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From the Memory-Alpha page on Burritos:

While on 20th century Earth, Lieutenant Tuvok bought his companions Tom Paris and Rain Robinson chili burritos, Goliath Gulps, and hot dogs for breakfast. Robinson likened the meal to something she would expect to eat on an afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (VOY: "Future's End, Part II")

... excuse me, he gets "Goliath Gulps." I'm crushing through Voyager on Netflix. It seems like just yesterday he was feeding random alien children Starfleet rations and running unruly Maquis transplants through fun runs across the ship. Why did he let loose on this glorious late 20th century gameday food for his buds, rather than finding healthier options or letting Rain Robinson select what food to eat?

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    Welcome to the SF&F site! Your question is a little hard to understand. Please clarify exactly what you mean.
    – RedCaio
    Commented Jan 27, 2016 at 5:15
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    The writers thought it would be funny.
    – Boelabaal
    Commented Jan 27, 2016 at 6:22
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    Probably because it's fun. One of the thrills of visiting another culture is trying out their vices, no?
    – Misha R
    Commented Jan 27, 2016 at 6:25

2 Answers 2

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Tuvok is trying to pass for one of the locals. That includes eating food that he knows (from his prior association with 20th Century enthusiast Tom Paris) is both contemporary and appropriate.

I think we can also assume that his choice was motivated by logic, hence his decision to buy large, high energy meals, probably from the place that was closest to their hideout so that they can go for longer before having to interact with more people.

Note also that it doesn't work.

RAIN: Chili burritos, foot long hot dogs and Goliath Gulps. This is not a breakfast, this is an afternoon at Dodger Stadium.

TUVOK: And that is a non-sequitur. Would you please hand me a burrito.

RAIN: Everything you guys do is just a little bit off

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    As an interesting aside, I've not been able to adequately explain why Tuvok (a noted vegetarian) was eating a chili burrito. The Voyager Companion suggests that it was probably made of beans
    – Valorum
    Commented Jan 28, 2016 at 1:10
  • I assumed he asked a local where he could get food, and that's where they directed him.
    – DCShannon
    Commented May 15, 2017 at 22:55
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    @DCShannon - My gut instinct is that the logical thing to do if you're trying to avoid interfering with the timeline would be to head to the absolute nearest place where you can buy any sort of food, purchase a large (but not conspicuously large) quantity of food, then immediately return to your hideout.
    – Valorum
    Commented May 15, 2017 at 22:59
  • That also seems reasonable, but isn't really consistent with your answer.
    – DCShannon
    Commented May 15, 2017 at 23:07
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    @DCShannon - The problem here is that we don't know what logic he's used to come to his decision. Does the need to convince Rain that they're normal red-blooded Americans outweigh their need to not interfere with the timeline. Does Tuvok's aversion to meat outweigh his need to find food closeby? Does Tuvok take Mr Paris' aversion to vegetables into consideration? What we do know, however is that he's definitely used logic.
    – Valorum
    Commented May 15, 2017 at 23:24
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The writers had Tuvok get this food because it was funny.

In-universe, it could have been for any number of reasons, and we really don't know enough to say for sure:

  • He may have decided that not affecting the timeline was paramount, and simply gone to the nearest place with food.
  • He may have decided that blending in was paramount, and gone to the busiest nearby place.
  • He may have been aware of Tom's food preferences, and bought him something he would enjoy.
  • He may have really thought that that was a normal breakfast.

Whatever the reason Tuvok used to come to his decision, we can be sure it was eminently logical.

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