6 Towns in Maine That Essentially Banned Fast Food Restaurants

If you travel throughout the state of Maine, almost every town you pass through will have at least one small diner or restaurant that is locally-owned.

Mainers pride themselves on their small businesses, many of which have become staples of the communities they operate in.

But people in Maine also love their convenience, specifically fast food. Chain restaurants are a way of life across the country and Maine is no different.

Unless you find yourself in six specific cities and towns in Maine, all of which have laws and ordinances in place that restrict or ban certain types of restaurants.

York, Maine, Has Had a Ban on Chain Restaurants For More Than 20 Years

Hoping to preserve the small town feel as well as keep the focus on local restaurants, York, Maine, put a full ban on chain restaurants into place back in 2004.

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There are chain restaurants in York but they had to meet one of two criteria to exist. Either they were grandfathered in before the ban in 2004 or they are located on the commercial corridor of U.S. Route One.

You Will Not Find a Single Chain Restaurant Anywhere in Ogunquit, Maine

Following nearby York, Ogunquit, Maine, put a ban into place in 2005 that prohibited any "formula" restaurants from operating with the city limits.

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That ranges from your typical fast food joints to full-service restaurants like Applebee's. Ogunquit wanted to put the focus on their local restaurants and maintain its coastal charm.

Shapleigh, Maine, Enacted a 'Formula-Free' Restaurant Ban As Well

Just about a month after Ogunquit put their ban in place on "formula restaurants", Shapleigh, Maine, decided to do the same thing.

Despite being a more rural area primed for any new business to open, Shapleigh decided to take control over chain restaurants by putting a ban into place unless any future chain restaurant wanted to commit to a set of requirements and demands the town had.

Cornish, Maine, Also Enacted a Ban on Chain Restaurants in The Mid-2000's

Looking to quell corporate sprawl and maintain some local, downtown feel, Cornish, Maine, also enacted a ban on chain restaurants and fast-casual eateries in the mid-2000's.

A pair of chains do exist in Cornish, Dunkin' and Subway, whom both operate under conditions from the town.

Freeport, Maine, Has a Strict Ordinance That Chain Restaurants Must Adhere To

Unlike the full bans on chain restaurants and formula restaurants you'll find in other communities, Freeport, Maine, opted to put together strict ordinances on chains when it comes to design.

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That's why chains like McDonald's and Starbucks can operate in the city but must form-fit their locations to aesthetically match the restaurant of the architecture in downtown Freeport.

Portland, Maine, Has a Limit on Chains in Specific City Neighborhoods

There is unquestionably plenty of chain restaurants throughout the city of Portland, Maine, but they are scarce in certain parts of the city by design.

Christopher Wiley

In neighborhoods like the Arts District and Old Port, Portland has put a strict ordinance in place that caps the number of chains that can operate in certain city zones.

In some instances, the city limits those chains by square footage meaning it's unlikely you'll ever see a sit-down chain like Longhorn operating in the Old Port.