S5·E26 The Disastrous Downfall Of Boston Market

Before meal kits, before DoorDash, and long before cheap grocery store rotisserie chickens, Boston Market was a real presence. It promised comfort food classics—like Thanksgiving dinner any day of the week—without the cooking, cleanup, or family drama! At its peak, this fast-casual chain was booming, redefining how Americans ate homestyle meals on the go. But almost as quickly as it rose, Boston Market began to collapse.

So what went wrong? From rapid expansion and massive debt to changing food trends and fierce competition, this is the strange rise and fall of one of America’s most iconic comfort food chains.