Every milk break, while Adepah Anane (‘29) eagerly waits in line for a breakfast burrito, Grayson Blatt (‘27) is there too — chatting with friends while keeping an eye on the chocolate chip cookies.
For years, the snack bar has been a staple of student life at Bishop’s, offering everything from cookies and muffins to breakfast burritos and drinks. It has accompanied hundreds of students through both middle and high school, greeting familiar faces each day. So what continuously draws students to the line as snack bar regulars?
For students like Isha Rendla (‘28), hectic mornings typically leave no time to eat at home, leaving breakfast to be bought at the snack bar.
Isha explained, “I always go to the snack bar because it has really good food that I can eat quickly. I live far away, so I usually don’t eat breakfast. If I ate breakfast at home, I’d probably not go to the snack bar.”
Other students, such as Grayson and Adepah, are drawn to the line for its social environment and amazing food, especially the cookies and breakfast burritos. “Mostly, it’s a place where I can always find a friend in line,” Grayson explained. “I feel like everyone always congregates around there, so it makes it very fun.”
Beyond the lively atmosphere and variety of food, its accessibility also makes it very appealing to customers. Jojo Hu (‘29), despite not being a frequent snack bar visitor, recognizes its allure. “The fact that it is so easy to buy the food at the snack bar by just giving your name and it being charged to your student account makes it very addictive,” said Jojo Hu (‘29).
Although free milk break options like granola bars, fruit, and string cheese are offered daily, some students crave a heartier snack. Caden Yang (‘28) noted, “I feel like the fruit selection and the string cheese are just not enough sometimes.” So, he often buys a breakfast burrito, cookie, or corndog as a snack to stay fueled until lunch.
Beyond the regulars, not everyone lines up for these treats. When students like Jojo eat things she considers unhealthy, it ends up hurting her focus and leads to unwanted sluggishness throughout the day. “If I want to be more focused… [fueling] my body with good nutrition will help me stay locked in during class,” she explained.
Current ASBC Vice President Jake Kim (‘26) was a regular snack bar customer in the past, but now rarely goes. In his freshman and sophomore years, Jake would leave the line every day with a cookie in one hand and a Sparkling Ice drink in the other.
But now in his senior year, Jake often just has a banana or two during milk break, mainly to eat healthier. But he doesn’t mind going to the line once in a while to buy a cookie or a drink — for old time’s sake.
Eating clean is especially important to other student athletes like Lachlan Yerbury (‘28). He never goes to the snack bar: “I feel like [it] won’t really fuel me for the day. So I just don’t get it.” As a club and varsity soccer player, proper nutrition is crucial to performing well on the field. So usually, Lachlan prefers a granola bar and a carton of milk at milk break to keep him going until lunch.
Even so, as a convenient and delicious breakfast alternative surrounded by a bustling community each day, the snack bar remains difficult to ignore.
Some students, despite having breakfast every morning, can’t resist the snack bar’s delicious treats. Grayson eats breakfast every day, but it’s still hard to say no to his daily chocolate chip cookie. And honestly, who can blame him?
