The Senior Special: Lunch on the Go

%28Left%29+Bento+Asian%0AKitchen+is+a+chain%0A%0Arestaurant+serv-%0Aing+Asian-style%0A%0Abowls+and+sushi.%0AThey+offer+online%0Aordering+so+Seniors%0Acan+pre-order+their%0Ameals+and+have%0Amore+time+to+eat.%0AAs+Bento+is+farther%0Afrom+school%2C+there%0Ais+less+time+to+wait%0Ain+line+to+order+and%0Await+to+be+served%2C%0Aso+Seniors+must%0Aorder+ahead.+All+photos+by+Sarah+Finfrock.

All photos by Sarah Finfrock.

(Left) Bento Asian Kitchen is a chain restaurant serv- ing Asian-style bowls and sushi. They offer online ordering so Seniors can pre-order their meals and have more time to eat. As Bento is farther from school, there is less time to wait in line to order and wait to be served, so Seniors must order ahead. All photos by Sarah Finfrock.

Sarah Finfrock, Copy Editor
November 3, 2022

Every other Monday, Seniors at Lake Highland enjoy the privilege of eating lunch off campus with their friends. The 75-minute lunch period, gained with the addition of block scheduling in 2020, allows students plenty of time to enjoy a quick trip to a fast food stop. In previous years, off-campus lunch could only be offered a few times a quarter, as lunch was shorter, so the entire schedule would have to rearrange to make the accommodation. Emily Robertson, grade 12, commented on the privilege saying, “It is a great opportunity for friends to bond and learn the responsibilities of time management.” If Seniors don’t arrive to their 5th-period class on time from lunch, their next off-campus will be revoked. This is a great opportunity for the class to learn responsibility before going to college where they will have to manage their own schedules.

(Above) Bento Asian Kitchen is a chain restaurant serving Asian-style bowls and sushi. They offer online ordering so Seniors can pre-order their meals and have more time to eat. As Bento is farther from school, there is less time to wait in line to order and wait to be served, so Seniors must order ahead. All photos by Sarah Finfrock. (All photos by Sarah Finfrock.)
(Above) Lazy Moon has long stood as an all-time favorite for Lake Highland students including Seniors looking for off-campus lunch spots. The restaurant serves extra-large pizza slices, whole pizza pies, salads, and drinks. There
used to be a bocce ball court in the restaurant so diners could play a game while eating, but it has been removed recently. The TVs around the restaurant play sports channels like ESPN, NFL Network, and SportsCenter. Lazy Moon is a good spot because there is abundant parking, it is close to campus, the prices are reasonable, and the service is fast. Lazy Moon also offers allergen-friendly menu items, like gluten-free and vegan. There’s
also a UCF location. All photos by Sarah Finfrock.
(Above) There are two Bento locations in close enough proximity for Seniors to frequent during off-campus. One is in Winter Park near Blaze Pizza and L.A. Fitness. The other is Downtown Orlando, which is closer but provides less parking. Dishes can be taken to go if Seniors run out of time eating. The most popular menu item is a bento box, which contains a sampling of many
different customizable dishes.
(Above) Lazy Moon’s decorations reflect the atmosphere of Colonial Drive. There is an edgy, grunge type feel of the area which values street art
over more traditional styles. This is also highlighted in the restaurant’s service, as it is more laid-back and casual. This art installation is located on the back wall of the interior. The roof of the building is black-patined exposed HVAC.
(Above) Ordering out week after week can get expensive over time. A solution to this is some Seniors will bring lunch and just go out to get a drink. Popular places to do this are Starbucks and Boba tea places on Colonial, like Moge and Royal Tea. During the fall, Starbucks has many seasonal drinks with apple, pumpkin, and chai flavorings. When Christmas season arrives, there will be peppermint and gingerbread flavors. The location on Colonial has lots of parking, and the decor is very modern. It is a great location to study after school or catch up on college applications.
(Above) Like Bento, Starbucks offers order-ahead through its mobile app. It also has a drive-thru, which runs pretty quickly. Starbucks also has some food items, although they aren’t as popular as their drinks. Popular foods include egg bites, chips, breakfast sandwiches, bagels, and croissants. The most popular drinks are
espresso-based lattes, frappuccinos, refreshers, and teas. The sizes offered are unique to the chain, called tall, grande, venti, and trenti (in order from smallest to largest).