Once a student moves beyond the title of underclassmen and takes on the privilege of owning an off-campus pass as a junior or senior, the world seems like it’s wide open. But what about those who stay behind?
Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) has an extended lunch period to accommodate for the required advisory period, known as Foothill Intervention, Reinforcement and Enrichment (FIRE) program. For those students who have to stay on campus for the entire hour, they find ways to make the best of their options; one of them is ordering food to be delivered at school.
Doordash, Uber Eats, Postmates and GrubHub are just a few of the platforms that provide food delivery services to customers’ doorsteps. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for food delivery has skyrocketed, since almost all restaurants and fast food joints were closed for in-person service. But as COVID-19 has slowed down, food delivery services are simply another commonplace way to obtain food and or drinks.
For dragons without off-campus privileges, the option for lunches include the school cafeteria or packed lunches from home. For those with dietary restrictions, this may prove to present difficulties. Mary Katherine Ngalubutu ‘26 said, “[My friends and I] were pescatarian for a little while, and there weren’t really any good options.”
Another reason students order food from off-campus is because of much needed fuel for athletic training. Rylie Hannah ‘26 said, “Sometimes I don’t have enough of the cafeteria food, and when I have games after school or different activities I need to have a lot of energy.”
Though the experience of having “higher quality food” may be exciting and enjoyable for some, it isn’t free whatsoever. When ordering from off-campus, students have to pay the hiked prices of the food, the delivery fee and the tip for the driver. Not all students have a steady flow of income to pay for themselves, but they make it work.
Bella Hart ‘26 said, “Usually it’s all of our Christmas money that funds [DoorDash], but it’s usually 20 dollars for [my friend and I] to eat, which is what we usually stick with.”
While DoorDash provides an estimated time of arrival, food does not always arrive at convenient periods, which in some cases disrupts critical learning time. Front office school services assistant Jean Barrett said, “I know students are trying to order for it to come during lunch time, but [there are] are often delays and it comes in the middle of class.”
The rise of food delivery on-campus has proven to have its pros and cons. While it offers convenience and extended options, it also creates a myriad of problems, such as money and accessibility. School cafeteria meals are meant to provide free sustenance and energy for students, but the allure of outside food and drink remains prominent at Foothill Tech.
