Picture this: you rush to the school lunch line in order to snag your favorite item, only to find out there are none left. You look around and realize you’re surrounded by so many options you’ve never tried before. You hesitate. Impulsively, you grab the item closest to you. You sit down at your table, take one bite, and instantly drown in regret. 

We’ve all been there before. However, now you’ll never have to face this problem again. Here is the official guide to the Archie Williams Canteen: 

Coming in first place is the infamous fried chicken sandwich. This menu item never disappoints, but it also never exceeds expectations. It’s your safest bet. You can either expect it to be a little soggy or a little dry. Either way, the flavor is consistently decent. 

If, by chance, you get to the front of the line and all chicken sandwiches are gone (which they usually are), you should go with its runner-up:the hamburger. Like the chicken sandwich, it’s tolerable, but not as filling or satisfying due to its microscopic patty. Be sure not to get this mixed up with the veggie burger – an item that’s so far down the list, it won’t even make it into this article. 

The bronze medal goes to the classic cheese pizza. While the tomato sauce component of this item is surprisingly satisfactory, the cheese and dough need improvement. Sometimes the sauce-to-cheese ratio is spot-on, while other times it’s seriously lacking in cheese. As for the dough, expect it to taste like cardboard. It’s a little unappealing and has very little flavor. Nevertheless, this dish is a little unpredictable, but still safer than some of the other options. 

If you are extremely late for lunch and the chicken sandwiches, hamburgers, and cheese pizzas are all gone, the next best choice is the chicken teriyaki. Though, just because it’s next on the list does not mean it tastes good. The chicken teriyaki is inferior to the first three items on the list by a large margin. The days-old rice tastes like it probably shouldn’t be served anymore and the chicken can best be described as “meh.” Not to mention, the one or two pieces of broccoli on top are almost inedible. But still, this option is better than no lunch at all. 

There you have it: the four best options in the AWHS canteen. If you’re unlucky enough to endure the line and find that all these options are gone, either stick to a juice or chocolate milk and wait until you get home to indulge in lunch, or trudge over to Red Hill for other options.