Fast Food Quickly a Hot Item on Campus : Nutrition: Capistrano Valley students stand in line to order Taco Bell burritos and Pizza Hut mini-pizzas at the quad, a first for a U.S. high school.

There were few of the usual complaints about cafeteria food to be heard Friday as Capistrano Valley High School students ordered lunch at the first-ever, high school fast-food court in the country.

The lunch bell had barely stopped ringing when scores of the 2,700 students at the high school queued up to order such fare as Taco Bell burritos, Pizza Hut mini-pizzas and Kentucky Fried Chicken sandwiches.

“It’s a dream come true,” student body President David Sedgwick said. “When I told people about it this summer, they couldn’t believe it. It gives us choice.”

Capistrano Unified School District officials say they hope by offering more food choices on campus, students will want to eat lunch rather than skip the meal because they don’t like what’s being served in the cafeteria.

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Mission Viejo senior Shelly Smith. “Since we don’t have an open campus, it’s a good idea.”

Still, the fast-food selection wasn’t for everyone. Senior Joe Pratt was among those who avoided the long lines at the food court by bringing his own brown-bag lunch. “It’s not even that good for you,” he said about the nutritional level of the fast-food offerings. “It’s OK for a snack, but you don’t want to eat it every day.”

The unprecedented partnership between the Pepsico restaurant group and the district is a “reflection of the growth of the quick-service food industry,” said Janis Smith, director of public affairs for Taco Bell.

“We know the students want this because we watch what they eat when they’re off campus,” district food service director Bill Caldwell said.

Although popular with the students, the lunch program has been criticized by some worried parents because of the fat and calorie content of fast foods.

But officials said that, nutritionally, the limited fast-food fare offered at the food court stacks up, and in some cases is even better, than similar items prepared by the campus catering service.

The school also will continue to serve up its usual menu, including salads, frozen yogurt, submarine sandwiches, hamburgers and french fries.

Among the items on the fast-food menus are combination meals that include carrot sticks, fruit and a choice of milk. The combo meals also are available to students who qualify for free or reduced lunches.

In the future, Caldwell said he hopes to set up similar food courts at the district’s other two high school campuses. To keep students on those campuses during the noon hour, the district has arrangements with several local fast-food restaurants to deliver pizza, submarine sandwiches and yogurt.