PHOTO BY ALENA KUZUB
Wendy’s and Burger King represent some of the fast food restaurants along Boston Street.
By GAYLA CAWLEY
LYNN — Does Boston Street tickle your taste buds or turn your stomach?
In a half-mile stretch, you can love it at McDonald’s, have it your way at Burger King, think outside the bun at Taco Bell and pretend that it’s way better than fast food at Wendy’s. There’s also Dunkin’ Donuts, which America runs on. Is this street fast food heaven or hell?
But never fear. The street’s dichotomy has a Planet Fitness located in the same plaza as McDonald’s. A person can reward himself for a calorie-torching workout by stopping at the golden arches for some french fries and a quarter pounder.
That’s exactly what 13-year-old Carlos Alas, of Lynn, said he wants to do after he accompanies his mother for a workout at Planet Fitness. He was dining at Wendy’s with some friends on Sunday, but said McDonald’s is his favorite fast food place on Boston Street. He likes the fries because they’re salty.
Alas said after getting a workout in and lifting weights, he’s hungry and sometimes craves the nearby McDonald’s. He said it’s probably common that others also go to the close-by fast food places after leaving the gym. The food is addicting, he said. His friend, 14-year-old Raymond Perron, agreed.
“Fast food is nasty, but you kind of just have to eat it,” Perron said.
Putting many popular fast food places on the same street, including McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and Taco Bell, provides for some local competition.
“It’s a battlefield,” said 58-year-old Lynn resident David Swanson.
Swanson was eating at Burger King, the long-time nemesis of McDonald’s.
“I like their food, which is why I eat here,” he said. “I don’t like McDonald’s.”
Prices are good, he added, citing a common reason why people eat fast food. According to a 2014 “Ask Your Target Market,” survey, 67 percent of people asked said they eat fast food because it’s convenient, 32 percent said they eat it because it’s cheap, while 31 percent said they just like eating fast food.
Pedro Cuevas, 72, of Lynn, was also eating at Burger King, but said Wendy’s is his favorite fast food spot on the street. He likes the flavor and price there. If he had a strong enough craving, he could have simply walked from Burger King into the next lot to get to Wendy’s.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.
