Taco Bell — Restaurant in Atascadero

I've always enjoyed Taco Bell. On my most recent visit, I witnessed unmasked employees cooking and packaging food. They talked across the food assembly table to others on the line, sometimes raising their voices to be heard, with uncovered food directly in front of them. I've learned that vaccines do not prevent someone from contracting the disease, rather they help by lessoning the impact, ideally, so much so that symptoms will never surface. They DO NOT prevent contracting the disease and exposing others to it while their bodies silently fight it. I live in a high-risk environment and cannot afford to bring someone else's droplets home on my food. Before you jump to conclusions, we are vaccinated. There are millions of people who are on prescribed medications to treat severe arthritis and other similar conditions, that work by turning off or suppressing the patient's Autoimmune system. For these people, even having been vaccinated, consuming food prepared under those conditions could be fatal.

I understand that we are opening back up, and that businesses need to be open. I understand why customers might be allowed to enter unmasked. However, I do not understand how any business can justify the kind of risk that allowing staff to handle food this way creates.

It seems that I may have eaten my last party pack of soft tacos, because I won't be exposing those whom I love to this kind of potential risk. Run...

This Bell is fine and we go by probably 2-3x a month, but we had the most awkward experience today. Generally, the staff is ok, but the girl on drive-thru this afternoon was the oddest ever! First, didn't repeat our order, talked over us to get our drink order, and then seemed annoyed when we wanted to make sure she heard us. Ok, whatever. In person...wow. Said NOTHING. Just STARED. Had her hand out the window with our drink and actually pulled her hand back when my husband went to get it because I was counting out the entire $6 we owed. Not that she had a second hand out, we practically could have grabbed and gone as she wasn't paying attention. We would say thank you and she would just close the window or STARE and then close the window. We wanted some mild sauce? How dare we...STARE. It wasn't that she didn't hear us (or if that were the case, maybe ask us to say it again). No customer service whatsoever, even what little you might expect from fast food. It was just way too uncomfortable and very...

Picture this: it's 10:30 and you need food. you don't want in-in-out again and you aren't going back to jack-in-the-box. So what does that leave? Taco Bell. The bell rings. it is calling to you. and your fate has been sealed. you came here a few weeks ago and will return in a few more, for the cycle persists; beckons us all. You think to yourself: it won't hurt me it'll be fine. How naïve a thought. You fall for the trap once again And will again soon. You swear off Taco Bell for life. "Never again shall I step into any Taco Bell location!" you beckon into the darkness. and the only thing that responds to your cries is the very bell that led you here. Echoes of the bell from past and future trapping you in a never-ending loop Dost thou have the wit to break the cycle? You fear the answer. and the answer fears you. You HAVE been to Taco Bell and you WILL be back. There lies no escape ahead. You are trapped for all and...