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AIBU?

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Original poster

School lunch refunds?!

37 replies

Usernumber36373647323 · 09/09/2025 14:25

If children are off poorly?!

basically up untik not long ago my children’s primary school had a system you could just make sure the money was in your account on the day or even take cash and they could have it. They more recently changed to a booking system which I can understand to minimise food waste, you can book up to the night before online or even in the morning if you contact the school. You don’t make. A good choice online, just to say they are having it.

if say you have pre booked a few days and a week in advance and your child gets poorly would you want to be refunded?

on a couple occasions, my children have been sent home before lunch and had the money refunded as they didn’t eat there.

but a few times now my daughter has been poorly, I’ve contacted the school first thing, before 8am. I would be expected to be refunded as my child will not be in?! I’ve even made a point of saying just a heads up they are booked for school lunches. But never had the money back (or even just putting it back into their balance for another day!)

is this the norm? When I’ve asked I’ve never got a response! I know they haven’t got time to check through everything and everyone’s lunch accounts but I’ve spent money on lunches that won’t be eaten 🤦‍♀️

she goes school dinners once or twice a week.

OP posts:
Just3ok · 09/09/2025 14:27

So there’s no cancellation option whatsoever?

pinkfluffybirds · 09/09/2025 14:29

I would send an email about this because technically you’re buying goods that you don’t receive. They should have terms and conditions, And they should expect kids to be sick sometimes and have a process in place about lunch refunds.

SockQueen · 09/09/2025 14:29

I wouldn't expect to be refunded on the day. Supplies will already have been bought. But our school makes you order 8 days in advance, so others may have different systems.

Just3ok · 09/09/2025 14:29

If she’s only going once or twice a week
just book the day before or on the morning

as for a refund? I’m guessing this has happened very very infrequently so no… I wouldn’t t bother the school about it

Original poster
Usernumber36373647323 · 09/09/2025 14:29

Just3ok · 09/09/2025 14:27

So there’s no cancellation option whatsoever?

Not on the same day no, it can only be amended up until the night before by parents.
I just want a clear answer from the school.

OP posts:
Just3ok · 09/09/2025 14:31

Usernumber36373647323 · 09/09/2025 14:29

Not on the same day no, it can only be amended up until the night before by parents.
I just want a clear answer from the school.

Show quote history

So you can Get a refund if you cancel or amend the night before?

Original poster
Usernumber36373647323 · 09/09/2025 14:31

SockQueen · 09/09/2025 14:29

I wouldn't expect to be refunded on the day. Supplies will already have been bought. But our school makes you order 8 days in advance, so others may have different systems.

It’s not like that as such here, can book up to midnight night before, parents cannot do it on same day but you can contact. I tend to book days she wants at the weekend!

It’s not much needing the refund, it’s just annoying me asking what the system is and not getting a reply.

OP posts:
Original poster
Usernumber36373647323 · 09/09/2025 14:32

Just3ok · 09/09/2025 14:31

So you can Get a refund if you cancel or amend the night before?

Show quote history

Not a refund as such but you can change the day, sometimes kids wake up sick in the mornings and then you cannot change it.

OP posts:
GotaQuest · 09/09/2025 14:33

I’d like to be refunded, but have no option. DC school actually sent an email out last week stating they would prefer if parents could pay upfront for the whole term which would be £90 for me which isn’t doable

Original poster
Usernumber36373647323 · 09/09/2025 14:34

Tbf I should have changed today’s last night as I knew likely she wouldn’t be in, but yesterday morning she woke up suddenly really poorly! So I can blame myself for today!

I just wasn’t sure what the norm is.

OP posts:
Original poster
Usernumber36373647323 · 09/09/2025 14:35

GotaQuest · 09/09/2025 14:33

I’d like to be refunded, but have no option. DC school actually sent an email out last week stating they would prefer if parents could pay upfront for the whole term which would be £90 for me which isn’t doable

Edited

Oh my, I cannot imagine that is doable for a lot of people - us included! Ours has been pretty chill about it all to be honest. Never even had a booking system until a few months ago! They used to just ask the kids first thing what they require at lunch!

OP posts:
TickyandTacky · 09/09/2025 14:37

How often is she sick that this is actually a big problem? Maybe yours are often school frequently so it adds up.

