Jenny Craig - Complaints

“Have you called Jenny yet?” If your answer to this question is a low growl and a throbbing forehead vein, then the answer is likely yes. While Jenny Craig food is generally regarded more positively than Nutrisystem food, Jenny Craig has left a bad taste in many members’ mouths thanks to a jaw-dropping membership cost, shipping errors, and counselors that have been described as less than helpful. All diet programs have their downside, but if Valerie Bertinelli’s svelte new figure has you yearning for your own Jenny Craig success story, you’ll consider several common customer complaints before pulling out your credit card.

The Biggest Problem with Jenny Craig

The biggest gripe about the Jenny Craig program is that its monthly membership will leave your wallet crying real tears. At around $550 a month, the diet plan is far from budget-friendly for the average person. Members used to dining out frequently and making fast food restaurants their lunch purveyor of choice may not be thrown by the cost of Jenny Craig, but the average individual spends well under this amount in a given month.

In addition to Jenny Craig cuisine, dieters are expected to buy their own snacks (such as fruit), adding additional cost to the monthly tally. Dieters with spouses or children should consider the cost of their family members’ food (in addition to Jenny’s) when deciding if the pricetag is feasible.

Another common complaint voiced by Jenny Craig members is that food shipments are often late or incorrect.

One frustrated diet blogger wrote: “I joined Jenny Direct, the at home program, and I thought that I could justify the cost if the customer service was great but that was not the case. The first shipment of food was sent to the wrong address and I had to go across town to get it. I got over that and then the second shipment of food arrived 9 days later (5 days before schedule) and I had no room in my freezer. To top it off the shipment was not even complete and more had to be sent. The last straw was today. My third shipment of food was to arrive and I received an email that it would not be sent until Friday unless I want to upgrade the shipping to overnight. I cancelled the order and ended my relationship with Jenny Craig.” Another member voiced similar displeasure on consumeraffairs.com, saying that her food arrived unfrozen, and when she called to complain, a customer service rep told her to throw it out and wait for a replacement shipment. When it arrived, the second shipment was again unfrozen, and the member’s complaint went unresolved, with Jenny Craig charging the client for both shipments.

Although many satisfied Jenny Craig clients have nothing but praise for their counselor, dieters should be aware that the Jenny Craig support staff are not trained nutritionists. Jenny Craig counselors are selected for their salesmanship, as their earnings depend on how many products and upgraded memberships they can coax clients into purchasing.

Some members have voiced frustration that the counseling sessions are exceptionally short. One Jenny Craig member voiced her complaint in a diet thread: “My counselor was pin skinny and fresh out of high school. I felt like I knew more about diet and nutrition than she did.”

Addressing a litany of complaints on one dieting forum, a former Jenny Craig counselor said, “I totally understand everyone's frustration with this program. I was frustrated also. My hands were tied by a 15-minute window of time to work with them. The disorganization resulted in many mix ups with client files and histories. I was pressured into selling products that they did not want or need. I was told that we would have extensive training but was put through a 5-day period where many questions were left unanswered.”

Dieters whose extra weight is the product of emotional eating may want to consider seeing a therapist or a licensed counselor that specializes in food addiction or behavior modification. Support is critical to successful weight loss, and many dieters will long for more than the brief weekly check-ins at their Jenny Craig center to maintain long-term motivation.

Relying almost completely on pre-packaged foods can be difficult. People who travel frequently, have families to cook for, or are used to attending social engagements with food may find living off Jenny Cuisine difficult. And members expecting their weight-loss success to continue once they’re no longer eating Jenny food may hit a major roadblock: It’s unlikely that dieters will learn portion control from frozen dinners, and this can make eating in the real world difficult.

Jenny Craig’s approach to weight loss is sound and far less torturous than many popular diets banning food groups or promoting an extremely low calorie intake, but the high cost and hit-or-miss customer service means that a dieting newbie should consider all options before heading Valerie Bertinelli’s advice and calling Jenny.