It is about 1:15 in the afternoon and for so many restaurants
located in one place this lunch area does not smell like food. (There are five
restaurants in this food court but one is closed for reasons unknown.) There is
an American style restaurant that has burgers and other iconic American foods,
a Hispanic style restaurant, a Chinese restaurant and a small coffee shop. The
customers are mostly students ranging in age from late teens to middle aged men
and women. There are a couple of construction workers and what seem to be
professors but I could be mistaken. Most of the students seem to travel in
groups of two or three, many of which enter through the eastern doors near the
coffee shop. Almost all of which who enter seem to have a specific restaurant
in mind and don't give any others a glance. About half of the young men that
enter head straight for the American style restaurant and order burgers and
fries, although most Hispanic men and woman prefer to go to the Hispanic style
restaurant for lunch. A group of young men a few tables away finished their
food in an astonishing amount of time and then returned to their
conversation.
After about half an hour of observation I have seen the Coffee shop have a total of 5 customers, likely due to the time because they seem to have a more breakfast oriented menu. A young couple in white arrive and sit at the table next to me after ordering drinks and a bag of chips to snack on from the American style restaurant. They make small conversation about classes and homework they have while they eat their chips. While most patrons choose to sit inside there is also an outside sitting area that seems rather empty, this could be due to the humidity of the day. I observe one patron in blue who walks back and forth between an entrance and a trash can while on the phone. He has reached for the handle multiple times at points in which I suspect he believed the conversation would end, only to continue talking and walk back away towards the trash can. After about three minutes the conversations ends and he walks in and orders food from the Chinese restaurant. He is the first person I have seen walk in alone. Most males seem to travel in groups of two to five while the females I have observed travel in groups of two or with a significant other. The male in blue who was on the phone has opted to get his food to go and leaves quickly after getting it. The young couple beside me has also opted to go back and order food. They go back to the same restaurant and order two orders of burgers and fries.
As everyone leaves the group of males which began at three has now grown to five. Their food long gone but conversation not yet finished. While they talk they make very large hand gestures to accompany their conversation. The couple near me also finishes up there food and begin to talk about date plans for the coming weekend. After 45 min the group of men now begin to pack up there stuff and get ready to leave. While three of them go to get refills before leaving, the other two wait outside. As the lunch rush subsides the workers at in the American restaurant begin to clean their workstations. While one worker begins to clean, two other workers in the Hispanic restaurant (which was the most popular restaurant during this rush) are still serving their last customers in line. Customers still trickle in but the lunch rush is now over.
After about half an hour of observation I have seen the Coffee shop have a total of 5 customers, likely due to the time because they seem to have a more breakfast oriented menu. A young couple in white arrive and sit at the table next to me after ordering drinks and a bag of chips to snack on from the American style restaurant. They make small conversation about classes and homework they have while they eat their chips. While most patrons choose to sit inside there is also an outside sitting area that seems rather empty, this could be due to the humidity of the day. I observe one patron in blue who walks back and forth between an entrance and a trash can while on the phone. He has reached for the handle multiple times at points in which I suspect he believed the conversation would end, only to continue talking and walk back away towards the trash can. After about three minutes the conversations ends and he walks in and orders food from the Chinese restaurant. He is the first person I have seen walk in alone. Most males seem to travel in groups of two to five while the females I have observed travel in groups of two or with a significant other. The male in blue who was on the phone has opted to get his food to go and leaves quickly after getting it. The young couple beside me has also opted to go back and order food. They go back to the same restaurant and order two orders of burgers and fries.
As everyone leaves the group of males which began at three has now grown to five. Their food long gone but conversation not yet finished. While they talk they make very large hand gestures to accompany their conversation. The couple near me also finishes up there food and begin to talk about date plans for the coming weekend. After 45 min the group of men now begin to pack up there stuff and get ready to leave. While three of them go to get refills before leaving, the other two wait outside. As the lunch rush subsides the workers at in the American restaurant begin to clean their workstations. While one worker begins to clean, two other workers in the Hispanic restaurant (which was the most popular restaurant during this rush) are still serving their last customers in line. Customers still trickle in but the lunch rush is now over.
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