Danny Chin Bids Farewell to The Lunch Box
Rather than the usual crowd of hungry students grabbing a bite for lunch, one Thursday noon at the Lunch Box became the site of a heartfelt goodbye — and a new beginning.
By Qi Mai
Rather than the usual crowd of hungry students grabbing a bite for lunch, one Thursday noon at the Lunch Box became the site of a heartfelt goodbye — and a new beginning.
Faculty, staff, police officers and students gathered at the eatery overlooking Rams Stadium on March 27 to shake hands and share hugs, laughter and tears with The Lunch Box’s former owner, Danny Chin, as they bid him farewell. Come April 1, the Lunch Box will officially fall under the new ownership of Linda Fang.
Feeding Futures
It’s Alec’s first semester as an education major at City College. He frequently visits The Lunch Box to buy tuna sandwiches. “The prices are reasonable and they help a lot of students with their food,” Alec said. “The owner is trustworthy, very friendly and always makes us laugh. He’s an awesome guy.”
Police Officer R. Palacios remembers when he was a student at City College in 2010; he would pick up coffee on many cold mornings and grab sandwiches for lunch. “Sometimes I didn’t have money, and Danny told me, ‘Take it.’ If I was hungry, he always made sure I had food,” Palacios said.
“Later, I became a police officer working for the college. Sometimes my team and I come here, sit, eat snacks, chat with him and feel warm because of him,” Palacios continued.“What I know is, if you were hungry, he’d give you food. He didn’t care about money as much as he cared about giving from the heart – which is perfect for City College because our school gives so much to people. You could always count on Danny. Students were hungry for knowledge, and if you were hungry for food, Danny was there to prepare it for you.”
“Danny doesn’t just feed us food; he provides spiritual nourishment with his positivity, kind words, encouragement, and support for both students and faculty,” said Dora Rodriguez, an instructor for Disability Services and Programs for Students. “My office is in Batmale Hall, just a two-minute walk from here, and I always call this my home. I hope to stay in touch with him.”
While Chin has earned a widely positive reputation, The Lunch Box also has received a top health rating in San Francisco.
“One day, I was at the City and County Public Health Department, and I saw a paper on a board showing that The Lunch Box had a 100 percent rating,” recalled Officer D. Quintana. “It was in our community! I was so surprised and proud. We won’t find another like him.”
At the start of each semester, Extended Opportunity Program Service officer Vanessa Quock comes to pick up Lunch Box gift cards from Chin and gives them to students.“The Lunch Box’s clean environment, fresh food, good service and convenient location – right on the way to classrooms – have made it a favorite among the community and we are proud to include it as part of the Free City Program grant,” Quock said.
Legacy of Lunch
Chin’s success as a businessman, as well as his compassion, has left a lasting mark on City College’s history. Chin, of Malaysian Chinese descent, gained extensive culinary experience while living in Asia. He moved to the Bay Area 20 years ago and trained at various food-focused establishments before co-managing two cafeterias. When he operated his third cafeteria independently, he took over The Lunch Box from its previous owner.
Chin remodeled the restaurant to create a well-organized kitchen layout, efficient serving stations and a smooth dining area workflow. Each staff member had clearly defined responsibilities, ensuring seamless service. The food was always fresh and delicious, and the cafeteria maintained a warm, welcoming atmosphere that made people feel at home. “Both of us designed the restaurant’s logo. He is skillful,” says Colin Hall, Senior Print Production Supervisor of Visual Media Design.
The original menu at The Lunch Box featured breakfast items, sandwiches, hot dogs, coffee, pizza and orange chicken. Determined to perfect the orange chicken and its sauce, Danny invested heavily in learning from various chefs. His efforts paid off, as the dish quickly became a customer favorite.
Danny also coined the restaurant’s slogan: “Once you take a bite of the food and sip the coffee, you know your money is well spent.” Over time, he expanded the menu with new dishes while keeping prices affordable, ensuring the community continued to enjoy great food at great value.
“City College is a very good community with a great management system that gave me a lot of support. I’m grateful to the entire City College community for supporting this business,” Chin reflected. “I’m very happy to have served this community for 18 years. I’m happy to have provided healthy food, away from the usual fast food.”
Chin continued, “I always think about the hungry students, and I’m glad to have been able to support them. When I was a student, sometimes I didn’t have money for food, and I remember how it felt to be hungry. I always wanted to help others in the same situation. I hope the new owner will bring new ideas and expand the menu.”
After leaving The Lunch Box, Chin may pursue a one-dollar pizza business. While traveling through several Asian countries, he noticed how expensive pizza was but saw that Costco offered it cheaply. That thought has stayed with him.
The Lunch Box’s new owner, Linda Fang, will take lead on April 1st. Originally from Shanghai, China, Fang studied in Japan and later immigrated to America. Before the pandemic, Fang ran three restaurants successfully, but after COVID-19, she closed them and worked for a large national chain. Now, as a new generation business owner, she plans to bring fresh concepts to The Lunch Box.
