Blach Hot Lunch FAQ

Q: What days are lunch served?

A: Lunch is served daily, Monday - Friday, during the Fall & Spring Lunch Session Start & End Dates EXCEPT for school holidays and minimum days.

Q: How do I order lunch for my child?

A: Please use the Online Order Form. (Use one online order form per student.)

Q: What food is offered during lunch?

A: Please see our online menu. The menu repeats on a two-week cycle EXCEPT for Mondays & Fridays which are on a three-week cycle.

Q: Who are the vendors, and where are they located?

A: Please see our online menu for a vendor listing per day. All vendors are located in Los Altos EXCEPT for the following:

• Daphne’s Greek Cafe, Sunnyvale
• House of Bagels, Mountain View
• Le Boulanger, Cupertino
• Smoothie King, Sunnyvale

Q: How do I pay for Hot Lunch?

A: After entering your order online, your total payment will automatically be calculated. You may pay using either:

• PayPal (preferred). No paper copies are required. More details about PayPal are below.

• Check (made out to "Blach PTA"). More details are below.

Q: I've never used PayPal before. Please explain what I need to do.

A: Each lunch order will be paid individually with a separate credit card transaction. At this time we don't have "shopping cart" capabilities that would allow you to pay for more than one order in a single transaction. However, it is fairly easy to pay through PayPal, and even easier if you have a PayPal account.

After placing your order online and hitting the "Place Order" button, the order confirmation page will show you a "PayPal Buy Now" button. Clicking on this button will take you to the PayPal website. You will see the "Checkout" page at the site. It will show you the dollar amount that you are required to pay. This page has instructions for both options - having an existing PayPal account or paying without a PayPal account.

Once you have completed all the steps for the transaction, the "Continue" or "Return to Merchant" button will return you to the last Hot Lunch order page, and you are finished. PayPal will send you a confirming email (at the address you provide) containing the details of the transaction; this will include your Hot Lunch order number as the "Item/Product Number". Please save this email as a receipt of your payment.

This transaction will appear on your credit card statement as "PAYPAL * BLACHSCHOOL".

Q: Are credit cards that only way I can use PayPal?

A: If you are opening a new PayPal account, you also have the option of paying directly from your bank account. However, for this to work, you will have to set up the PayPal account 2 - 3 days before placing the Hot Lunch order. If you have questions about credit card payments, please contact our Hot Lunch Payment Volunteer, Geetu Verma.

To find out more about PayPal and to open a new account, visit http://www.paypal.com/.

Q: I know PayPal is preferred, but I have to pay by check. Can you explain the process in more detail?

A: After ordering, print out your order form and submit it with payment to the Blach office. There is a wooden box on the counter for all PTA forms and payments. If you can't print the form, simply record the order number(s) on your check, and drop it off in the office. You may combine payment for several orders. Make your check payable to "Blach PTA".

Q: What if I make a mistake on my order form?

A: If you have not paid, just start another order. Be sure to reference the correct order number on your check. If you already paid by PayPal, contact our Hot Lunch Payment Volunteer, Geetu Verma.

Q: How do I keep track of what days my child has lunch?

A: You can create a Personalized Lunch Calendar for your child.

Q: Why can't I order after the deadline?

A: Late orders cannot be accepted. We need adequate time to process the orders, generate student lists, and give final numbers to the vendors. Complete payments need to be received on the due date (prior to start of Hot Lunch) to confirm your child's order.

Q: What happens to the lunches that my child misses?

A: Lunch cannot be held past noontime for health regulations. If your child misses hot lunch due to illness, vacation, or field trip, please consider it a donation to the PTA. Refunds cannot be given.

Q: I'm confused about the Servings Per Day and Price Per Serving for Dates Shown columns on the Online Order Form.

A: When ordering an entree, you will be ordering it for all times it is offered. For example, if you are ordering pepperoni pizza, you will be ordering it for all the dates listed. Your only decision is how many slices to order per day. The dollar amount shown on the order form is the price for one serving per day.

Q: How can I help support other students who need financial assistant to get hot lunch?

A: You can help by contributing to the PTA Hot Lunch Scholarship Fund. You can enter any number in the "servings" column to contribute any multiple of $10. Thank you!