Within the past year at Kaneland High School, lunch prices have increased significantly due to rising grocery prices. Many students have experienced the steep climb in such prices, but the staff who determine these prices are giving strong reasoning against the complaints from students.
Now, prices are higher than ever. Last year, the cost for a canned drink in the school cafeteria was $2.00. Now, with the new school year, the same drinks are $3.00. Many students are irritated by the large increase in prices over time. Although there may be rumors, only the staff members who determine the prices know the truth.
“You go to Jewel with $200 in your pocket and you’re lucky to walk out of there with five bags,” head cook Christine Durbin said. “It’s just that the price of groceries is skyrocketing at unbelievable rates.”
Grocery prices are the main reason for the soaring prices, particularly in the a la carte section. However, a few years ago, all items in the cafeteria were much cheaper. This has made some students speculate about what the reasoning could be for the rising prices.
“I’m pretty sure it’s because after they built the track, the school was, I guess, in so much debt to get out of it, they kind of raised the prices for lunch,” senior Isabel Aguilera said.
Although there are likely more rumors circulating about the logic behind the lunch prices, most agree on one thing: A la carte prices are unreasonably high.
“I remember that instead of chips being $1.50, they were $1.00,” Aguilera said. “And the cold sandwiches now are $4.50 when they used to be, when I was a freshman, like, $3.00.”
Aguilera said she spends about 30 dollars on lunch each week, and she buys a la carte every day.
Despite the many rumors, there are legitimate reasons for the skyrocketing prices.
“It is a business, ultimately,” Durbin said. “I mean, we’re here to feed you all, but we also need to make money to pay for employees and all of the equipment and what it takes to run equipment in the food service department. A lot of people don’t know this, but we pay a percentage of a maintenance fee because they’re at our beck and call when we need them. We pay a percentage of the lights, the electricity and the garbage.”
Due to the numerous expenses the cafeteria must pay, the rising prices are aligned with what’s happening in the outside world. Food Service Manager Gigi Statler also revealed that the cafeteria must pay for the ingredients used.
Although the prices are rising every day, the staff members genuinely care about giving students the food that they need when they are at school.
“There will always be food here for you all to eat,” Durbin said. “Now it might not be food you like, but we will always feed you,”
The staff who decide our lunch prices are always willing to offer food, and they have taken suggestions for hot lunch in the past.
“I wish we didn’t have to charge for any of the stuff, like the sandwiches or the fruits or the vegetables,” Durbin said. “I wish we didn’t have to charge, really, truly.”
