One of the perks of being a Ford is the diverse food we are offered in the more than 5,000-square-foot dining hall. Still, service can be unpredictable: sometimes it takes up half of a lunch block to simply get the food; other times a student might not find any options they like. When students resort to bagels, the bagels sell out.
Today, instead of looking at the wide range of options, I will remind students of the often-overlooked greatness of our lunches by ranking the most outstanding lunches this school has to offer.
I rank these lunches based on three categories: customization, accessibility, and taste.
A Friday specialty starts off my list strong at number 7. Chicken and rice deserve more credit than it gets. Particularly, the BBQ chicken, while strong and flavorful, is a dish best served with plain rice to calm the taste buds. This meal comes with exceptional customization, as you may choose from four different types of chicken. The line for this meal is notably longer than the pizza line, and the sauces can cause a mess, but the taste makes up for those cons. Additionally, when the plain white rice runs out, the latter option is not nearly as suitable as the former.
Another underrated dish sitting at number 6 on my list is the meatball sub. The melted cheese and meatballs with supreme tomato sauce blend perfectly. The biggest con with this side is the customization, as you can only choose whether you want cheese or not. It is a messy meal, but that does not take away from the top-tier taste.
The chicken parmesan sandwich, celebrating 75 years since its birth in New York, is 5th on my list. The chicken, bun, tomato sauce, and cheese make for a tasty lunch. This sandwich is relatively clean and usually does not have a lengthy line, adding to the reasons why it is rated highly on my list.
Bao buns are always a superb choice, securing slot 4 in my list. They are messy, and the lines can be long, but all good meals come with cons. The cleanliness is optimal, and when paired with the great taste, bao buns deserve to have a long line.
The Italian chicken sandwich is the most balanced of all meals. It is ranked third. This is due to the very exceptional cleanliness this food offers. The ability to take this sandwich when in a hurry is superb due to both the cleanliness and the short lines. The taste, while simple, is also premium.
The Gyro bar, “the Mona Lisa,” due to its pleasing appearance, is the second-finest lunch Haverford has to offer. The customization is second to none, having the options of tomato, ranch, lettuce, onions, and more. Despite the messy meal, the taste and the short wait time make up for that con. The gyro bar is a top-tier choice overall.
Arguably the greatest lunch option Haverford has ever seen, its rank atop countless others, consistently standing out on the lunch menu every month, is the blackjack chicken sandwich. Customization is like no other, as you have multiple sauces to choose from, such as spicy mayo, BBQ sauce, and chipotle ranch. Additionally, the numerous add-ons, including tomato, lettuce, cheese, and more, make this sandwich all the better. The wait for this masterpiece is undeniable—but the sandwich is worth every second. The BBQ sauce, lettuce, chicken, and cheese paired together make a meal like no other.
Additionally, the poll sent out by sixth former Alexander Matuch at the beginning of the academic year proves that the students’ favorite lunch is tied with bao buns and blackjack chicken, while pizza and blackjack chicken should see more action in the lunch menu schedule.