Who doesn’t love grabbing a bite to eat after a long day at school? This time to relax and catch up with friends is a widespread enjoyment across the board, and relieves the stress students face daily. It’s no secret that the restaurants around Lane Tech and DePaul Prep are wildly populated from as early as 2:20 to as late as 6:00. But many wonder how employees are impacted, and if students are at a disadvantage from large crowds.
One of the most populated restaurants around the area is the McDonald’s on Addison. Seen as a midpoint between both schools, the fast food restaurant is flooded with as many as a hundred Lane and DePaul Prep students after school each day. Students seem to love how quickly their food is prepared, but a few complain about overcrowding.
“I can never get a seat,” said Lane Tech student Brady Cutler. “It’s like warfare in there, everyone rushing to save spots. I’m sure the employees hate us,” she laughs.
Struggling to deal with the popularity of McDonald’s, some students can be seen running to get a seat. Students typically get to McDonald’s around 3:30.
“I know it’s my job, but sometimes I really hate listening to the kids screaming in here every day,” said McDonald’s employee Natalie, who asked that her last name not be shared. Restaurants across the board sometimes struggle to manage the stream of students crowding their spaces, oftentimes having to face disrespectful customers.
Last winter, this McDonald’s had to implement restrictions on the number of students allowed inside at a time, locking the doors after about 30-45 students were inside, or even kicking students out directly. This policy followed a fight between two students that took place during the winter of 2022 in the middle of the establishment. Students ran in and nearly broke several chairs. Since then, the Addison McDonald’s has expanded their staff and even hired new management to attempt to combat overcrowding issues, according to staff.
As much as they may be annoyed by the mass amounts of students, many McDonald’s employees are also grateful. “It is good business though. As much as it can be annoying, we probably owe a lot to high schoolers,” Natalie said. She has been working at McDonald’s for six months, and has made friends with many of the student regulars coming in each day.
However, different restaurants are impacted to different extents, as the popularity of each establishment ranges. When asked to reflect on their experience, a Wingstop employee and Lane Tech student said, “We get a lot of kids in here, sure, but probably not like Starbucks or anything.”
Some restaurants don’t face nearly as much popularity, and even struggle to gain it. This can range from the smaller businesses around Roscoe Village, such as Ten, a boba cafe, to the overpopulated McDonald’s. These smaller businesses sometimes seem to gain an opposite reaction, facing underpopulation. Many students have attempted to emphasize the importance of supporting small businesses as well as large corporations.
As students continue to find their favorites around school, restaurants both struggle with and appreciate popularity, striving to create a welcoming atmosphere.
