After the first week of school more and more Blaine High School students complain about long lines during lunchtime.

The problem isn’t new: During every lunchperiod about 600 students have to choose, pick and pay for their lunch. This procedure takes longer than the most students think. “

“The average time in the lunch line is around five or six minutes”, said Rodney Moorehead, supervisor of the food service. That doesn’t sound too long, but when a lunch break only lasts about 28 minutes and other things factor in to make that time fly. Six minutes of standing in line, find a seat, eat and talk with friends, dump the tray, check out the Deca Den and make it to the doors before they open.

Most students only see two possibilities: To leave their classroom as soon as the bell rings and to run to the cafeteria to be one of the first ones in line – or they have to eat all of their food in a few minutes.

There are also students who don’t see the lunchline as a problem. “If you’re organized and plan your lunch, then there’s enough time.”, said Sanja Janevska (11). Janevska eats lunch in the cafeteria daily.

Some students found yet another alternative: They bring their own lunch, which they have prepared at home, put it in their locker until lunch and then eat it at their locker or in the cafeteria.

Multiple lunch lines for different kinds of foods and five different lunch breaks at various times are supposed to ease the situation.  Yet, even after that, there are still students who prefer not to have lunch than to be in a hurry and possibly late for their next class. Although the administration sees the problem, Mr. Moorehead says “As of right now there are no plans in place to shorten the lines at lunchtime.”