Lunch: the long-awaited time of day. The smell of freshly-made food waiting to be bought by hungry teenagers. Each individual has different opinions at West Chicago Community High School, which gets its lunches provided by Quest.
Quest was founded in 1985 and in 2023 was ranked #31 in Food Management magazine’s top 50 food management companies in the United States. Quest claims to provide the communities with fresh, high-quality food and intense personal service.
For the purposes of this article, more than 200 students were surveyed as to which Quest menu items they prefer. Here are the top 5 school lunch items voted by Wildcat students.
#5 Orange Chicken
Either loved or hated. WEGO students can choose to get half the bowl filled with white rice and the other half filled with chicken – or the bowl can be filled with orange chicken completely. The portion size is decent especially when getting only orange chicken in the bowl. This is one of the most expensive meal options in the cafeteria, priced at $5.25, but it is enjoyed by many due to the mixed flavor of sweet and sour and its filling proportions.
#4 Bosco Sticks
These are a recurring favorite lunch item. Bosco Sticks are made with pizza dough, and feature real cheese on the inside. They come in a package of two, which is easy to share with friends or enjoy by oneself. Last year, free lunch was provided for all West Chicago students, and Bosco sticks were a favorite item. Now, free lunch is only provided for students who qualify for a reduction, and Bosco Sticks are priced at $4.25 for others.
#3 Cookies
Cookies are the perfect post-lunch dessert. The chocolate chip cookies in the cafeteria are very big compared to other cookies. Occasionally, Quest also provides chocolate cookies with white chocolate chips. These cookies are easy to break into pieces and share with others. Priced at $1.75, the cookie is loved by all and is a staple lunch item in the Wildcat cafeteria.
(Photo by Juliet Payton)
“The cookies are magical. They’re crunchy on the outside and then gooey on the inside. Real good stuff,” senior Sophia Brown said.
#2 Curly fries
For many – would be considered a side to a meal, but not for West Chicago students. Unlike the regular fries, curly fries are provided with a very flavorful seasoning. Also, the curly fries are not too crispy but also not under done, the perfect in between as some would describe. Many choose curly fries as a main meal option due to their particularly large portion size. These fries are another good item to share, but are very filling to eat individually.
#1 Wraps
46% of students surveyed chose the wrap as their favorite item in the Wildcat cafeteria. The tortilla options include white, spinach, jalapeno cheddar, or a whole wheat tortilla. There are also options for meat: turkey, ham, spicy chicken, regular chicken, and grilled chicken. Students can customize their toppings as well. These toppings include lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, pickles, jalapenos, mayo, ranch, buffalo sauce, Caesar sauce, and Italian dressing.
(Photo by Juliet Payton)
“You can add a variety of ingredients. I personally love the bacon with the chicken combo. And cheese. And buffalo sauce. And just a little bit of lettuce to feel healthy. And if you want, you can add some spinach. If you want. That’s optional,” senior Pablo Salinas said.
To finish off, Quest grills the wrap in the panini press before handing it to students to enjoy during their lunch period.
The wrap costs $4, which many students feel is more on the pricey side, but on the plus side, wraps are a bigger food item and are easy to split and share with friends.
