Throughout the years, campus seniors during lunch and students after school have patronized the eateries in the shopping center on the corner of Cedar and Herndon, dubbed the Promised Land. Due to its close proximity and array of options, such as TCBY, Me-n-Ed’s and Casa Corona, this location has received the support of and promotion by many students.

For fun, after-school activities or special occasions, freshman David Wells thinks that the Promised Land is the most accessible option for him and his friends.

“I think it is fun because my friends and I find stores that are interesting, mess around a little and then go to Me-n-Ed’s to eat,” Wells said.

In addition, senior Leah Christopher feels the close proximity of Casa Corona allows her to find time to eat during busy schedules.

“I love Casa Corona and I go there mostly during basketball season due to having a busy cheer schedule,” Christopher said. “My friends and I always have a lot of fun when we go there. We go there so often that our waiter recognizes us and we don’t even need to tell him our orders.”

Besides quick and convenient eateries, the Promised Land offers sit-down restaurants like Tahoe Joe’s that attract families.

“Both sides of my family go to Tahoe Joe’s for a nice family dinner,” Wells said. “We determine who pays the bill by seeing which person can guess how much the bill is, and then the closest one pays. This is a fun tradition that we do as a family.”

Despite the hype concerning senior off-campus privileges, senior Kayla Haydock recognizes the wider variety of lunch options that are not located in the Promised Land.

“It used to be a bigger deal when I was younger since we were so limited to going off campus,” Haydock said. “Now, it doesn’t feel like a huge deal because seniors go off campus for lunch all the time. As a senior, I am aware of other places to eat such as Chipotle or In-N-Out.”

The Promised Land, well-known among many students, offers convenience and variety for busy schedules. However, despite this advantage for students, companies in the Promised Land reap benefits from the student patrons.

“I think it’s a win-win situation,” Elsa Killion, Casa Corona manager, said. “We support you and you support us with donations and banners. It provides us with a chance to work together.”

For more information about off-campus lunch, visit the Jan. 29 article, Seniors spill off-campus lunch secrets.