Hey, there! Log in / Register
KFC/Taco Bell closing everywhere, or just near me?
By Ron Newman on Sat, 12/03/2011 - 9:14am
Over the last couple months, the two KFC/Taco Bell locations in Cambridge and Somerville have closed -- first on Hampshire Street near Inman Square, and now on Broadway in East Somerville. (A third KFC/Taco Bell in North Cambridge closed in 2007.)
I haven't eaten at one of these in years, but are they closing down all over greater Boston, or just around here? I would ask KFC's online Store Locator, except that it still lists the closed Cambridge and Somerville locations as being open.
Neighborhoods:
Topics:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Hyde Park
Hyde Park closed a while ago. Roslindale and West Roxbury (KFC only) are open although I imagine Popeye's has put quite a ding in Roslindale's business.
Hmm
Well the one in North Cambridge closed because it was nasty. They had some serious health code violations there. I think the same franchiser owned the one in Inman Square because it, too, had the same problems, except it was just more popular because of the location.
Im surprised that the one in Somerville closed because that one was always popular, but again I often wonder it was the same franchiser as the ones in Inman and North Cambridge. Since they all were the same style of store, and a multi-purpose store.
On 16 in Everett, the free standing Taco Bell, and the KFC Across the street are still open. And I know the KFC that burnt down on Squire Road in Revere was being rebuilt.. AND the one near South Bay Center (near Columbia @ Mass Ave) is still open (that one is a extremely popular location). Of course all of these are all single-purpose stores (aka a KFC or Taco Bell *only*)
Are you sure the one in Somerville and Inman aren't just 'closing for renovations' since those stores are pretty old, and now with Popeye's opening up several locations in the area, they now have to compete...
KFC Cambridge and Somerville
The North Cambridge one closed after the Walden Street bridge leading to it closed for year-long repairs. The proprietor said his business fell off sharply because so many of his customers came to him via that bridge. This former KFC is now a South Asian restaurant called Darul Kabab.
The Inman Square one, last time I looked, had a sign out front from the Cambridge planning board about a public hearing on a project to build an apartment or condominium building there.
The one on Broadway in Somerville has paper signs saying that it has "CLOSED PERMANENTLY" -- you'll see these if you click on the link I posted.
We used to have Popeye's in the Porter Square shopping center and in Central Square, but these closed many years ago. If they are planning a comeback in our area, I'd like to hear about it.
wow
I really am surprised at the one in East Somerville, again that one was widely popular. It must be gentrification of East Somerville... :-/
No surprise about Inman. That's a pretty big lot on a busy corner, and you know Cambridge.. trying to squeeze as many apartments into a trendy area as possible.
Yes Popeye's is coming back. I vaguely remember the one in Central years ago. There's a popeye's in Kenmore (that has been there for a couple of years now (same building as Uno, but on the Brookline Ave side). And I noticed on 16 eastbound in Everett where the old dunkin donuts (which is next to a new dunks), they are remodeling the old dunks into a Popeye's.
bleh I really don't care for Popeye's. I lived in the South where they are dotted everywhere as much as Church's and KFC. Its alright, I'd eat KFC anyday. Actually I prefer Central American Fried Chicken now.. its so tasty.
You might want to learn what
You might want to learn what gentrification means.
A huge chain like KFC CLOSING is hardly gentrification.
Glad they closed it down. Scary as hell with some real thuggy and trashy people hanging round. East Somerville needs a lot more policing and security. Scary stuff.
Gentrification, no; improvement, yes
Broadway in East Somerville is becoming a destination area for ethnic restaurants and the people who patronize them. KFC/Taco Bell doesn't fit that very well so it was inevitable that it would eventually close. I expect a local restaurant will eventually take over that building.
Upgrades Usually Kill These
Since these are franchises rather than owned by the corporation, I find it's usually restaurants that are due for a physical upgrade that will suddenly close. The owners have milked as much as they can from the place and figure it's not worth it to spend money on improving the facilities. Both these KFCs were long overdue for some changes.
Saugus has the most
Saugus has the most interestng combo. It's a KFC next to a Taco Bell, but they are two totally separate buildings. Bizarre!
Good!
The Inman Square one was, by far, the dirtiest, grungiest, greasiest restaurant I ever ate in. I hope it's closed for good and may make a trip to dance on its disgusting grave.
No one noticed when I closed
No one noticed when I closed =(
http://www.sadtrombone.com/
http://www.sadtrombone.com/
because..
Eating a Quizno's in New England, is like going to Portsmouth, NH and eating at Red Lobster. Why? When there's so many better options for subs.
Even Subway is different enough to warrant eating there.
And there's a few Quizno's left. Station Landing in Medford, Summer Street in Boston, Technology Square in Kendall Sq....
Oh stop...
