Fingerprint scanners have been added to the middle school campus cafeteria. Starting the week of January 25, 2025, students have a new way to pay for meals.
“Kids lose their IDs all the time, but I have yet to hear of a student losing a finger,” Head of Middle School Jon Wimbish said.
A common issue in the cafeteria involves students losing their IDs and wanting to pay with their phones, which conflicts with the school’s no cell phone policy. Because many students lose their IDs, the bookstore is often filled with students trying to purchase a new one so they can eat lunch.
“I’ve seen a lot of students lose their IDs and have to spend additional costs in the bookstore to buy new ones,” Sydney Zhang ’28 said. “The new fingerprint scanners help limit that, saving students from potential costs.”
While the new scanners allow students to pay for their meals without worrying about keeping track of a physical ID, some students and faculty believe there are downsides to using fingerprint technology.
“I find the fingerprint technology unsanitary and gross because people are holding their chicken tenders with their hands, and when they go to scan their fingers on the fingerprint scanner, they can leave chicken grease on the scanner,” Kirana Tjoe ’28 said. “I don’t think the fingerprint scanner is very helpful, and it is slower compared to using your ID, which results in longer lines.”
Tjoe and additional classmates also said that due to so many students scanning their fingers on the same fingerprint scanner, there can be a buildup of dirt and grime, causing the scanner to fail in picking up the print. Not only can this buildup spread germs, but it can also counteract the goal of minimizing cafeteria lines during break and lunch due to the inaccuracy of the scanner.
While acknowledging both the benefits and drawbacks of using fingerprint technology, students and faculty remain hopeful for improvements in the cafeteria lines.
“I hope they’ll [cafeteria lines] get shorter. The biggest benefit, I think, comes from not having students spend so much money replacing lost IDs,” Wimbish said.
Jon Wimbish | Mar 13, 2025 at 12:09 pm
Kirana and her classmates raise valid concerns about the cleanliness of the finger scanners. Cafeteria and Bookstore staff do have alcohol wipes that they use to periodically wipe down the scanners.