Ever since lunch carts were introduced earlier this year due to campus construction, BVH students have been adjusting to the system with some pointing out issues with efficiency and food availability. While the carts were intended to replace the unavailable cafeteria lines, students say long wait times and limited food options have taken up more of their lunch time. BVH principal Alex Salazar explained that the carts were implemented because the usual serving areas in the main quad are currently inaccessible due to the construction.
“The cafeteria lines that normally would be available are not available for students to pick up their lunch at and therefore we need to provide the nutrition break snacks and lunch from other areas. That is why we went to the mobile carts this year as a way to support [students],” Salazar said.
Salazar explained that since the system was already set up before he arrived, he did not have much time to change it at first. However, adjustments have been made to improve how the carts function during nutrition break and lunch.
“We did make a shift with the placement of the lunch carts,” Salazar said. “At the beginning the carts were too close and the lines were kind of intersecting so spacing wise, we did make some adjustments so that it could be better organized.”
Even with these changes, students say the system can still feel unpredictable especially when it comes to wait times and access to food. While staff continue working to improve the process, some students have noticed differences in their overall lunch experience. Senior Kenji Engen described the system as sometimes inconsistent.
“[It is a] hit or miss. Sometimes the line will be cut into a lot, so it takes a really long time to get your food,” Engen said. “It takes so long [waiting in line], and sometimes they run out of the good stuff and you [can only choose from] what they have left.”
For some students, timing plays a big role in their overall experience, as arriving earlier or later can affect both wait time and food availability. Engen explained that getting to the carts later can sometimes limit the options students have.
“[One day at lunch] I got there a little bit later and had to have something like a salad or something instead,which was significantly less filling than like a slice of pizza or whatever they normally have,” Engen said.
Sophomore Mario Boyd shared similar observations, as wait times can also take up a larger portion of his lunch and impact on how students choose to spend their time getting food or having more free time on their own.
“It makes it tedious to have to go to the carts because it takes so long sometimes with long lines and then people cutting the line as well. [Sometimes the lines go up to] 10 to 15 minutes, which takes up a huge chunk of your lunch time. Sometimes it is better to just bring your own lunch or just wait until the lines die down,” Boyd said.
In addition to timing, the organization of lines during lunch and nutrition break can also affect how smoothly the process runs. During these periods, large groups of students gather at the carts at once which can make it harder for lines to move efficiently. Boyd explained that crowded spaces can make it more difficult for the system to stay organized.
“I would say that there are some organizations as they do have lines, but the problem is the lines are not very well enforced. A lot of times you see a lot of people cutting even when they have people trying to stop that and the lines can sometimes get messy, which allows for people to cut,“ Boyd said.
Despite these challenges, the staff continues to manage food distribution and meet students’ requests as efficiently as possible. Salazar explained that the cafeteria team tracks which items are most popular in order to better prepare for lunch.
“They keep track of what students eat and then they will order those lunches as much as they can. If you do not get your first option, unfortunately sometimes you get your second option,“ Salazar said.
While the lunch cart system remains a temporary solution during construction both students and staff continue adapting to the changes as the year progresses. Many students hope to see improvements in efficiency and organization, while also looking forward to the return to the regular cafeteria set up when construction finishes.
“I just want to thank all the students this year. Soon, hopefully in about 3-4 weeks we will be back to the regular way of serving lunch. So, I just want to thank all of the students for being really flexible and adaptable. I thank everyone for their patience because I know it has not been easy literally taking away the center from our campus for an entire year.” Salazar said.
