# And just why the fuck is there only one Taco Bell in Boston anyway? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 25, 2002, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761 "2002-05-25T04:30:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/1 "2002-05-25T04:30:53Z")
OK, so the other evening, after work, and a couple beers at the bar, I decided to try to buy a digital camera. I knew where to go, and what I wanted, so I figured it would be a nice quick trip, if a bit out of my way. But there’s a Taco Bell in the mall as well, and I haven’t had Taco Bell for a while. So I head over to the Cambridgeside Galleria to go to Best Buy. While working up the enthusiasm for expensive impulse purchasing, I browse a little and play with the digital videocameras. After a little bit of this, I decide to try to get waited on. Nothing obtrusive, just look like I want help, try to make eye contact with the guy manning the area… Who is nowhere to be seen. The entirety of the cell phones/PDAs/digital cameras/videocameras area is completely bereft of its sole salesman. But he’ll be back shortly. So I wait. And wait while he waits on the couple near me upon his return. The couple who seem to be willing to settle on any of a wide variety of digital cameras, if only one of their coices were to be in stock. Which none are. Why the lone salesman has to keep looking through several different cabinets each time they ask about a different model I’m not sure. And why it takes him more time to verify the absence of a camera at this store than at other Best Buys in the area is also rather unclear. But I keep glaring at him. I still have some hope that my choice will be in stock, as the store has it hidden under glass without any label on it. Of course, I also am beginning to suspect that this store is really a front for something else, as they seem to have no desire to get anyone to part with their money. All in all, about twenty minutes goes by, wherein I have waited patiently, honing my future attempt to keep things short. Finally, the salesman makes it over to my area, asking if anyone needs help. Again, it puzzles me what else me and the others who have gathered might possibly look like we are there for. I speak up, and ask my question. The camera I want, the only one I will settle for, is out of stock. I leave. There’s still time to get over to Taco Bell. A good 15 to 20 minutes before the mall closes. I can still salvage something from the trip. Let me tell you something about Boston. The city of Boston has a population of close to 600,000. Nicely packed into 47 square miles. With several tens of thousands of college students. And ONE goddam Taco Bell. There’s also this on, a crappy mall food court one, where you can’t even get one of those plastic trays to put your meal on, over where I am in Cambridge, not far from downtown Boston. So you might understand that I don’t get to Taco Bell often. While waiting in line, I mull my options. Chalupas, gorditas, burritos, all in their infinite variety. Well, at least a couple varieties. I get to the head of the line and ask for a Number Six, the two chalupas and a taco meal. I am told that all they have is Number Nine. Three taco supremes. Would I like hard or soft? No. I do not want Number Nine. You get nothing. I’m not settling for what’s available. You don’t have what I want, you don’t get my business. That fucking simple. What the fuck kind of crap is this? What the hell is wrong with you people? Why can I go somewhere intending to make it as easy as possible for businesses to get my money, and yet they fuck it up? And, finally, just why the fuck is there only one Taco Bell in Boston, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/2 "2002-05-25T05:44:59Z")
Short answer is because people are stupid, especially when acting together as an entity. See: Enron, The Catholic Church, The Federal Government. Other short answer: Because Taco Bell sucks, you classless boob. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/3 "2002-05-25T05:51:39Z")
Depends on how far you wanna drive. [Taco Bells](http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypResults.py?Pyt=Typ&city=Boston&state=MA&country=us&slt=42.358028&sln=-71.060417&cs=4&tab=B2C&stx=taco+bell&stp=a&desc=taco+bell&doprox=1&sorttype=distance&beyond=1&stat=ClkByndUpper) within a 10 mile drive of Boston proper (the “Beyond Boston” Yahoo YP search actually brought up 52 hits). > [@](#): > > Taco Bell > (617) 621-0609 100 Cambridgeside Pl > Cambridge, MA Map > 1.0 > > Taco Bell > (617) 424-0063 700 Commonwealth Ave > Boston, MA Map > 2.2 > > Taco Bell > (617) 389-3338 1683 Revere Beach Pkwy > Everett, MA Map > 3.1 > > Taco Bell > (781) 485-0286 339 Squire Rd > Revere, MA Map > 5.3 > > Taco Bell > (781) 231-1706 421 Broadway > Saugus, MA Map > 9.0 Recognize any of those locations? ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/4 "2002-05-25T05:55:09Z")
I hate to admit this because I am from New Mexico and I know what real Mexican food tastes like: I love Taco Bell. It’s not real Mexican food but if I have to go to a fast food joint TB is my choice. I went there today and had a Taco Salad and a Tostada. MMMMMM Tostada. Slee ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/5 "2002-05-25T06:24:50Z")
Blame Dunkin’ Donuts, since I remember one being on every other block there… ---
