Massachusetts

MBTA's Reminder Not to Eat, Drink on the T Surprises Some Riders

"Am I completely insane or is this a new rule?"

MBTA sign
NBC10 Boston/NECN

Drop that Dunks! Turns out you're not supposed to eat or drink on the T.

The MBTA put out a reminder on social media Monday telling riders to "please avoid eating or drinking while on vehicles & in stations." It's all in an effort to keep the T clean.

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The rule is in fact on the MBTA's website, and the agency has even shared the same friendly warning before, but it still came as news to some riders.

"What? Is this a new policy @MBTA? I've eaten entire roast chickens on the Red Line," tweeted Mike Deehan, a longtime reporter on politics in Boston.

When he tweeted about it again, Boston Globe editor Tim Logan replied, "News to me. They sell food INSIDE many stations. Are we not supposed to eat it?"

Another person tweeted, "If only this reminder from the @MBTA came out sooner we could have avoided a person eating chicken salad with their hands and then washing them off with jugs of orange juice on the Red Line."

Whether or not it's enforced, the rule dates back to at least September 2022, according to an archived version of the agency's website. A spokesman for the T confirmed to NBC10 Boston on Monday that the rule isn't new.

Here are a couple of other instances of MBTA social media accounts urging riders to keep their food and drink containers closed on vehicles and at stations.

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