The Commons, the lively center of student activity during morning breaks, lunch hours, and after school, recently introduced several changes to streamline the flow of traffic and improve dining experiences. In early November, staff put up new signs prohibiting backpacks in the Commons line area and directing students to follow a single-file queue. Additionally in mid-October, the Commons introduced a new ramen option for the Upper School to offer a quick alternative for those in a hurry, aiming to reduce wait times in the main food line.

Director of Dining Services Chef Brandon Worrell explained that the changes are a response to the growing number of students using the Commons. “The amount of students on campus has grown…and the amount of students who are purchasing food has grown over the last six years since I’ve been here,” he said. “It’s a combination of the amount of students coming in and out of our small space that made us have to rethink about how people are coming through the line and what’s the best way to get people in and out in an orderly fashion, safely.”

To address congestion in the Commons, staff reintroduced a no-backpack policy in the line area. According to Chef Brandon, backpacks were not allowed in the Commons when he first started working at Westridge in 2018 either. The return of this policy helps alleviate congestion in the small space. “The backpacks are so large, and we have such a small space that it gets so crowded in here, [but] by taking [students’] backpacks out, it creates more space for people,” explained Chef Brandon. Additionally, the signage directing students to a single line to order the main entree, sandwiches, salads, and pizza is another attempt to create more space for students to “walk around.”

Previously, the large number of students rushing into the Commons to order lunch created chaos. “What I noticed was…there are [about] 300 students coming in during a 45 to 50 minute lunch window,” Chef Brandon said. “Everyone rushes inside the kitchen to either order a salad, order a sandwich, order the pasta, grab a pizza, and it just creates this jumble where people grab their food and they can’t even turn around to leave.”

Although the adjustments are still new, Chef Brandon is optimistic. “I’ve already noticed…the line is working again,” he said. “It could be something where [at] the beginning of the year, we put up signs just to remind everybody, and then eventually take them away and watch everybody naturally evolve into these new rules.”

Many students agree that these adjustments effectively address the Commons’ overcrowding and inefficiency, although it might take some time to get used to. “I feel like it’s reasonable, but I just feel like it’ll take some getting used to,” Carolina A. ’28 said.

“For me, personally as a student, it is tedious or difficult to feel like I need to put my backpack down before getting lunch… but I also empathize with the workers in the Commons, and I understand that sometimes we really overrun it, and that can make it really difficult for them,” Grace W. ‘26 said.

Furthermore, the introduction of ramen to the Commons menu is part of a broader strategy to ease the lunchtime rush. “The ramen was brought in so that if students don’t want to wait in the lunch line, they can just come straight inside to get ramen. Now they have lunch, and it shortens the line for everybody else,” said Chef Brandon.

The addition of ramen to the Commons menu has been particularly popular as a convenient alternative lunch option. “I think that [the ramen] can be helpful if you just want something quick, [even] in the morning or after school,” Bennett T. ’28 said.

“I think [the ramen is] a good option. It feels similar to the pizza or the burgers, where it’s just something you can easily grab and go, and sandwiches and salads don’t have that sort of ease,” Grace W. ’26 said. “And the ramen feels like something super easy to make that’s always pretty chill in the stomach.”

However, sometimes the area to dispense hot water can get crowded, especially with the popularity of ramen. Carolina also noticed the increased congestion in the hot water area, “A lot of people like the ramen and it takes away from the line, from the main lunch [which is] already super long. So I guess it’s helping,” she said. “But it can also get really crowded there sometimes.”

The ramen will most likely stay in the Commons for Upper School. However, due to the popularity of the ramen in Upper School, Chef Brandon is considering expanding the choices to Middle School. “The ramen has been a huge hit. Middle School wants the ramen now, but I’m waiting on that, because the reason bringing it in was for upper school, because their line is so long,” Chef Brandon said. “I’m trying to play with ideas of making sure I can order enough ramen, have enough hot water, things like that, and then I could offer it…for Middle School as well.”

As students continue to adjust, efforts to improve the Commons experience remain a priority. Chef Brandon highlighted the challenges of balancing the growing demand with the current limitations of the space. “We have become really popular over the last couple of years, but our space is just too small for this school, and so I’m really limited by that,” he said. Despite these constraints, he shared his commitment to ensuring student satisfaction. “I also always ask students to give ideas, if there’s food they want to see or menu items they really like. The students here are the ones that buy the food, so I want to make sure they’re happy with the choices.”

Looking ahead, Chef Brandon and his team are considering options like expanding dining areas or introducing pre-made grab-and-go options. For now, however, the changes are aimed at maximizing the existing space and ensuring that every student can enjoy their lunch.