Most popular places to go off campus, according to CGS students
by Olivia Morrison ‘24
Graphic by Sophia Hu ‘26
Students look forward to the clock turning to 12:25 pm and being released to lunch after a long morning of classes. People get to eat food, talk to their friends, and juniors and seniors are able to go off campus. Going off-campus opens up a world of opportunities for upper-class students, who can drive their cars to further places.
In 2019, when CGS first allowed Upper School students to go off campus, an article ranked lunch places based on affordability. These spots were ranked compared to the $5.75 baseline entrée price offered by SAGE Dining Services at the time. Since then, leaving campus for lunch has become more popular, so it’s time to rethink that list.
However, this time, there are some differences. This list will feature lunch places that students need to drive to access. As the only students who are technically allowed to drive themselves and friends off campus, this review will revolve around the opinions of upperclassmen. The students know that if they want to walk off campus, there are options like Cornell Farms, The Little Store, or QFC available to them. But driving opens up more opportunities for a great meal. The way that the places are ranked is different this time as well.
The new set of considered factors are as follows:
Cost
Is the food affordable? Especially relative to the current average cost of around $7.00 for an entreé from the barn?
Efficiency
Can students drive to the location easily without taking too much time? Is the food ready quickly?
Taste
Does the food taste good? Is it worth the money/time?
After surveying upperclassmen and interviewing junior Ima Kennerly and senior Audrey Karp, here are the 10 most popular and favorite places to go off-campus for CGS students:
Results from upperclassmen survey.
Approximately 10 minutes away from CGS, depending on traffic, Chipotle is a staple. The super popular chain is appealing to students for its fast turnaround and good taste. One potential problem, however, is the cost. For one burrito or bowl, the cheapest option is still $8.45, $1.45 over the barn baseline cost.
When senior Karp was asked her opinion, she said; “It’s tasty, but it’s inconsistent.” She cited factors such as understaffing issues, frequent closures, and limitations to only online ordering or not being able to order online. Karp added, “if I have two more periods on that day, I don't want chipotle in my stomach.” However, according to a survey of CGS upperclassmen, Chipotle is still the most popular choice, due largely to its efficiency.
Although this lunch spot may be controversial, many CGS students seem to agree that it is a prime spot to go off campus. Many people like the taste of the food, agree that it’s fast, and it only takes approximately 10 minutes to drive depending on traffic.
For Kennerly, Chick-fil-a is one of her favorite spots. Kennerly states that being fast is a very important factor for her, and says “they have the best service and the best food, and everyone is really friendly.” Overall, around 25% of survey respondents stated that Chick-fil-a was one of the most popular choices for lunch.
Another staple located around 8 minutes away in Cedar Hills is Mod Pizza. Easily customizable and individually sized pizzas are the perfect lunches for CGS students. The prices are $8.63 for a 6-inch pizza and $10.63 for an 11-inch pizza. However, reviews from CGS students are a mixed bag.
The survey responses showed that Mod Pizza is a favorite choice for many upperclassmen. One student shared their opinion,stating “everyone can get something they like because it's personalized.” But, they added, “their service sucks.” Kennerly agreed that the service can be a bit sketchy. “They are so slow!” she exclaimed when asked about Mod. Despite that, Mod is still a common and solid choice.
Despite reportedly taking a while, Shake Shack is still a very popular choice for students to go to lunch, one of their claims to fame being their fries. Ordering online makes the experience much faster, and the drive to Cedar Hills is relatively efficient. Students can get a single burger for $7.20 and a shake for $6.50, although the prices do vary based on the complexity of your order.
Many people responded to the survey stating that Shake Shack is a popular place, with one person simply stating “It’s easy, and pretty much everyone likes it.”
Another choice 8 minutes away in Cedar Hills, is Dave's Hot Chicken. Although not to Kennerly’s taste, she says that she does see many people go in there, and in the student survey, many indicated it as a popular place. Students can pick from three chicken combos priced at $10.99, $11.99, and $12.99, with other drink and sides priced separately. The menu, sporting spicy fried chicken in the form of tenders and sliders and sides such as mac and cheese and fries, may not be to everyone’s taste, or agree with everyone’s stomachs.
Some personal favorites:
Although this option is slightly further away than some of the others, around a 10-15 minute drive, it comes with its benefits. This food cart pod includes 31 different local vendors supplying a large variety of different foods, from Thai to Argentinian cuisine. The number of different options in one place is surely attractive, especially to a group of CGS students who may not be able to decide where to eat.
The one drawback of the option is that the majority of the seating is outside and uncovered, so if you’re eating there, you have to hope to get a seat under the covered patio. When asked to comment on the Beaverton Food Carts, Karp comments: “Delicious, one of the most underrated spots.” Although Karp did mention the issue of weather friendliness, she still voiced her support for the spot, stating “Everyone can get something that they like so you don’t have to settle and all go somewhere that no one wants to go, so yeah I think everyone is happy.”
Another underrated choice is Grand Central. Only about 7 minutes away, Grand Central is a great place to get a sandwich. Karp, a student-athlete, refers to it as a great place to fuel up before a big game. Karp does admit that Grand Central can be more expensive compared to other places, she states “It’s close, I online order, it is expensive though.” It is true that their sandwiches can be spendy, but depending on which sandwich you order the prices are more reasonable. Their sandwich prices range from a cheaper $7.20 for a grilled cheese to around $13 for a Turkey Deluxe with all the toppings. However overall, for the quality of the meal, the price can be worth it.
Around a 10-minute drive away, Whole Bowl is a lesser-known option for going off campus, but according to Karp, it is one of her top choices. Karp states, “it hits every time, delicious in any weather, close, easy.” Whole Bowl offers comforting food at a relatively good price, only $7.50 for a small bowl. Their website states, “it’s like eating a warm hug.”
A place indicated several times as a student’s favorite spot, Uwajimaya is an Asian market and grocery store about 8 minutes away. Uwajimaya is a fun place to get lunch, with different food than you might be able to find in Cedar Hills. They have an efficient grab-and-go section, full of prepared foods, such as their popular sushi, that students can grab for a quick lunch. Students like Uwajimaya because it is fast, easy, and has good food.
23rd, around 15 minutes away is a personal favorite for many students. With popular places such as Little Big Burger, which one student stated has the “best fries,” 23rd has a wide variety of food options with varied prices. However, the parking situation complicates things. Parking on 23rd is a necessary consideration when taking the trip, and adds time when students may not have much to spare.
Overall, CGS students are lucky in that the school’s location provides access to dozens of lunch spots. In the end, what’s important is everyone having a good lunch. So no matter if you love Chipotle, Grand Central, or another obscure spot, just enjoy your lunch!