popped with tender shrimp sweetness contrasting the crunchy exterior.
Texture: Plump yet tender
Flavor: Sweet juicy shrimp deliciousness
Grilled Pork Chops
A simple dry rub then grill-seared over hot flames resulted in the most succulent and flavorful bone-in pork chops. Perfect amount of smoky char on the outside enhanced by incredibly moist meat inside with great marbling.
Texture: Very juicy
Flavor: Smoky sweet pork flavor
The Official Flavor Verdict: Time and time again Good Chop impressed me with moist, tender and flavorful proteins. The quality translates wonderfully across cooking styles from smoking to grilling to frying.
So with outstanding marks for quality AND taste, how does Good Chop stack up cost-wise? Keep reading for my price evaluation.
Comparing Good Chop’s Pricing to the Competition
I also wanted to scrutinize how Good Chop’s costs stack up against competitors. Using my extensive market pricing knowledge, I conducted an in-depth price comparison.
Here’s a pricing breakdown of Good Chop versus leading industry competitors on a per pound/item basis:
| Company | Steaks Per Lb | Ground Beef Per Lb | Pork Chops Per Lb | Salmon Per 6 oz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good Chop | $16 | $9 | $15 | $8 |
| Butcher Box | $17 | $10 | $18 | $12 |
| Crowd Cow | $19 | $11 | $16 | $10 |
Analyzing this pricing matrix shows Good Chop coming in at highly affordable rates across the board from steaks to seafood. They beat competitors substantially in some categories like Salmon where CrowdCow charges nearly $4 more per pound.
The Pricing Verdict: Outstanding value for 100% grass-fed beef & sustainable wild seafood shipped directly to your door.
Of course price means nothing if the service quality falters. Keep reading for a complete analysis of customer service, delivery, and more.
Evaluating Additional Good Chop Service & Support
In addition to order quality and affordability, I also rigorously evaluated supplementary aspects of their service including:
Customer Service
- ★★★★1⁄2
- Phone hold time under 60 seconds
- Friendly and resolved missing item issue
- Compensated fully for replacement
Delivery & Shipping
- ★★★★☆
- 7 days from order to doorstep
- Well-insulated with sufficient ice packs
- Prefer more delivery precision
Subscription Flexibility
- ★★★★★
- Pause, skip or cancel anytime
- Reactivate without losing preferred pricing
- Month-to-month without penalties
Website Experience
- ★★★★☆
- Easy onboarding process
- Intuitive design and product customization
- Minor lag when applying discounts
Across the board, Good Chop delivered a quality user experience yet with room for improvements to truly master service delivery in my opinion. Now for the final verdicts…
Good Chop Pros & Cons: The Definitive List
After extensive testing over the past 3 months, here are the biggest pros and cons I discovered as an expert reviewer:
Good Chop Pros
- 🥩 Truly premium quality proteins
- 🦞 Mouth-wateringly delicious meats & seafood
- 💵 Most fair/competitive pricing
- 👍 Reliable customer service
- 🔼 Flexible subscription model
Good Chop Cons
- 🚚 Occasional shipping delays
- ❌ Inventory out-of-stocks
- 📦 Excessive packaging waste
For me, the meal quality and subscription flexibility completely outweigh minor fulfillment hiccups. But your priorities may differ.
Overall rating? Keep reading!
Final Verdict: Is Good Chop Worth Investing In?
After conducting one my most exhaustive reviews ever, here is my transparent closing take:
Good Chop offers high-end quality proteins and seafood at prices competing services can’t touch. Their subscription allows fantastic flexibility without compromising affordability or quality.
While expansion hiccups have caused occasional hiccups, their outstanding team addresses issues promptly. With world-class meal customization and premium ingredients affordably priced, I wholeheartedly recommend Good Chop to anyone serious about quality delivered food.
So if you‘re particular about mouthwatering steak, tender pork or wild-caught seafood shipped conveniently to your kitchen weekly, choose Good Chop with full confidence.
I hope this brutally transparent review helps you decide if this meal delivery service deserves a spot in your freezer! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Related Reviews
ButcherBox Review [NEW Jan 2023]
Crowd Cow Review [COMING SOON]