New England can't do bread, can't properly shred lettuce and has no idea how to use olive oil, vinegar or oregano on a sandwich. Pennsylvania, Jersey, NYC and Connecticut... that's where the subs and hoagies are. Quizno's is no treat, but outside of Wan Convenience, neither are the crapwiches around here.
Almuerzo's right. I just
Almuerzo's right. I just moved from Boston to NYC. I love all things Boston, but the Tri-State area really has us beat in the sandwich department.
For the love of Gawd. If
For the love of Gawd. If you've moved here from some other part of the country to go to school or work, do yourself a favor and skip the heavily advertised national ersatz sandwich and pizza shops and find the local mom & pop pizza/sub shops.
You'll almost always find a much better sandwich and sometimes find sandwiches that will provide a near religious experience.
Where to get "local" fried chicken?
Do tell. I'll travel for it.
Mrs Jones - 2255 Dorchester
Mrs Jones - 2255 Dorchester Ave Dorchester
Bon Chon - 123 Brighton Ave Allston(ok this one is a chain)
Poppa B's - 1100 Blue Hill Ave Dorchester
Hen House Chicken and Waffles - 1033 Mass Ave Boston
Soul Fire BBQ - 182 Harvard Ave Allston
Same Old Place - 662 Centre St Jamaica Plain
I loves me some Same Old
I loves me some Same Old Place but they fry commercially-available frozen wings (and nothin' wrong with that...ate a 12-box just the other day).
Allow me to add:
AK's at Rox Crossing (fresh wings last time I checked)
Real Deal Deli, JP and Roxbury
Most Chinese restaurants will fry you up some big, fresh wings. Also, Kennedy Fried Chicken and associates.
Bon Chon is approximately
Bon Chon is approximately equivalent to "Korean KFC".
The stores in NJ that I've seen even have plastic decoration and seating like a franchise.
Coast Cafe on River St
Coast Cafe on River St Cambridge
You weren't here long enough for anyone to notice you at all
obtw, your Arlington Center location is now a Subway.
Maybe if you had learned how
Maybe if you had learned how to make a decent Steak and Cheese sub, instead of that oil-drenched roast beef atrocity you try to pass off as a Steak and Cheese, you'd have some more locations open.
While we're on the subject
Have fun getting this stuck in your head!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIt2CdbBo_w
Got stuck in my head
as soon as I read the headline!
Really sucky food
I don't think I've been to a KFC in years that didn't have some pretty basic issues serving hot food that didn't taste like it had been sitting out for hours.
The service and food have been really consistently bad for a long time, and I've avoided the few remainders as much as possible as a result.
Popeye's in Kenmore - I'll take a long lunch break to get there. Otherwise, there ain't much fried chicken available anywhere and I save my cravings for visits to other parts of the country.
May depend on level of business
The KFC on American Legion Highway does a brisk business and the chicken is quite tasty. Even with the arrival of a Popeye's across the street, that location is doing fine.
But I've also been to the places where the chicken has clearly sat under a heat lamp well past the rated shelf life.
Swirly..
I really am not kidding about the Central American Chicken. There's a place in Revere on Broadway.. Pollo Royal Restaurant. Its some of the best chicken I've had.. it totally beats Popeye's and KFC. Its well worth the drive to Revere.
There are imitations and fast food versions of this style chicken (i.e Pollo Campero in Eastie and Chelsea), but this one takes the cake.
I agree, KFC's chicken sits out far too long, but that was always the complaint about KFC for many years is people "waiting" for chicken (it can take up to 20 minutes to make a batch of chicken), so they use heat lamps.
Unfortunately, Chicken is expensive, so its in the owner's best interest to serve cooked chicken that's been sitting there for a while after non peak hours. If they throw away a tray of chicken because its sat too long, they could be throwing away ~50-100 bucks worth of food. (verses a tray of cooked hamburger patties @ McD costing less than 10 bucks).
I always try to avoid KFC outside of lunch/dinner hours. Or if I do, I just order Taco Bell items because those are made fresh (if its a multi-brand store). If I want KFC and if i want it bad enough, I'll go at 6:30 on a Friday night and stand and wait in line because it'll be as fresh as its going to get.
Newtonville
The Newtonville branch closed down last year:
http://www.wickedlocal.com/newton/features/x114335...
The article notes that the local franchisee was ordered to totally remodel by KFC HQ, and didn't want to do it.
The Taco Bell at BU (Warren
The Taco Bell at BU (Warren Towers) was closed in 2008.
It's Mcdonald's and BK that've had locations drop like flies in the past 5 years.
In the BU area alone:
BK Across from Warren, now parking lot circa 2006
BK in BU student union now Panda circa 2007
Mcdonalds near BU west campus now a BU chicken thing 2008
Mcdonalds on Boylston by Fenway now a parking lot 2008
Mcdonalds by Berklee now a pile of rocks 2011
BK on Boylston near Fenway has a year or two left before it's bulldozed.