Consumerist’s Most Popular Stories From 2013

2013 ends in a few hours, and in the year since we last popped champagne corks and pretended to know the words to “Auld Lang Syne,” we’ve posted more than 5,000 stories to Consumerist, covering everything from Wall Street to Capitol Hill to the drive-thru lane. Some of these posts attracted a few more readers than others.

Here are the 10 posts that received the most interest from Consumerist readers:

1. EA Makes Worst Company In America History, Wins Title For Second Year In A Row!

In which the video game publisher again beats out Bank of America to win the Golden Poo.

2. Waitress Who Posted No-Tip Receipt From “Pastor” Customer Fired From Job and Diner Thinks That Saying He’s A Pastor Allows Him To Stiff Waiter On Tip

In which a waitress posts a rude receipt note online, then loses her job even though she never revealed the customer’s name… and tells Consumerist all about it afterward.

3. Using The EECB Gets Me A SimCity Refund, But What About Everyone Else?

In which customers go up the ladder to get a worthwhile response from EA following the badly botched release of its long-awaited Sim City update.

4. Time Warner Boosts My Speed, Cuts My Bill: I Just Happen To Live Near Google Fiber

In which Time Warner Cable’s actions quietly demonstrate the urgent need for pricing competition in the consumer broadband market.

5. Waiter Praised For Refusing To Serve Family Who Insults Child With Down Syndrome

In which a Houston-area waiter puts his job at risk by standing up to customers who made rude comments about a young customer in the next booth.

6. Here’s A Photo That May Change Your Mind About Having Taco Bell For Lunch Today

In which an idiot California teen earns his way to the unemployment line by having himself photographed licking a stack of taco shells.

7. Geek Squad Accused Of Stealing, Distributing Customer’s Naked Photos. Yes, Again

In which Best Buy shows that its employees could use a refresher course on the whole “don’t snoop on customers’ devices” thing.

8. EA Admits It “Can Do Better” But Blames Worst Company Success On Homophobes And Whiny Madden Fans

In which the Worst Company In America winner places the blame for its bad reputation on hate groups and people who didn’t like Peyton Hillis on the cover of Madden NFL 12.

9. Straight Talk’s Unlimited Data: Actually Sort Of Limited

In which everyone learns that prepaid wireless service is just as anti-consumer as post-paid.

10. How Not To React To Internet Criticism: The Epic Facebook Meltdown Of Amy’s Baking Company

In which Gordon Ramsay thanks his lucky stars his producers convinced him to visit a small Arizona eatery owned by two of the most high-strung people to ever grace the TV.

Later today, we’ll be posting our editors’ picks for those stories near and dear to our hearts that didn’t make the top 10 for the year.

by Chris Morran via Consumerist