Why do people run to the lunch line? By Issa Li

The second the bell rings after 2nd period, instant adrenaline rushes through the veins of

a few eager students. The anxiousness to run to the lunch line is the norm for many students,

while others are left puzzled by their actions. As a curious student, I set out to find the answer.

Why do people run to the lunch line?

When I get food from the lunch line, I am constantly annoyed by the many line cutters

and the fact that by the time I get to the line, even when the bell has just rung, there is already

an extensive line tumbling down the quad. I observe many people going great lengths to cut the

line, even with campus staff scolding them not to cut or to go to the back of the line. Last year, it

was rumored that a student fell while running to the line, and had to be wheeled out in a

wheelchair. Although we don’t know if this is true, it still demonstrates the potential harm that

can arise as a result of sprinting to the line.

Through my observations, I began to recognize who runs to the line and who doesn’t. I

set out on a mission to interview one of the most enthusiastic runners I have seen. When asked

why he runs to the lunch line, William Yang, an 11th grader, said, “If you don’t run, there’s no

way to compete with the cutters without cutting [the line] yourself.” William’s favorite lunch menu

item is the tater tots, a student favorite that often runs out fast. This only enhances his drive to

get to the line on time.

As I dug deeper, it became quite clear that the motivation for running to the lunch line

isn’t just about hunger– it’s about timing, competition, and securing the most desirable food

items. The tater tots and fries, for example, are an undeniable crowd favorite, often

disappearing within the first few minutes of lunch. For students like William, not running isn’t an

option if he wants to obtain one of those shiny silver bags filled with the promising deliciousness

of tater tots.

The scarcity of the popular items creates a kind of lunchtime urgency, driving students to

bolt from their classrooms the second the bell rings. However, it’s not only the food. The lunch

period totals around a mere 30 minutes, leaving students barely enough time to eat because

they wait in the line for so long. For lunch runners, they must make the most of their time. They

don’t want to spend the bulk of their break standing in line, waiting for their turn, when they

could be doing better things.

In the end, while some students find running to the lunch line a large frustration, others

see it as a necessity to get the food and time they want. Whether driven by the fear of missing

out on popular food items or simply trying to make the most of their lunch period, it’s clear that

something about the current lunch system isn’t working for everyone. What’s certain is that the

bell after the second period sets off a race–one that highlights the complexity of lunch culture.

Perhaps with some changes in the way lunch is organized, this frantic dash could be reduced,

making lunch a more relaxed experience for all.