By Abby Souza
With the introduction of the Unit Lunch, where all students eat simultaneously, the school has introduced a new food pre-ordering system for deli sandwiches and salads. This system is intended to give students another way to get lunch while helping reduce lines and crowding in the cafeteria, making lunch more efficient and less chaotic.
A cafeteria staff member said the biggest difference has been how prepared the staff are during lunch.
“I think we are more prepared now. Before, sometimes many students come at the same time and we need to make everything quickly but now we know some orders before lunch, so it helps us prepare the food and keep the line moving.”
To pre-order food, students can order anywhere from 14 days before the date to 3 days before by going onto MealOrders.com. Students log in using MySchoolBucks, the online payment platform used for school expenses.
This new system is available for both deli sandwiches and salads, giving students several options to choose from. Not only that, but each meal will be sided with the fruit of the day and a choice of milk or juice.
Each meal will be freshly prepared the morning of the scheduled lunch, and students are charged on the morning their meal is prepared, rather than when they order their meal. During Unit Lunch, students can pick up their food in the atrium, where each order will be labeled with the student’s name. If a student is absent on their scheduled lunch day, they should cancel their order through MySchoolBucks so their account does not get charged.
Students who have used the system have begun to form opinions on whether it makes the lunch period easier.
“The new ordering prior to lunch has been effective. When I get out of class, I’m able to just grab my food and move on with my day instead of waiting in very long lines.” says sophomore Caesar Blanco, who is a fan of the new system.
While the pre-ordering system is still new, it gives students another option for getting lunch during the new unit lunch period. As more students try the system, its impact on the cafeteria lines and lunchtime crowding will become clearer.
