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Taco Bell tries again to double the number of its Boston outlets
By adamg on Tue, 07/11/2017 - 12:28pm
Taco Bell, which failed to persuade skeptical Roslindale residents last year that they wanted to live mas and support a Taco Bell between the Haley School and the Wendy's on American Legion Highway, is coming back with another proposal to tear down the open-once-in-awhile ice-cream stand that now holds that space.
Representatives of a chain franchisee will face another grilling on Thursday at a meeting of the Mount Hope/Canterbury/Manning/American Legion Neighborhood Association, which is making it plain nothing has changed to make it quieren yet another fast-food outlet in what has become Roslindale's fast-food alley along American Legion:
They are ba-a-ck, same plan, same place, despite last year’s unanimous opposition from residents, Haley School parents and staff, and the Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition. ... We are continuing our plan to stop Taco Bell, and we all need to work together.
If built, the Taco Bell would be Boston's second, now that the one on VFW Parkway in West Roxbury has re-opened after paying for a food-serving license again.
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Comments
So what
If they want to open then they should be able to open. Nobody is being forced to go there.
The Mount Hope/Canterbury/Manning/American Legion Neighborhood Association should go move somewhere else if they don't like their own neighborhood.
Yeah, seems a bit odd
I have a number of friends in that neighborhood, and it's a great place, but it doesn't seem to fit with spending all this time and money opposing a fast food place. That location is along essentially a highway and is a strip mall with a ton of dollar stores, discount stores, and fast food places. I definitely get the argument for people not wanting fast food and low-end chain stores in their neighborhoods, but Taco Bell is not going to make or break whether this is a neighborhood that doesn't have those things -- it's totally THE neighborhood in Boston that has those things.
The health argument is ridiculous too. Did they actually do any research in this regard? Taco Bell has a number of healthy options, and the vegetarian websites all say it's the best option for vegetarian/vegan food among the large chains. Yes, they also have greasy crap, but plenty of high-end restaurants have things with similar nutrition profiles. This seems like it's all about fighting somewhere they don't see as "classy," which, come on.
Healthy is in the eye of the beholder.
Even Taco Bell's healthier menu options are loaded with too much sodium for your daily intake which any nutritionist worth his or her weight would say that is not a healthy option.
Nutritionist
The registered dietitian who helps devise their menus doesn't seem to have an issue with it.
https://www.tacobell.com/food/nutrition
Not a unbaised souce...
Nutritional information from the Taco Bell website is not the source I would go to regarding the nutritional value of their food. 2,300 mg (FDA recommendations) is what most of us should be taking in each day. Check out the sodium on their items, do a bit of calculation, knowing that you will be getting more sodium for other foods you eat during the day, and get back to us with a total amount.
Sure
But back to the original comment, just don't go there then. If people want the residents of Boston to be health, try education. Perhaps the Haley School could develop something where they explain that eating any fast food constantly is a bad thing, talking about calorie counts and things like sodium being bad while fresh fruits are good.
I will once again call out this odd idea that particular businesses' use of a space (as opposed to particular land uses) can be decided upon by community groups. There's a Wendy's literally a stone's throw from this location. It's not like fast food is not around here to start with. Also, a lot of non-fast food operations (I'm looking at you, Chipotle) have similarly bad (for your health) food, yet somehow have better PR.
Well, I am not
sure if the community group, ultimately, will have a say in the matter. Apparently they do not want another fast crap food joint in their neighborhood since it appears that they have many already. And there is nothing wrong with that.
Keepin' Boston's
Keepin' Boston's neighborhoods' arteries coagulating. KFC (Legion), Mooyah (Jackson Sq.), Burger King (Legion), Popeye's (Legion); countless pizza and sub joints, processed snacks and other junk food at all the corner stores, etc., etc. DEEEELLISHHH!! BTW, did Taco Bell and Long John Silver's on the VFW Parkway ever open back up again? My life expectancy won't be that long, so I gotta get there one more time!
I've been alerted ...
That, yes, the VFW place is open again.
I sure as hell don't mind a
I sure as hell don't mind a new Taco Bell. I guess cause I'm poor and enjoy shitty tacos.
If this is anything like the Petco fiasco, I'm guessing we'll be seeing the Taco Bell in the future.
No Mas
Taco Bell is trash and American Legion doesn't need to be a dumping ground for fast food places - they have what 5 or 6 already? Put it somewhere else or ideally nowhere else.
Taco Bell
Downtown Manhattan and Chicago both have multiple Taco Bells. Its amazing that our alleged world class city doesn't have at least one location. Many people and tourists like their food.
Tacos vs Tacos
It is decidedly odd. Yes more often than not one wants real, quality soft shell tacos from places like Dorado and El Pelon. But sometimes one craves the "fake" hard shell tacos offered at places like Taco Bell, and not offered anywhere else really. With so many people in the city you would think there would be plenty of room for both types.
Tacos
I'm all for Anna's, Bolocco is great too, the kids are a little pickier, they like Taco Bell so that's the only place we go for Mexican. I mention tourists because when we vacation in a city sometimes for a quick, cheap lunch, a familiar place like Taco Bell is ideal because I know the kids will eat it and be happy.
Boston has *many* Mexican fast-food places
Anna's is the best-known local chain, but there are numerous other one-offs or smaller little chains.
Even Roslindale
Like La Taqueria on Hyde Park Avenue and Canterbury Street, probably less than a mile from where the Taco Bell would go.
Also Yucatan
Although I guess that is in West Roxbury technically?
La Taqueria gets a big thumbs up
We got a great meal from them a while back.
Still, there's Mexican food, then there's Taco Bell. If people want Taco Bell...
but you can't get a taco for
but you can't get a taco for $1 at 1am at Anna's.
taco bell has its place
I see what you did there
After a wknd of dodging slow-moving out-of-towners, I loled at "many people and tourists..."
Both/And World
I grew up on the west coast where there were lots of:
- mom-and-pop "point at the menu" Mexican places
- Taco Bell, Taco Time (much worse)
- Mexicans
There is room for all of it everywhere. My boys are astounded when I tell them that there was a time where there were NO Mexican places of pretty much any type in the area (save for some upmarket regional cuisine spots). No taquerias, no Taco Bell even! I could not even find the ingredients and brought tortillas, masa, and enchilada sauce back in my suitcase.
I'll take it. I won't go to Taco Bell, but I'm good with it. Grateful even. Can't turn back!