I hate Chick-fil-A Fridays. It’s not the restaurant that I hate. It’s not the sandwich that I hate.

It’s the swarm that I hate.

Picture this: your school has just announced a new donut that is only offered on one day a week. It’s finally that special day, and you’re so excited to get this treat. Once the bell rings, you hurry on down to the school cafeteria; however, you have already lost to the chaotic, clumped-up, and disorganized crowd of students. The overwhelming behavior of the crowd pushing fellow peers and shoving classmates discourages you from getting this treat.

Senior Aisha Quadri attended school the day Chick-fil-A Fridays were announced in late 2019. “I was excited because I thought it would be fun to have during breaks, and it was a new thing,” Quadri said. 

Yet, ever since its first opening day, the crowds have remained the same. “When they first started, I wanted one, but the crowds got so bad that I left,” Quadri said.

This special day has been ruined by the main image of a student clot. My frustration speaks for me of the lack of regulation and civilization. It’s almost like we returned to our elementary years of rushing to see who first gets the recess materials. 

It’s especially staggering to see the avoidance of social distancing practiced within this environment. As the pandemic is still ongoing, it’s almost like the entire virus has been eradicated from our minds as the sole focus is to get a Chick-fil-A sandwich — just a sandwich.

I do agree that students deserve to have a unique treat every once in a while, but it should be regulated to guarantee student safety and security. 

Pretending that these swarms are OK sets a poor example on how to be civilized in the real world. Would you push everyone in an organized line just for a free sample at a supermarket? Would you push a line of children just for your own selfish desire? I sincerely dread Fridays now, as they are the new dawn of Black Fridays.

It’s also disappointing how the upperclassmen have been setting poor examples to incoming freshmen and sophomores of how this day operates. It demonstrates behavior that you have to fight your way to the front, which repeats the cycle for the following years as the Chick-fil-A tradition continues. 

“In my middle school there were traffic patterns, and there are no traffic patterns here. You’re always constantly running into people,” freshman Rhea Parekh said, noting the intense culture change from middle school to high school class transitions.

The huge avalanche of students blocking the hallway makes it impossible for students who are trying to get to their class. “The whole line is just taking up the whole hallway space, so even if I don’t want to eat, I can’t get to the other side,” Parekh said.

Although I am a student and can not administer or mandate Chick-fil-A Fridays, it’s still upsetting that staff or faculty have not taken initiative to ensure safe and secure procedures. There are already set protocols for the lunch lines as those tend to get extensively long, reaching out into the hallway. Why can’t these same procedures apply to this?

So far, they have added an additional area to buy sandwiches:  the regular concession stand and now the cafeteria. Yet, that hasn’t solved the problem, as the two locations aren’t even that far.  It is only about a small 50 feet walking distance, developing a disorderly crowd.

Ideally, to ensure safe distancing and an organized line, faculty can direct students to line against a wall and go in a sequential order. This is so students aren’t shoved or pushed, having to dig their way to the front.  “I feel like they should go single file, cause a lot of people cut each other,” Parekh said. Additionally, using velveted ropes may guide students into a straight line and prevent students from physical contact with staff monitoring.

With this protocol in place, future clumps would be prevented and it would invite more students to buy sandwiches. “I would definitely be more inclined to get a Chick-fil-A if it were more orderly and there wasn’t as much chaos,” said Quadri.

Chick-fil-A Fridays are a great tradition to continue, only if we sustain an orderly system so students stay clear of additional stress. Not only is this hazardous, but also it can promote future injuries with the pushing and shoving. To demonstrate how to become civilized adults, staff need to demonstrate proper tactics as role models.

This once-fun treat has left a bitter aftertaste, as the chaos of Chick-fil-A Fridays continues with no end in sight.