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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 L.A. Youth find out.

L.A. 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?
• The average lunch time is 37 minutes.
• Average cafeteria lunch costs $1.90.
• 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.
• About two-thirds of the reported schools have vendors selling food from carts or in the cafeteria lines.
• Subway appears more commonly on campuses than other major-food chains followed closely by Pizza Hut and then by Domino’s.
• 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



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



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



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: 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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



San Gabriel HS

Lunch time 12:06-12:46 p.m.

Off-campus policy: Nobody can leave campus.

Reporter: Felix Truong



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



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



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



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



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



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