New Cafeteria Cruises onto Campus

Upon returning from summer break, students could not help but notice all the changes relating to the cafeteria. Some of the biggest improvements include new lunch menu options, the Cougar Express snack area, updated vending machine options, digital menu websites, and the bright red walls. 

Students can choose from new lunch entrees that feature a variety of bowls, including aloha chicken bowls, bean and rice tortilla bowls, and thai chicken noodle bowls. Head of cafeteria staff Mary Yarbrough said, “The menu was changed to answer the staff's requests and add healthier options for students and teachers to choose from.”

The administration decided to locate the Cougar Express in the commons area along with the vending machines. The express is a grab-n-go snack area open daily with sandwiches, salads, fruits, chips, cookies and candies. Adding this extra line to purchase items makes the cafeteria less crowded during break and lunch, and most students find it more convenient. 

The vending machines also bring variety to Charlotte Catholic’s food options. Sophomore Lexi Moran said, “I couldn’t find Takis in the cafeteria or Cougar Express, but they did have them in the vending machines.” 

Credit: Charlotte Catholic High School

The remodeled cafeteria features a new register system: a digital menu program called Nutrislice and a new payment option called MySchoolBucks. Ms. Yarbrough said, “It was very challenging to set up the new register systems at first, especially since they came in right before the start of school, but once we got them all figured out they were great.” 

Nutrislice is an easy way for students and parents to access the daily menus, along with MySchoolBucks, making it simpler for parents to pay and add money to their children’s accounts. In addition to all of these improvements, the school is hoping to start taking pre-orders a couple weeks into September. Students can pick what they want ahead of time so it is ready to go by lunchtime.

The red walls, along with the various other upgrades, have created a brighter, more welcoming environment for everyone. Overall, Charlotte Catholic has introduced healthier food options, quicker access to them, and a wider variety of options for students and staff. Ms. Yarbrough said, “Anyone is welcome to give us new ideas for the menus and we will try our best to implement them.”