Genetic algorithm
In his Algorithm Design Manual, Skiena advises against genetic algorithms for any task: "It is quite unnatural to model applications in terms of genetic operators like mutation and crossover on bit strings. The pseudobiology adds another level of complexity between you and your problem. Second, genetic algorithms take a very long time on nontrivial problems. [...] The analogy with evolution—where significant progress require [sic] millions of years—can be quite appropriate.