Convenience at a Cost

2025, Stevenson Dining Hall Photo: Michael Troutman

What used to be a trip to Carmel with friends or a shared dining hall meal is now often food dropped off in a bag at Douglass hall.  Food delivery apps like DoorDash are quietly changing how students interact with each other, how local restaurants operate, and how boarding school life feels on a daily basis. I am a day student, and while DoorDash is something that I turn to at times, I also have the privilege to live at home with two moms who cook meals and a fridge and pantry with ample healthy options to choose from. I understand that boarding students here at Stevenson do not have the same food options as me and other day students, and I wanted to find out more about how food delivery factors into their lives. 

For some students, food delivery can be social. Junior Cody T. shared that he does not order food delivery often, but on the rare occasion that he does, he says, “I usually DoorDash with my friends after a game or on special occasions.” In these cases, food delivery can be similar to the way that friends go out together to share a celebratory meal. But this is not always the reality. After speaking with a 9th-grade boarder, they explained that while DoorDashing can be a social opportunity: “there have been like four times where I am eating food delivery alone in my room.” Eating food delivery alone may not seem like a big deal, but could become a grander issue as food delivery subtly replaces opportunities to connect with people in the dining hall. I saw this trend in many upperclassmen boarders. I spoke to senior Ollie D. about his food ordering consumption, and he shared with me how in the past three previous years of high school he did indulge in ordering food but how in his final year of high school his ordering has increased due to convenience. This convenience is not only the fact that food can be delivered, but also the convenience of not having to talk to others while eating, so instead one can scroll on TikTok or catch up on their new episode unbothered. 

Photograph of Chipotle food delivery, Pinterest

Food delivery at Stevenson is largely driven by the limited dinner hours. The dining hall is only open from 5:45–6:45 p.m., which doesn’t work well for students with busy or inconsistent schedules. Many students say the early dinner leaves them hungry again later. Junior Wendy G noted that even after eating in the dining hall, she’s hungry by the evening. Ms. Peterson, a resident faculty member in Silverado dorm, shared that many students pick up delivered food after study hall because they’re hungry again. Junior boarders Mika U and Eden Park said they DoorDash multiple times a week due to hunger, stress, wanting alone time, or not liking the dining hall options, sometimes ordering full meals or just snacks for their dorms.

On a more global scale, food delivery is actually reshaping the way that meals look across the United States. I was inspired to write this article after reading an article by Priya Krishna for the New York Times  about how dependent we have become as a country on mobile app delivery. People don’t go out anymore, especially since Covid-19 and the rise of stay-at-home jobs. In 2026, there are 56 million active users on DoorDash alone, and while convenience is increasing, the tradition of eating meals with one another is fading, and that is not good.

In conclusion, what I discovered, as a day student who was previously uneducated about boarding students and their food delivery habits, is that this consumption is a normal part of boarding life. Motivated by scheduling conflicts, a desire for independence, or simple hunger, students turn to food delivery. This custom has its benefits — but it also has its drawbacks. However, ordering a late-night snack or dinner from Nick the Greek is not simply about being hungry. It reflects scheduling conflicts, the limited hours of the dining hall, and a growing need for independence. For some, ordering a meal is about sharing good food with friends but for others, it quietly replaces the dining hall with a closed door and a scrolling phone.