One day, a Hollywood High School student remarked at the high prices he paid every day for not-so-great lunches on campus. He wondered what other schools offered for lunch and suggested LA Youth find out.
LA Youth's reporters thought this idea made a good story. So they went to their school cafeterias and tracked down the fixings inside cafeterias from Wed., Feb.13-Fri. Feb. 15. They recorded lunch times and prices. Then they went outside and noted the vendors from major restaurant chains who push carts around campuses selling pizzas and sandwiches. The reporters took their reporting a bit further and found out who could leave campus for lunch and eat wherever they wanted.
Here are some of their findings at 24 Southern California high schools. How does your school compare?
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The average lunch time is 37 minutes. |
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Average cafeteria lunch costs $1.90. |
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Most common food served in school cafeterias is Mexican, such as nachos, quesadillas, burritos and tacos. Second to that in popularity are sandwiches like chicken patties, grilled cheese and cheeseburgers. The third is turkey or chicken dishes. |
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About two-thirds of the reported schools have vendors selling food from carts or in the cafeteria lines. |
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Subway appears more commonly on campuses than other major-food chains followed closely by Pizza Hut and then by Domino's. |
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Most schools allow seniors to leave campus for lunch, but under certain conditions and usually parental permission is required. |
Beverly Hills HS
Lunch time 1-1:40 p.m.
Off-campus policy Only juniors and seniors with cars can go off campus for lunch and after paying $275 for parking at school. Regular lunch costs around $1.75 and comes with plain or chocolate milk. Pork products are not used in their foods.
Lunch menu Wed., Feb. 13: taco salad, cheese nachos or chicken quesadilla; Thurs., Feb. 14: roast turkey with mashed potatoes, gravy or cheese nachos; Fri., Feb. 15: pizza, chicken patty on a bun or grilled cheese sandwich
Vendors El Pollo Loco, Subway and Pizza Hut
Reporter: Ezeoma Obioha
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Concord HS in Santa Monica
Lunch time 11:10 a.m.-noon
Off-campus policy All students can go off campus for lunch.
The school doesn’t have a cafeteria. But a café in the building that sells cards, magazines and gifts also serves food, such as hot deli sandwiches for about $4 and salads for $4.50-$6. Business people use the café as well. Many students drive to McDonald’s or go to the Third Street Promenade for lunch to find less expensive food.
Reporter: Lindsay Spann
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Culver City HS
Lunch time 10:55-11:30 a.m.
Off-campus policy Only seniors with off-campus passes can go out for lunch.
Vendors Pizza Hut and El Pollo Loco
Reporter: Harry Chin
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Duarte HS
Lunch time 12:15-12:45 p.m.
Off-campus lunch policy Seniors can go out to eat if they have off-campus lunch passes and a limited number of tardies on record.
Lunch menu Lunch menu: Fries cost $1, roast beef sandwiches are $1.75, hamburgers cost $1.50, tuna sandwiches are $1.50, hot dogs are $1, to name a few.
There are no vendors at Duarte HS.
Reporter: Amiee Landman
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El Camino Real HS in Woodland Hills
Lunch time 11:30 a.m.-12:05 p.m.
Off-campus lunch policy Only juniors and seniors with fewer than 10 absences per year can go off campus for lunch.
Vendors occasionally Subway, Jamba Juice and Pizza Hut
Reporters: Eugenia Usmanova and Krissi Dukes
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Hamilton HS in Los Angeles
Lunch time 1:35-2:05 p.m.
Off-campus lunch policy Seniors can go with a special school-issued sticker on their ID cards.
Vendors Subway and Domino’s
Reporter: Daniel Clarke
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Hollywood HS
Lunch time 12:37-1:07 p.m.
Off-campus lunch policy Only seniors who pay their $100 dues first semester and $125 second semester can go off campus for lunch.
Vendors Pizza Hut and Subway
Reporter: David Berrios
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King/Drew Medical Magnet in Watts
Lunch time 12:30-1:07 p.m.
Off-campus lunch policy Only students who go to the hospital for school can eat off campus and only on that particular day.
Lunch menu Wed., Feb. 13: chicken patty on a wheat bun, beef teriyaki and French roll, lasagna and bread or pizza; Thurs., Feb. 14: sloppy Joe, Jamaican chicken bowl, burrito, pizza; Fri., Feb. 15: double cheeseburger, beef soft taco, fish nuggets, ham and cheese sandwich. Regular lunch costs $1.50.
Vendors Subway, Domino’s and a local pizza place
Reporter: Nicole Bryant
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Photo by Diana Park, La Canada High.
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La Cañada HS
Lunch time 12:09-12:39 p.m.
Off-campus policy Anyone can go off campus with parent’s permission.
Lunch menu Wed., Feb. 13: Chicken and vegetables cost $2.50. BBQ sandwich costs $1.50; Thurs., Feb. 14: Chicken nuggets and french fries cost $2.25; Fri., Feb. 15: Fried wontons cost $1.50. Rice is $2.50. Burrito costs $1.50.
Vendors Domino’s pizza costs $1.75. Subway sandwiches are $2.25, and a local Chinese vendor charges $2.50 for chow mein.
Reporter: Diana Park
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Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
Lunch time 11:30 a.m.-12:03 p.m.
Off-campus policy Juniors and seniors can go off campus for lunch, but only if they have a certain GPA and no history of suspensions or ditching.
Lunch menu Wed., Feb. 13: hamburgers and fries; Thurs., Feb. 14: Reporter didn’t attend school that day; Fri., Feb. 15: chicken. Regular lunch from the cafeteria costs $1.50.
Vendors Pizza Hut, La Pizza Loca. Each place charges about $2.75 for pizza and $3.50 for pizza and a drink.
