From freshman year, all I could wait for was the privilege to check out during lunch as a senior. After four years, I have finally been able to test the waters and have found my four favorite places to spend lunch and study hall period.

The first location is Panera. The nearby restaurant on 103rd and State Line is a convenient place to maximize the amount of time you have to eat. The service is fast; whether you order online, in the restaurant, or through the drive thru. The menu has a variety of options that can easily satisfy midday hunger. Personally, I grab a bagel when I eat there. Panera is moderately on the healthier side and is an affordable option ranging from $3 to $10 meal.

Panera’s next door neighbor, Chipotle, is another viable choice of mine. An

other close option makes getting back to school in time no problem. However, choosing to eat at Chipotle should result in an online order, or you can end up in the lunch hour rush for a while. Chipotle is more on the pricier side for a frequent check out spot, usually ranging from $10 to $15 for your meal, but the proportions are enough to keep you full for the rest of the day. When I go to Chipotle, I order a steak bowl with some salsa and cheese.

Personally, one of my favorite check out spots is my home. I live near school, so it is no problem to quickly move back and forth from home to school in the check out period. It provides a pleasant and rejuvenating break in the school day as well as a free lunch option, which usually ends up in something leftover to eat.

The last place I enjoy checking out is Chick-Fil-A. This restaurant is a little further away, off of 85th and State Line, but still manageable on a normally scheduled day, although it is a bit of a time crunch on block days. Despite the further location, the eight-count chicken nugget meal is worth the drive for me. Their easy online ordering makes picking up your food easy and quick. The food service is always fast resulting in warm food ready for you to eat.