Boston Market, once a chain of about 1,200 restaurants, now has only a handful of locations in Texas and the northeastern U.S. A visit to its Philadelphia restaurant found generous portions at relatively modest prices, alongside an unhurried dining room and uneven food—details that offer a snapshot of the challenges facing the shrinking chain.
From Boston Chicken to a six-location chain
Boston Market opened in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1985 as Boston Chicken. It adopted the Boston Market name in 1995 as the menu expanded beyond chicken. The chain built its following on slow-roasted rotisserie chicken and homestyle sides such as cornbread, mashed potatoes and stuffing. Turkey, meatloaf, ribs, wings and chicken nuggets later joined the menu. McDonald’s once owned a stake in the brand.
The restaurant count has since fallen steadily. Factors that may have weighed on the business include lawsuits, management issues at individual locations, more ready-to-eat meals at grocery stores and multiple ownership changes involving parent companies and private-equity owners. Engage Brands, LLC has owned Boston Market since 2020. The company’s website lists just six open locations, in Texas and the Northeast; some also offer catering.
Philadelphia location is open and hiring
The standalone restaurant on Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia had “Open” and “Now Hiring” signs outside, with its lights on. Its red-and-black exterior and familiar branding looked dated, retaining the feel of an earlier era of fast-casual dining. There was ample parking, but only a few cars when we arrived, and one customer was waiting outside for a takeout order.
The visit took place around 4 p.m. on Columbus Day. The dining room was clean and decorated for fall, but initially had no other customers and no background music. Diners arrived gradually, mostly older customers and families, with many opting for takeout. Individual pot pies sat behind the counter, sides were kept in warming trays and cornbread was arranged on metal pans. The smell of roast chicken from the kitchen was noticeable.
There were plenty of seats, including low tables for two and high tables by the windows. The walls had simple decorations and the floor was brown. As more families arrived, the room felt livelier, but conversation carried easily in the otherwise quiet space. It felt better suited to a quick meal or pickup than a long sit-down visit.
Two entrees and dessert cost $31.97 before tax
A vegetarian meal with macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and sweet potato cost $12.99. A rotisserie chicken meal with sliced potatoes and green beans was $13.99. The two diners also bought a slice of carrot cake for $4.49, bringing the pre-tax total to $31.97.
The sides came in generous portions, and both meals left enough food for a second serving later. The macaroni and cheese was the standout among the sides, with a creamy texture, a pronounced cheese flavor and moderate saltiness. The mashed potatoes were smooth but fairly plain. The sweet potato, topped with cinnamon and melted marshmallows, was sweet and rich enough to feel closer to dessert. The included cornbread was slightly sweet, though dry and crumbly.
The chicken looked and smelled appealing, but the meal fell short of that first impression: the skin seemed oily, while the meat was dry and lacked flavor. The sliced potatoes looked well seasoned but tasted somewhat bland and were on the firm side. The green beans were cooked reasonably well, though their flavor was mild, with only a hint of butter, salt and pepper.
Carrot cake stands out as takeout suits the visit
The carrot cake was the most successful part of the meal. Its cream-cheese frosting was light, closer to whipped cream in texture, and the cake was moist, with walnuts and pecans adding a noticeable crunch. The restaurant also displayed desserts including pumpkin and apple pie.
At about $32 before tax for two entrees and dessert, the meal offered substantial portions and clear pricing. But some of the main dishes and sides did not match the aroma of chicken coming from the kitchen, and the dining room lacked much reason to linger. Grocery-store deli counters are a practical alternative for customers looking for rotisserie chicken and similar sides.
The Philadelphia restaurant remains open and is hiring, but one meal cannot establish the chain’s overall business condition. On this visit, takeout seemed a better fit: the portions were filling and the prices straightforward, while the quiet, sparsely occupied dining room offered little incentive to stay.