The State Capital That Doesn't Have McDonald's Or Starbucks

Most state capitols are large, bustling hubs of commerce, hosting popular chain restaurants and big-box grocery stores within their borders. Folks living in these towns may not fully appreciate the ease with which they can order a handcrafted Frappuccino from Starbucks every morning and satisfy a craving for a Big Mac from McDonald's at the end of the day, because not every state capital is so lucky ... or plagued, depending on who you ask. One is pretty well opposed to two of the biggest food and drink chains around. Although McDonald's has over 39,000 locations across the globe and Starbucks is hot on its tail operating over 38,000 stores, you won't find either in Montpelier, Vermont.

The city is home to roughly 7,500 people, making it the smallest state capital by population in the nation. As such, it is a close-knit community that prides itself on thriving local businesses committed to practicing sustainability and has little interest in big corporate chains. On top of not having a McDonald's or Starbucks, Montpelier also currently doesn't have a Burger King, Arby's, Sonic, or KFC. You won't find a Chick-fil-A either, largely due to local resentment stemming from a legal battle between the chicken chain and a local folk artist from Montpelier in 2011. If you need a bite to eat in Vermont's state capital, pastries from a mom-and-pop café or a meal at one of its farm-to-table restaurants in the business district are at your disposal.

If you are in Montpelier and just have to get your hands on some McDonald's chicken nuggets or need to see the familiar face of the Starbucks siren (not a mermaid) mascot, a 12-minute drive to nearby Barre will get you what you need. Yet that was a bridge too far for Jeff Jacobs. In 1996, the Montpelier landlord dreamt of a McDonald's right downtown, but that dream never came to fruition.

When Jacobs came to the city asking for a permit to develop a historic bank building into a Golden Arches location, local officials shot him down. The city argued a McDonald's in that location would complicate traffic in the area and denied his request on those grounds. Jacobs's ambition was unwavering and so he appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court. He also launched an $8 million lawsuit against the city. However, the issue faded when both cases failed to make it to court. There hasn't since been an effort made to get McDonald's iconic fries — or coffee from Starbucks, for that matter — into Montpelier. There is no indication the quaint New England city wants that to change.