Last year, I wrote an opinion article on why I thought Jesuit should update their punch card lunch card system to a digital system. This year, it is a reality: we have a new digital lunch card system.

The old punch card system was archaic and inefficient. Wait time was as long as ten minutes, and lunch volunteers understandably struggled to count up points to punch.

The new digital card system, SchoolCafé, is simpler as students only have to scan their student ID or enter their student ID number to pay for their food. The lunch volunteers just need to press what food the students want on an iPad to charge an order to the student’s account.

“It’s more efficient than adding up points and then punching cards,” Ms. Clauson said.

Junior Callum Foley agreed: “I’m a big fan, it was quite easy already.”

Students agree that the system is more efficient now. Lines were quicker, letting students have more time to eat their lunch.

“I got my lunch in a timely manner,” junior Jada Johnson said.

However, there are still some minor hiccups with the system that will hopefully disappear as students get used to the new system.

“I had to put [my student ID] at a certain angle… That was definitely a flaw at first. No one couldn’t figure out how to scan it because it was really dodgy,” senior Adelaide Hess said.

The head of the lunch system, Ms. Clauson, is certain that the system will improve Jesuit lunch.

“We’re just starting off, so it’s a little more time consuming to set up… But once it gets going, I think it’s going to work really well,” Clauson said.

The new digital lunch card system, SchoolCafé, is off to a great start.