The Cypress’s editorials are written by a board of writers and reviewed by volunteer staff. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of each individual staff member.

With the constant rush of high school, it can feel as if student life never halts, and at lunchtime this buzzing mass of student life comes together, creating thirty minutes of chaos.

On particularly busy days, the lunch line gets so long that some impatient students eat their pizza right in the line while waiting to scan their ID. Earlier this year, there were days that it was nearly impossible to get hot lunch without wasting the entire block.

Recently, however, the cafeteria has seen improvements in its efficiency. The addition of a second salad bar has helped to cut down on wait times. Dean Allen and other faculty members have been spotted amidst the crowd, trying to keep the lines organized. Since the new deli line opened, the number of students in the main cafeteria area has noticeably decreased.

While the deli section provides students with some much-appreciated variety, the reward is not always worth the wait. Yes, the sandwiches are fresher and more customizable than the other lunch options, but by the time you reach the front of the line, you usually only have about five minutes to snarf down your sandwich before rushing to class.

The school’s implementation of Meatless Mondays has also not gone unnoticed— in fact, it has become rather controversial. While cutting down on meat consumption and the high school’s carbon footprint is a worthwhile goal, it has had an adverse effect on some students who eat school lunch. For many students, especially those who go to the deli for lunch, it simply does not seem worth it to wait in 20-plus-minute lines for a meatless sandwich. With better vegetarian options, Meatless Mondays could be a success, but it currently leaves many students frustrated.

Many students make the trek to 22 Tappan in search of better food. Though the lines in the main cafeteria may be long, due to having faculty present, there’s not a lot of chaos or line-cutting (with the exception of some rebels). But in the freshman building people crowd to the front, physically shoving each other out of the way for a tray.

Although the cafeteria seems to be on the upswing, its recent struggles make us yearn for the cafeteria we enjoyed pre-COVID. Students had access to a nacho bar, hot lunch, sandwiches, deserts, cold seltzers and more. With the school recently spending so much time and money renovating the quad and parts of the third floor, many students can’t help but wonder why it is that the school is prioritizing renovations over the food quality.

The vast majority of students use the cafeteria everyday during one of their only breaks from class. It’s an invaluable time, but it gets eaten up by crazy lunch lines and declining options. If we can’t find a moment of respite during lunch, then when can we?