By Jasmine Serena (Y8)
Have you ever looked at your plate and thought: ‘What is this?’ Or wanted seconds so bad because it was so good? Well, this article is for you! We’re here to give you the full breakdown of students’ opinions on the cafeteria food. Last week, we sent out a survey on Manegbac to years 7, 8, and 9 about what they thought of the lunches at the caf. This included questions such as: ‘What is your favourite meal?’ ‘Do you prefer snack bars or hot lunch?’ ‘Do you think there is an equal balance between the food available?’ Thank you for your answers; we took them into account. Here is the summary.
Snack bar vs Hot lunch
This was the ultimate showdown. When asked whether they prefer the snack bar or the hot lunch, 69.1% of students said they prefer the hot lunch. Many explained that it feels like a more complete meal and that the food is warm and freshly prepared. 77 people said they strongly agreed with the statement: I enjoy eating hot lunch made by the cafeteria. However, the 30.9% of students who preferred snack bar lunch stated that it often has shorter lines and offers a variety of snacks and cold meals. One of the biggest complaints about the snack bar was the price, with many students saying the food and snacks are too expensive.
Student Favourites
The favourite meals among students were the classic comfort foods. Burgers, fries, chicken nuggets and pasta dishes like carbonara were mentioned a lot in the survey. Pizza, hot dogs and tator tots were also common favourites. Who doesn’t love a little fast food? On the sweeter side, treats such as cookies and cinnamon rolls from the snack bar were extremely popular. Overall, students seem to enjoy simple, familiar meals that taste good.
Menu Variety
Although many students liked the caf food, a common concern was repetitiveness. Several answers said that pasta, fries and rice appear too often on the menu. Some also mentioned that certain meals appear a lot throughout the month. Many students suggested having more diversity in the options, like adding more international food such as Asian dishes, Mexican meals or more types of curry. This shows that students enjoy the food but would like to see more variety.
Conclusion
Overall, students appreciate the cafeteria food but would like more variety and lower snack bar prices. Popular meals like burgers, fries, and pasta remain favourites, but students are also interested in seeing new dishes from different cultures added to the menu.