It's lunchtime. Do you know where your lunch money is?

Now you will. San Francisco school cafeterias have launched a prepayment program called MealpayPlus that will increase convenience for families and speed up lunch lines. Our school district's Student Nutrition Services department encourages families to prepay for students’ school meals by the month, by the week, or on their own schedule.

MealpayPlus allows families to register at www.mealpayplus.com and prepay by credit card, debit card or electronic check online or by phone. Families may also pay by check or cash at school, or may choose to send checks by mail. MealpayPlus will also allow families, including those who qualify for National School Lunch Program free or reduced-price meals, to view their students’ history of purchases in the cafeterias, so parents can see what their child is eating.

Other benefits of MealpayPlus include eliminating the need for children to carry cash to school, reducing cash losses, and helping the district meet all requirements set by the National School Lunch Program. The technology is now up and running at all SFUSD middle and high schools, and is going online at several elementary schools a week. It will be completed in all San Francisco public schools by the end of the school year. Families will be notified by their children's schools when the program is online at each school.