Original poster
Usernumber36373647323 · 09/09/2025 14:39

TickyandTacky · 09/09/2025 14:37

How often is she sick that this is actually a big problem? Maybe yours are often school frequently so it adds up.

Depends really! Don’t have a huge amount of time off. I would understand more if it was booked a week in advance but considering you can book until midnight the night before… I don’t know how much the booking system helps them with their food orders.

OP posts:
Just3ok · 09/09/2025 14:41

Usernumber36373647323 · 09/09/2025 14:32

Not a refund as such but you can change the day, sometimes kids wake up sick in the mornings and then you cannot change it.

Show quote history

So to be clear

as long as you make an amendment the night before… you can roll over the lunch to another day.

that seems VERY fair when we’re talking about perishable items.

in any event, your child has school lunch once or twice a week. So just book the day before.

how often has your child been off sick and it’s coincided with a day that you’ve booked and you’ve only known sick on the morning of the booked school lunch day?

Just3ok · 09/09/2025 14:43

Usernumber36373647323 · 09/09/2025 14:39

Depends really! Don’t have a huge amount of time off. I would understand more if it was booked a week in advance but considering you can book until midnight the night before… I don’t know how much the booking system helps them with their food orders.

Show quote history

You can book up until the night before
AND
You can make amendments until the night before

You just can’t get your money back. Completely reasonably.

Moonnstars · 09/09/2025 14:43

Ours don't do refunds but previously I found that if I took the lunch option off and moved it to another day before 8am then the money would just get transferred across.
I imagine the kitchen has a cut off point early in the morning so it is just bad luck if you call after to cancel (I imagine the office isn't staffed til after 8).

FuzzyWolf · 09/09/2025 14:43

We have to book a week or more in advance and have never been refunded.

Chobby · 09/09/2025 14:46

We’ve never been refunded when calling in sick on the day but to be honest I never expected to be.

Flakey99 · 09/09/2025 14:47

TickyandTacky · 09/09/2025 14:37

How often is she sick that this is actually a big problem? Maybe yours are often school frequently so it adds up.

Irrelevant. Parents shouldn’t be paying out money for food if their child isn’t in school. Every penny adds up and many parents can’t afford to waste money.

In my day, you purchased a token daily for 50p and if you weren’t in, you didn’t buy a token.

In DS’s school they pay for meals at the food counter with a smart card but DS doesn’t bother with them.

CasperGutman · 09/09/2025 14:47

The primary school lunches are all free now where we are. However, back when we were charged for food we had to book in advance but the money was only deducted from your account when the child actually received the meal. If they weren't in for whatever reason then the money stayed on the ParentPay account to be used another time.

Just3ok · 09/09/2025 14:50

@Flakey99
Every penny adds up and many parents can’t afford to waste money.

but also

Every penny adds up and many schools can’t afford to waste money.

In any event, the op could change to another day if she made the change the night before, which seems very reasonable.

DiscoBob · 09/09/2025 14:51

Can't the money just stay in their account until they are well again. As soon as my kid was going to be absent I would hope the absence would link to the kitchen list and their name wouldn't appear that day? If not then I'd specify to please cancel the lunch as soon as I knew.

GreenAndWhiteStripes · 09/09/2025 14:53

My DC are at secondary school now so it's a pay as you go system. But when they were at primary we paid a fixed amount per lunch and didn't get a refund if they were off school ill.

Tiredofwhataboutery · 09/09/2025 14:55

Ours don’t charge if off but they ask the children in the morning. Our lunches are cooked off site though in a larger school kitchen then hot boxes are delivered with what’s been ordered that day. Dinner ladies just really serve and clean. I think between the schools the bigger kitchen is catering for about 1000 kids. So there’s a decent amount give in the system. Lots of the food seems like it’d have an extended shelf life. Frozen fish. Frozen burgers. Chicken curry from giant catering tins. Pasta. Rice. Token bit of broccoli and sslad bar is only fresh stuff.

Ophy83 · 09/09/2025 15:04

I tend to book and pay for a month of lunches at a time. If for any reason dd isn't at school for a lunch I've booked- illness, school trip or whatever - the money is credited back to my account the same day.