Lunch & More

Students pay for meals using their Student ID (digital or physical) to pay for meals. This applies to all students, regardless of their meal plan status (e.g. free, reduced, or full).

Their Student ID is linked to their meal account—cash, credit/debit cards, and other forms of payment are not accepted in the cafeteria lines.

The Nutrition Services Department at ETHS uses a meal payment system called SNAP (School Nutrition Accountability Program) to manage student accounts. Families can add funds to a student’s meal account online at any time via the ETHS Web Store, where they can also review meal history and set up low balance notifications.

As an alternative, students may pick up a prepayment form from any cafeteria register. Prepaid deposits (by check only) can be returned to the cashier and will be applied to the student’s meal account within one (1) school day.

Any meal funds remaining at the end of the school year will roll over into the student's account for the following year.

All students will be served a full meal for lunch, regardless of their account balance. If a student’s account has insufficient funds, the meal charge (up to $3.75 per meal) will be added to the student’s balance. Please note that unpaid meal balances will continue to accumulate and must be paid.

A cafeteria cashier will notify students when their SNAP account balance is $5.00 or less. Meal account balances can be checked online at any time. You can set up alerts in SNAP to help monitor balances.

Families can apply for free or reduced-price meals online using our Financial Assistance Form or request a paper application from the Nutrition Services Office. Applications must be renewed each school year. Eligibility is based on household income and size.

For more information, visit eths202.org/FinancialAssistance.

Any meal funds remaining at the end of the school year will roll over into the student's account for the following year. 

If a student graduates or leaves ETHS, families may request a refund or transfer any remaining balance to a sibling’s account. To request a transfer or refund, contact the Nutrition Services Office at nutritionservices@eths202.org.

Each ETHS student is assigned to one of four cafeterias on campus based on their grade level. These are our main dining areas, where you’ll find a variety of meal options, snacks, and a place to connect with friends during lunch. Cafeterias are open during both lunch blocks.

Some important things to know:

• Students must scan in to a cafeteria using your Student ID (digital or physical).
• Only students who are assigned to a cafeteria will be permitted access to that cafeteria.
• You may only access your assigned cafeteria during your scheduled lunch block. Cafeterias are not an option for a study hall location.
• To help maintain a safe and respectful environment, students in the cafeteria are expected to remain seated during lunch unless they have a specific reason to move around, e.g. purchasing food, throwing away trash, etc.
• Access to the courtyard adjacent to your cafeteria is allowed at the discretion of Safety staff, weather permitting.
• Students may not take lunch from the cafeteria to other spaces such as the Senior Courtyard, ASC, or The Hub. The only exception is when a student is meeting with a staff member and has a gray pass signed by the staff member.

ETHS offers several alternative lunch spaces around campus to give you more flexibility during your lunch block. Whether you're looking for a quiet place to study, a calm spot to relax, or a smaller space to gather with friends, these areas offer different ways to make lunchtime work for you.

• Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Some spaces do not allow food—check the chart below for details.

• Students must scan in when entering these spaces.

• Students may not take lunch from the cafeteria to other spaces, except when meeting with a staff member.

Explore the options below to find what works best for your day!

Students in Grades 10-12 are permitted to leave campus during their assigned lunch block. Students are expected to follow all school rules and city ordinances while off campus and must return on time for their next class.

Open Campus permissions is a privilege; it may be revoked by the school administration or a student's parent/guardian at any time. For any questions, please contact the Deans' Office.

Important Reminders

• You must scan your Student ID when exiting and re-entering the building.

• Open Campus applies only during your scheduled lunch block—not during free periods, study halls, or other times.

• Students on Tardy Probation (10+ tardies) or Social Probation are not eligible for Open Campus.

• Students who return late, skip class, or violate school rules may receive consequences and have their privileges revoked.