**Author:** ![Sanscour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@Sanscour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sanscour)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/6 "2002-05-25T10:12:40Z")
Be thankful. I live in Vermont and have ONE FUCKING TACO BELL in my state. It’s rediculous. One part of my evil scheme to conquer the world is to bombard Vermont with Taco Bell joints so I don’t have to put up with this shit. Care to Join me **Waterj?** I need an evil lieutenant 🙂 Sanscour ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/7 "2002-05-25T12:18:02Z")
Ha! I _knew_ I was living in the lap of luxury despite my hige rent for a closet of an apartment, **waterj** … I live about a block from a Taco Bell! Apart from the one way down Commonwealth it does seem to be the only one. Wendy’s and Subway are also impossible to find. If there’s two things this area doesn’t understand, one of them is definitely the value of fast food that isn’t Burger King or McDonalds, which are gonna be the first against the wall when the revolution comes. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/8 "2002-05-25T14:38:05Z")
Why don’t you go to an actual mexican restaurant? ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/9 "2002-05-25T14:39:36Z")
Because Mexico isn’t close enough? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/10 "2002-05-25T15:08:46Z")
…or because maybe he just wanted something he could eat while driving and have in his hands mere moments after ordering? Plus it’s really cheap. ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/11 "2002-05-25T15:11:33Z")
Ah, the Taco Bell beneath the parking ramp of Warren Towers on Commonwealth Avenue … ::snif:: memories. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/12 "2002-05-25T15:59:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Why don’t you go to an actual mexican restaurant? Because he didn’t want Mexican food, he wanted Taco Bell food. ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/13 "2002-05-25T16:20:29Z")
I used to go to the one up on Commonwealth, by B.U. It’s the one I immediately thought of when I saw the thread title, as it was the only one I ever saw there. Of course, that was ten years ago. I miss Boston. Not Taco Bell, though, we’ve got plenty of those out here. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/14 "2002-05-25T17:20:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Why don’t you go to an actual mexican restaurant? If I wanted actual Mexican food, which happens as well, I’d go to a Mexican restaurant. But I wanted Taco Bell. > [@](#): > > …or because maybe he just wanted something he could eat while driving and have in his hands mere moments after ordering? Plus it’s really cheap. Replace “driving” with “riding a bike”, and you’ve got part of the appeal there. > [@](#): > > I used to go to the one up on Commonwealth, by B.U. It’s the one I immediately thought of when I saw the thread title, as it was the only one I ever saw there. Yeah, that’s the one I was referring to. The one I was at was not in Boston, but Cambridge, which I believe has three Taco Bells, despite a population 1/6 Boston’s, IIRC. There are a total of 10 Taco Bells within 10 miles of downtown Boston. I went to college in Troy, NY, which is a pathetic little town near Albany, and which has 7 Taco Bells within 10 miles. In contrast, there are at least 15 Dunkin Donuts within a half mile of downtown Boston, at least 3 McDonalds, 2 Wendys, and 2 Burger Kings, but the closest Taco Bell is 1.4 miles away, and in Cambridge. > [@](#): > > Of course, that was ten years ago. Back then there was also one on Huntington Ave. near Northeastern, as well. How a college the size of Northeastern failed to support a Taco Bell is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/15 "2002-05-25T18:17:37Z")
When I think of my vacation in Boston, I think of Dunkin’ Donuts, not Taco Bell. (Did you notice in ‘Legally Blonde’ all the Harvard students carrying around there Dunkin’ Donuts coffee’s?) Don’t know why they aren’t around, strange. Can’t afford the real estate prices maybe??😉 Good luck on your future camera purchase though. That should cheer you up. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/16 "2002-05-25T18:18:28Z")
Where are the Wendys??? ---
**Author:** ![Snetho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Snetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snetho)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/17 "2002-05-25T20:45:52Z")
There’s one right around the corner from Fenway. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/18 "2002-05-25T21:27:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Where are the Wendys??? Both near Downtown Crossing, one on Washington Street, 360 something, odd side of the street, the other on Summer Street, between Chauncy and Kingston. Also, one in Back Bay, on Boylston across from Copley Square. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/19 "2002-05-25T22:29:11Z")
Only one Taco Bell in Boston? Thats one too many. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761/20 "2002-05-25T22:42:29Z")
Dunkin’ Donuts? Probably all the Irish cops there… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-just-why-the-fuck-is-there-only-one-taco-bell-in-boston-anyway/110761.md?page=2)