Ban or no ban, readers are eating and drinking on the T

Like many T riders, most Boston.com readers had no idea that you’re not allowed to eat or drink on any MBTA vehicles or stations. Now that they know, they’ll still be enjoying their morning coffee aboard the T. 

“Riding the train with an iced regular and a glazed doughnut. How the hell else am I going to get to work? Besides, with the T breaking down all the time, who’d board a train without some sustenance?” Fred from Rockingham County asked, joining several hundred readers who said they’ve had no qualms about having a drink, snack, or a meal on the T in the past.

After the MBTA sent out a reminder to riders that food and drink are against the rules in stations, trains, and buses, we asked Boston.com readers how they felt about the rule. A majority of the 483 people polled said they didn’t even know such a rule existed. Most readers said they’ve been eating and drinking on the T this whole time, with 21% saying they do it regularly and 44% saying they eat when they really have to.

Some readers, on the other hand, were nauseous at the thought of eating on the T and shocked by those who do it freely.

“I’ve only seen people eating on the T occasionally and it makes me sick every time I see it. It’s like eating in a public restroom,” said Veronica P. from Chelsea. 

Regardless of if they support the food and drink ban, readers seemed to agree that the MBTA would have trouble enforcing the rule. Instead, readers said the transit agency’s efforts would be better spent addressing the major safety concerns that have been plaguing the T in recent years, including derailments, train fires, and falling objects in stations.

“I have been riding the T regularly since 1986.  I have never heard of this rule. Not allowing drinking is absolutely absurd, considering how slow the Red Line is. It takes me an hour (on a good day with no delays) to get from Wollaston to Porter. Eating should be allowed, though with the thought that you don’t slobber everywhere or take up more than your allotted seat to do so,” argued Amy from Quincy. “The T has way bigger things to worry about than my iced coffee in a spillproof travel mug. Fix the tracks and provide service on the Red Line that comes sooner than every 20 minutes!”

Below, you’ll find a sampling of responses from readers reacting to the news that food and drink is banned on the MBTA as well as their reasons for abiding by or disregarding the rule. 

Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

What do you think about the MBTA’s rules against eating and drinking?

‘I drink iced coffee on the T every day‘

“What are we supposed to do when a 20-minute ride turns to 40? I have dodged rivers of spilled coffee or soda on the Red Line, and it’s annoying, but I imagine it’s not as unpleasant as being on a delayed morning commute with riders deprived of caffeine. When riders have a system to be proud of, will they treat it respectfully? I don’t think we’ll have the answer to that question for quite a while.” — Pat M., Dorchester

“I drink iced coffee on the T every day. Have never eaten and I will continue to drink my iced coffee in a closed container. After all, with the length of time it takes now to commute on the Orange Line, a person could die of thirst.” — LGW, Melrose

“When I was in grad school, I had to take the Red Line to the Green Line. I often did this trek to and from school twice a day. This added up to four or more 2-leg trips, quite a few hours each day, and so, I often ate a meal during the commute. Otherwise, I’d potentially be made to skip a meal if the T had a problem. If the T ran fast and predictable (and if the lack of low/mid-income housing in and surrounding the city didn’t require such unavoidably long commutes), maybe less people would feel as though they should plan as though their subway ride were potentially going to be as long as a flight with meal and entertainment.” — Henry, Somerville

“We have to spend half of our lives on their disabled, slow-moving trains. Let us eat and drink while we wither away.” — Jackie, Brighton

“It’s not exactly a fine dining car experience when you are eating on the T. I have ingested food on the T because I was HUNGRY. And as for coffee on the T in the morning? Being strict against that is petit tyranny.” — Anna S., Cambridge

“Well, the trains are regularly delayed, and then when you finally do get on one, they take FOREVER! One needs to pack a meal (or two) when traveling on the T!” — Michael, Jamaica Plain

‘I can’t believe this even has to be said’

“The rule is respectful and considerate of the other passengers’ health. And or the eaters too! Not a good environment for eating! [The T] is crowded and unsanitary! Why would anyone want to eat when riding inside the clangy, swerving cars, with so many people clustered around?” — Fran, Davis Square

“I can’t believe this even has to be said. You’d have to be so beyond desperate to eat on a T car. Something about being squashed into a sardine can while the person next to you watches TikToks at full volume sans headphones and another dude takes a leak in the corner just doesn’t lend itself to great dining ambiance.” — C, Boston

“I have no problem with someone having sips of a bottled or otherwise closed drink. Eating on the train, though, that’s so disgusting. I’ve seen people put greasy/wet/saucy bags and containers on seats, and then the next person to come along unsuspectingly sits right in a huge mess. Also, the train is full of enough variety of smells on a good day, let alone adding in someone’s meal. I also think the T is generally such a gross and dirty environment that the last thing I want to think about is eating or watching someone else eat. It’s very unpleasant for everyone around the person eating, and it’s just not an appropriate activity for public transit.” — Lauren, Jamaica Plain

“It is long overdue to ban eating meals on trains, buses, or at stations. It is not only gross but also unhealthy. Do you want to eat your lunch next to or near someone who has NOT taken a shower since April 1? Do you prefer to have your dinner in the comfort of your home or sit at a station bench above obvious dog urine? And halfway into your meal, the train is coming generating tunnel wind that blows rats’ hair into your lunchbox with pollen and dust.” — Julie L., Dedham

“There are passengers who are absolutely irresponsible and leave their garbage on the seats of the trains and buses. That is unsightly and plain unsanitary. If the rule is to have no eating and drinking, then no selling of food and drinks at the stations either. If we allow eating and drinking, then we have to hold passengers accountable for their mess.” — Diane, Arlington

‘Get the priorities straight, please!’

“The MBTA should focus efforts on making the system function instead of telling us we can’t eat. They made the rule so they don’t have to clean trains. There are other rules that the MBTA makes for us that aren’t enforced like bikes and scooters during commuting hours.” — Brad, Medford

“I think with all the other issues the MBTA has going on at the moment, this is probably not the time to be making a big deal of this. May be a distraction to keep people’s minds off the fact that it is taking, in a lot of cases, twice the amount of time to get to and from work as it used to take.

“If and when the MBTA gets back to something like a normal ride I would have no problem with reminders like this being issued.” — Frank J., Quincy

“Kind of hilarious that this is where the T focuses their efforts. Maybe keep the system running before you’re worried about cleanliness. If my train breaks down and forces me to be delayed, am I really supposed to be worried about not eating?” — Derek, South Boston

“Maybe the T should focus on its burning cars and crumbling ceilings before telling people not to drink. Plus, the rats need to eat too.” — Pat, South Boston

“Let’s worry less about how clean the trains and stations are and stop ceilings from falling and trains not showing up, slow zones, and shuttle buses on weekends and nights. Get the priorities straight, please!” — Lynn C., Cambridge

Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.

Zipporah Osei

Audience Engagement Editor

Zipporah Osei is an audience engagement editor for Boston.com, where she connects with readers on site and across social media.

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