With the additional 25 minutes students have for lunch, where are they going? I sat outside of school on Sept. 7 and asked Clayton students who were arriving on campus where they went for lunch. 

“We are able to go to more spots for lunch with the extended time,” senior Nathan Sandler said, after eating his usual nuggets, fries, and iced tea from Chick-fil-a. 

Chick-fil-a takes a short eight minutes to get to from Clayton High School. A lot of students go to Chick-fil-a for lunch because it is “fast and customer service is good,” said junior Maryn Kearny. 

Lunchtime is an integral part of the day because students are able to have a break during a stressful school day. 

“The extended lunch removes the pressure to eat and lets everyone have time to relax,” senior Avie Mallon said. “a lot of people with free periods have a super long time off because of the extended lunch.” 

Sophomore Grace Kalina is a member of the field hockey team at Clayton High School, and the additional lunchtime helps her focus on field hockey instead of homework, which is often a daunting amount. 

The extended and cohesive lunch times help students have less confusion and more time with friends. 

“I had a different lunch both days, so it’s a lot more united,” Kalina said. 

The extra time is helpful for people with sports after school that need to get their homework done before. 

Students also seem to enjoy Mod Pizza. 

Mod is a quick ten-minute walk from the high school so many students are able to go. Students who cannot drive can benefit from things being within walking distance. 

“I really like Mod Pizza. Their pizza is decent, but their drinks are amazing. They have good ice,” junior Gabriella Furdek said.  

Starbucks was tied for third with the most popular lunch places, along with Chick-fil-a and Mod Pizza. 

Senior Jac Donaldson went to Starbucks for lunch. Donaldson likes that it is close and there when she needs coffee. Donaldson works at Starbucks, so she is able to get a discount on her coffee. 

The additional time for lunch is overall beneficial for all students. Students in all grades are able to use their lunchtime to go to more places, relax for longer, and use their time for homework.