Reporter: Lauren Spalding
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Loyola HS in Los Angeles
Lunch time 12:30-1:20 p.m.
Off-campus policy No one can go off campus for lunch.
Vendors There are no vendors on campus.
Reporter: Richard Kwon
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Marlborough School in Los Angeles
Lunch time 11:36 a.m.-12:21 p.m.
Off-campus policy Juniors can go off campus once a week after second semester. Seniors can go three times a week.
Regular lunch costs $3.75.
Lunch menu Wed., Feb. 13: empanadas with salad; Thurs., Feb. 14: taco salad; Fri., Feb. 15: pot luck.
Vendors There are no vendors on a regular basis, but once or twice a year In-N-Out sells burgers on campus. Some students have pizzas and stuff like that delivered to school.
Reporter: Tory Fine
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Marymount HS in Westwood
Lunch time between noon and 1 p.m for 45 minutes
Off-campus policy Only seniors with parent’s permission can leave school for lunch.
Lunch menu The cafeteria food is catered by local Westwood restaurants. Snacks and bagels from Costco are sold.
Vendors There are no vendors on campus.
Reporter: Lea Mouallem
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Monroe HS in North Hills
Lunch time 12:25-12:55 p.m.
Off-campus policy Only seniors with a pass can leave campus.
Lunch menu Wed., Feb. 13: beef tacos with refried beans or chicken parmesan with roll, cheeseburger or chef salad with bread sticks, to name a few; Thurs., Feb. 14: oven-fried chicken with roll, chicken taquitos with beans, double cheeseburger or ham and cheese sandwich; Fri. Feb. 15: chicken tostada salad bowl, spaghetti with meatballs, cheeseburger or pizza. Regular lunch costs $1.50.
Vendors Pizza Hut for $2.75 and Subway sandwiches cost $2.75.
Reporter: Elina Antoniou
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Mountain View HS in El Monte
Lunch time 11:52 a.m.-12:29 p.m.
Off-campus policy Only seniors with 165 credits or juniors with 110 credits. Both need parental permission.
Lunch menu Wed., Feb. 13: fish sticks, rice, tortilla, beans and milk; Thurs., Feb. 14: spaghetti with bread stick or chicken fillet and milk; Fri., Feb. 15: grilled cheese sandwich with fries, milk, juice, fruit or dessert. The daily lunch costs $1.75.
Vendors There are no vendors on campus.
Reporter: Tammy Phan
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Notre Dame HS in Sherman Oaks
Lunch time 11:10-11:40 a.m.
Off-campus policy No one leaves campus, unless it’s a shortened day.
Lunch menu In general, the menu is this: sandwiches cost $2, chicken nuggets and fries are $3, tostadas or pasta cost $3.
Vendors Subway sandwiches cost $3 and Domino’s pizza is $2.50.
Reporter: Chantal Garcia
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San Gabriel HS
Lunch time 12:06-12:46 p.m.
off-campus policy Nobody can leave campus.
Reporter: Felix Truong
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Santa Monica HS
Lunch time 12:26-1:06 p.m.
Off-campus policy All non-freshmen can go off campus for lunch, but only with a parental note.
Vendors Taco Bell, Domino’s and McDonald’s
Reporter: Michael Zinshteyn
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Schurr HS in Montebello
Lunch time 12:07-12:42 p.m.
Off-campus policy Only seniors can go with a special pass, but that can be taken away if they have discipline problems.
Vendors There are no vendors on campus.
Reporter: Ana Nakano
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South Pasadena HS
Lunch time 11:40 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
Off-campus policy Only seniors can go with a senior privilege card. Otherwise they can’t leave campus.
Lunch menu includes soup with breadsticks for $2.25, pasta for $2-4, salad with toppings cost $2-4 p.m. All the prices depend on how much food the student wants.
Vendor Papa John’s
Reporter: Caroline Park
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St. Mary’s Academy in Inglewood
Lunch time 12:15-12:50 p.m.
Off-campus policy Seniors can go off campus once a month. There isn’t a cafeteria on campus, just an outdoor snack bar.
Lunch menu Wed., Feb. 13: Large salad costs $2.50, burrito is $1.25, fish burgers are $1.65; Thurs., Feb. 14: No lunch served, since the entire school went on a field trip; Fri., Feb. 15: Pizza costs $1.65, burrito is $1.25 and chicken pot pie costs $1.65.
Vendors There are no vendors on campus.
Reporter: April Hudson
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University HS in West Los Angeles
Lunch time 11:22-11:52 a.m.
Off-campus policy Only seniors with parental permission can go off campus.
Vendors There are no vendors on campus.
Reporter: Alexandra Toumanoff
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Venice HS
Lunch time 1:25-2 p.m.
Off-campus policy Anyone 18 and older can go off campus for lunch. People younger than 18 can go with an off-campus pass.
Lunch menu Wed., Feb. 13: teriyaki bowl with meat on white bread, vegetables and milk; Thurs., Feb. 14: potato with topping, tuna sandwiches, fries, fruit and milk; Fri., Feb. 15: chicken quesadilla, cheeseburger, vegetables, fruit and milk. Lunch costs $1.50. A salad bar is available every day.
Vendors Pizza Hut and Subway
Reporter: Emma Guerard
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Vivian Webb School in Claremont
Lunch time 12:30-1:20 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 12:05-12:55 p.m. Fri.
Off-campus policy No one leaves campus.
Lunch menu A typical week offers grilled cheese sandwiches, hamburgers and beef burritos. The salad bar is always available. Lunch prices are included with the school’s tuition.
Reporter: Noreen Barcena
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