It probably depends a lot on the particular local shop you go to.

I've gotten good service from Lenscrafters, with the only real complaint being the flood of advertising you keep getting after you've been there once. Note that anyone who walks in off the street can get a "discount," so haggle with them a little - even if the insurance is paying.

Depending on your vision (and other health) problems, you may want to get your examination from someone other than their "team optometrist," although I've had no complaints about the ones I've seen. For some people, a full ophthalmological exam (by an M.D. ophthalmologist) is desirable, although sometimes the only way to get your insurance to pay up for that is to see the optometrist first and ask him to refer you. If you have a condition like diabetes that can affect vision, you may be able to get a referral from your regular physician, too. Consult your insurer on that.

One of the things I like about Lenscrafters is that (at least here) they use only hard polycarbonate lenses, which are much more resistant to scratching or other damage than some of the other common materials. Although they offer "hard coating" and other extras, with the lenses they use (here) these are really not needed. The polycarb material also has a slightly higher refractive index than some other common materials, so that for moderate corrections the lenses may be a little lighter - again without paying an extra fee for "ultralight" salesmanship. (It's also a little "denser," so for thick lenses you may lose that advantage.)

For those who've run into an "assembly line" atmosphere, in most areas where Lenscrafters (or any other chain) operates there is likely to be more than one shop. You may be able to find another outlet in the same chain that gives better service. Ask a friend who's been there.

I'll note that any competent optician or opthalmologist will usually measure the prescription on your current lenses as a first step in the exam. I've asked them to write down the prescription that they measured (a friendly quiz), and compared it to what I got when I was originally examined for the lenses in question, and have NOT found an inaccurately dispensed pair from Lenscrafters yet.

John