CG
claude-michel gonyea
Jul 2, 2026
On Saturday, the 27 of June, we visited Taco Bell in Plattsburgh after not having been there for quite some time. It was around 3:00 p.m., and the restaurant did not appear to be very busy.
As we approached the entrance, we noticed that the garbage bin near the front door appeared to be overflowing, with litter scattered on the ground around it. We also noticed that the glass entrance door appeared greasy, covered with fingerprints and spots, and generally not very clean. Unfortunately, this did not create a very positive first impression.
Once inside, we felt that the restaurant could have been cleaner. While it certainly wasn’t the cleanest Taco Bell we have visited, this is simply our personal impression based on that day’s visit.
Ordering at the self-service kiosk was quick, simple, and straightforward.
While waiting for our order, we noticed four employees. A couple of them appeared to be engaged in a lively conversation, giggling, laughing and joking together. We couldn’t hear what they were saying, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves.
A few minutes later, our order was ready. Since it was a beautiful day, we decided to eat outside.
As we exited the restaurant, we saw two employees standing near the employee entrance, apparently on a break. They were gathered near a vehicle parked in or beside the accessible parking area. They were speaking loudly, though they appeared to simply be enjoying themselves and having a very good time.
Just as we were about to sit down, we heard someone loudly shout a profanity. We weren’t sure whether it was directed at us, so we instinctively turned to see where it had come from.
We then noticed a man sitting in a nearby vehicle. After seeing us turn around, he laughed and called out something to the effect of, “I’m their boss, don’t worry, it’s not about you.”
One additional observation is worth mentioning, although I cannot say with certainty what caused it. Around that same time, we noticed a strong odor that seemed to be coming from the area of the nearby vehicle and the employee entrance were two employees were taking their break. To us, the smell resembled an odor we associate with a certain substance being smoked or inhaled. However, this was only our personal impression. We cannot identify the source of the odor or say what it actually was exactly but it was definitely a very strong, skunky smell.
Although the situation made us briefly consider eating somewhere else, the employees soon returned inside, and we decided to stay.
After finishing our meal and returning to our car, we noticed what appeared to be another employee who had come outside, seemingly on a break. She was standing near the same vehicle in or beside the accessible parking area and appeared to be holding an object that looked, from our perspective, like some type of cigarette or smoking device. We again noticed a strong odor in the area that reminded us of the smell we had detected earlier. We cannot say what the object was or what was being smoked, if anything, and this is simply our personal observation and impression.
In the end, we enjoyed our meal. While the food met our expectations, the overall cleanliness of the restaurant and the atmosphere both inside and outside left us with a less favorable impression than we had hoped for.