What is the process?

In a nutshell:

1. Check your school is using School Lunch Online.  If not drop us a line and we'll get them on board;

2. Register your details so you can see what tasty items your school is offering;

3. Place your order, pay using your credit card.  You don't even need to top up an account first;

4. Tell your child they are expecting lunch and the school will let you know where lunch will be handed out or collected from;

5. Relax.

Who provides the food?

Each school is unique as to their lunch set up.  Some will have an external supplier whilst others might have their own canteens or some even have a blend of both.

School Lunch Online works in with each individual school to provide online ordering, nutritional advise and menu suggestions in accordance with the latest regulations.   In some cities we have preferred suppliers who are providing lunch solutions to multiple schools   Ultimately the final choice of menu items will rest with the school Principal but in most cases our friendly suppliers will be adding delicious options all the time.  

How does my child receive their lunch?

Where each school is unique to their menu they are also unique to how they distribute lunches.  For some schools this may be under the tree, in the undercover area or in the classrooms.   This is discussed with each school at set up and they will tell you where this is.  Once you have ordered lunch and told your child to expect a lunch there is nothing else for you to worry about.   Your child will receive their freshly made lunch, packaged and labelled with all their details. If your school has a canteen then in most cases your child will need to collect their lunch.

Why can't I see the menu without registering?

Because each school has a different menu you will first need to register, which only takes a minute or two, select your school and then you can view the menu for your school.   

Can I order lunch the morning I need lunch?

This will depend on the supplier that services your school. In some instances this will be the case but in others it will be the night before. You can find the cut off time for your supplier under your Create Orders tab

How far in advance can I order?

Anytime within the current term...too easy!

What if there is a problem with the food delivery?

The school can log in at any time to print a daily report listing the children who have placed orders.

If there is a problem with the delivery or food quality the school can contact the supplier directly for immediate resolution

You can find your supplier's details on the Contact page when you are logged in. If the problem happens again then contact us and we will happily assist in getting it solved.

What if my child doesn't like something on the menu?

Tell us, tell us, shout it from the roof tops because we want to know. Without your feedback we can't improve. We want the menu to evolve as it needs to.

Can I cancel an order?

You can cancel right up to the cut off time, so no need to panic if you have placed an order and your little one isn't feeling well or you jet off on holiday. You can cancel, edit or clone orders in the manage orders section of my orders. Simply click on the "upcoming orders tab" or if using a mobile device you will find upcoming orders as an overlay button at the very bottom of the screen. Please note that Order History shows orders that have passed so you will have to go to Upcoming Orders.

What if my child has an allergy?

Please always check with your supplier directly to ensure you are happy with the food preparation and handling. All our suppliers and canteens will be working in spaces that contain allergens, including but not limited to Nuts, Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Shellfish and Fish.

Can I close my School Lunch Online account?

Just get in contact with us and we will get it all sorted for you.

What happens when my child changes year group?

Just log in and go to the Family Members tab of my account and you can make the changes here.

Is there a cost for the school?

There is no cost at all for the schools if using an external supplier. If the canteen is run bu the school then a small commission is payable.

A small commission payable by the suppliers and a 25c charge per order placed, which the families incur, funds the service.  We have tried to keep this to a minimum to cover bank fees and other costs.

School Lunch Online believes in supporting local schools and will provide vouchers for the school to be used at assemblies and other occasions.

Who chooses the food supplier?

The supplier has to be the right fit for the school.  If you already have a supplier you are happy with then that is fabulous but if you are on the lookout then we can help you find one who is suitable. 

Our school has a canteen, can we keep using it?

Hopefully you are one of the few schools who have a profitable canteen.

At School Lunch Online we can set the canteen up in the same way that we set up external suppliers.  This means no long queues and counting coins. 

If your canteen is only run a day or two a week we can also find a supplier for the other days giving time-poor parents greater options for school lunches.

How much work does the school have to do?

Very little!  Honestly joining and maintaining the service is effortless.

The suppliers will deliver the food at a time and place specified by the school.

Schools just need to let parents know about the service via the newsletter or website.

What happens if there is a problem with the food delivery?

The school can log in at any time to print a daily report listing the children who have placed orders.

If there is a problem with the delivery or food quality the school can contact the supplier directly for immediate resolution. 

If the problem happens again then contact us and we will happily assist in getting it solved.

What is involved in being a School Lunch Online Supplier?

To be honest very little!

Once you have been registered to supply a school or schools the process is very straightforward.  

Together with the school you decide on the menu and then a time and place for delivery. You then supply School Lunch Online with the menu and we upload it.

The menu is valid for a term, or longer and families can order online anytime within the current term.

You download your production list and packing labels every morning at 9.00am and then make, package and deliver the lunches to school.

What set up equipment do I need?

In order to use the service you will need the following:

1. A computer with internet access
2. A printer (to print the daily production schedule)
3. A thermal label printer (we will provide you with the details on this)
4. Labels for the printer

You may well be asking why you need a label printer as well as your printer and that is a very fair question.

We have done loads of research and the reality is that whilst inkjet printers are cheap to buy these days the reason for this is that the ink cartridges are insanely expensive and also run out very quickly. 

Using label printers ensures this service is as cheap as possible for you to run. They are small and cheap and best of all don’t require any ink…ever!

How much does it cost to be a School Lunch Online supplier?

As much as we would love to offer a free service for all, the banks and credit card companies don't share this view and lets face it we wouldn't have a business.

Suppliers, like yourselves will need to pay a small percentage of the sales to School Lunch Online to cover bank fees and so on. This charge will easily be recouped by the increase in sales and massive reduction in admin costs.

How do I get paid?

You will be paid directly into your bank account on the week following trading. This will be the full amount of all sales less our agreed percentage.

Who sets the prices of the food

You set the prices in the same way that you normally would with your existing business. The school will sign off on the menu before it is uploaded to our website