Leaving campus for lunch is some students’ favorite part of the day. Since Rocky is an open campus, students have the ability to go out to eat. Having a car makes leaving much easier, but there are many places near Rocky that students can walk to. There are multiple restaurants and fast food places located near Rocky, but what are students’ favorite places to eat? The Highlighter staff asked multiple students and staff to find out. 

8. Jimmy John’s

Jimmy John’s is a popular sandwich shop where you can order many different types of sandwiches, including vegetarian options. Known for their slogan “Freaky Fresh! Freaky Fast!” their main goal is to serve customers fresh sandwiches in a short amount of time, which is perfect for students who don’t have a lot of time to go out during lunch. It is about a 5-minute drive from Rocky, as the restaurant is located at 2337 South Shields Street. 

7. Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A is one of the most well-known fast food chains in America and a popular lunch spot for students. They sell all different kinds of food for prices that vary between $5 for an entree to around $10 for a meal. Their most popular meals to purchase are definitely chicken sandwiches and french fries. Located close to Rocky, off of Horsetooth Road at 3605 S. College Avenue, Chick-fil-A is one of the go-to places for students to go get food and get back on time before the end of the lunch break. 

6. Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers

Raising Cane’s is a very common fast food chain in Colorado, specializing in chicken fingers, and famous for their signature sauce. Their most popular meal is The 3-Finger Combo which costs $9.49. It includes three chicken tenders, crinkle-cut fries, Cane’s sauce, Texas toast, and a regular fountain drink. Even though the restaurant is pretty popular among students, Cane’s is probably the farthest from Rocky out of all restaurants, with about a 12-minute drive. The nearest Cane’s is located close to Old Town at 2108 S. College Avenue. 

5. Mod Pizza

Mod Pizza is the place students choose to go for lunch when they want to eat any kind of pizza. They can pick between a small, mod, or large pizza, and then choose from all 30+ different types of toppings to create their own pizza. A mod pizza, which is the regular size, is priced at around $10. Located at 1013 Centre Avenue, Mod Pizza is easily accessible to students who drive, but too far away for those who have to walk and get back in time for class. 

4. Gib’s New York Bagels

Gib’s New York Bagels is also a very popular lunch place for students who can drive. Located at a fairly close distance from Rocky, at 2531 S Shields St., it is probably the most affordable out of all the places listed above. Gib’s is famous for selling bagels, as well as breakfast options. They have almost every flavor of bagel students can think of, including parmesan, everything, plain, and less common bagels such as sun-dried tomato bagels. Any type of bagel with cream cheese is priced at about $5. When asked about his favorite bagel, Noah Harbour answered, “They have the garlic and onion one, that’s probably my favorite with regular cream cheese.”

3. Cafe Mexicali

Cafe Mexicali is a Mexican restaurant that originated in Fort Collins. They sell enchiladas, burritos, salads, soups, tacos, and nachos. The owner’s goal is “to provide customers with Mexican genre food that is ‘as fresh as it gets.’” Dishes typically cost between $10 – $15. It is easily accessible to students who crave their famous Mexican dishes for lunch, as it is located off of Swallow at 2925 S College Ave at about a five minutes drive from Rocky. 

2. Noodles and Company

Noodles and Company is a very popular eating place in Fort Collins that sells almost any kind of pasta, at about $8-$10 per meal. Their most popular dishes are probably the Wisconsin Mac & Cheese and Pesto Cavatappi. This place is not within walking distance, as it is about a 5-7 minute drive to 3519 South College Ave. Noodles and Company is a great place to eat for students who are in a hurry and who still want to eat pasta or a salad for lunch, as the restaurant chain is known to serve their customers pretty quickly. 

1. Qdoba

Students at Rocky voted that their favorite place to go out to eat during lunch is Qdoba. The restaurant has a lot of perks, especially for students who don’t have access to a car, because it is within walking distance. Located at 2513 S Shields St, it is only a 10-minute walk to get to the famous Mexican restaurant. They serve all different kinds of Mexican-style dishes, including burritos, bowls, nachos, salads, or quesadillas, with prices that vary between $5 and $15. Junior Elise Corman said, “I love Mexican cooking, especially the quesadillas or burritos. What I like about Qdoba is that you can make your own burrito and even make it kind of healthy with vegetables, lettuce, and everything.”