MANCHESTER, NH — As the sun set on another Cinco de Mayor more than 20 cars were wrapped around Taco Bell on South Willow Street. Celebrating in the time of COVID-19 meant the popular fast-food chain restaurant was the only game in town for those who wanted a Mexican meal.
“We’d rather go to a real Mexican restaurant,” said Jeremy Webster of Manchester, waiting in a car line outside Taco Bell with his wife, Melanie on Tuesday night.
They had phoned in a $60 crowd-size order to take home and share with their three kids and niece.
“We just like the culture. I called every restaurant around, but nobody was open,” said Webster, who was wearing a sombrero. Last year they did a Boston harbor cruise to celebrate the annual holiday that commemorates the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla.
But the day has become a broad celebration of Mexican food and culture and, over the past several years, has been the date reserved for the city’s wildly popular Downtown Taco Tour, which draws thousands for a taco tasting. The event was cancelled this year.
The Websters said they didn’t mind waiting in a long line for fast-food tacos that, at about 7:30 p.m. was 20 cars deep, snaking around the Taco Bell into the Petco parking lot. Given the upside-down world they’ve been adjusting to, it’s just another adjustment. Their oldest, Riley, is a senior at Central High School.
“He’s doing all right,” said Melanie Webster. But his future is still up in the air. His dad has been talking to him about looking into a trade, like plumber or electrician.
“I think with all this going it’s bringing us all together,” said Jeremy Webster. “It’s weird — it’s like a movie, watching people go into stores with masks on.”
City restaurants have mostly been closed following Gov. Chris Sununu’s scale-back of business operations. Some restaurants remain open for take-out and delivery, but a majority of restaurants have been on hold.
However, under the governor’s updated stay-home order, restaurants are cleared to reopen for outdoor dining-only starting May 18.
