Cashless cafeteria
Improving the cafeteria service by introducing a cashless system
Rosemary Molinari, Nutritionist and School Meals Strategy Adviser at Education Leeds, shared the following good practice with us.
More schools are choosing to procure cashless systems in order to improve their cafeteria service. Such systems can be costly, so it is important for schools to be aware of the benefits and limitations before making an investment. The reasons for choosing to invest in a cashless system are varied and must depend on local circumstances. These may include the need to:
- improve the cafeteria service
- speed up service and reduce queuing time so pupils can do other
activities - make claiming free school meals anonymous and comfortable
- remove the need for students to carry cash in school
- ensure that money provided by parents to pay for school meals is used only
for that purpose - provide parents, carers, pupils and staff with nutrition and food choice
information - make payment for school meals easier by using cheques or wall-mounted coin
and note loaders - improve administration systems
- improve the efficiency of information flow and administration systems
- provide accurate data to inform performance indicators for school lunch
uptake - inform budget and service planning procedures.
To help schools in this process Leeds developed an e-guidance pathway. It aims to offer impartial information to support the selection, procurement and implementation of a cashless system. It offers a range of suggested validated tools and templates. It forms an important aspect of the Leeds School Meals Strategy, however Leeds is happy to allow other schools and local authorities to use the guide to help and inform them. The Cashless System Toolkit is available from the Leeds school meals website.
