Order windows and deadlines

Each month has an ordering window — the period when you can place and change orders for that month.

When it opens

The window opens when your school publishes the month's lunch schedule. You'll receive an "Ordering is open" email, and your dashboard will show a Place Orders button. There's no fixed calendar date — it opens whenever the school publishes.

One thing has to happen first: the new school year must be open. The school often builds and publishes September's menu over the summer, before the year itself starts — during that stretch the order page says No school year is running right now, even though the menu exists. Ordering and wallet top-ups both open together when the school opens the year. You'll get the usual "Ordering is open" email for each month once that has happened.

When it closes

The school sets a closing date for each month; you can see it on the order page, and on the dashboard's Place Orders card until you've ordered. One reminder email is sent at 5pm on the Wednesday before the window closes (this is an optional email — see Managing email preferences). If that send is delayed, or the window was opened after that Wednesday, the reminder goes out on a following evening instead — still only once, and never after the window has closed.

After it closes

Orders for that month are locked. You can still open My Orders to review what you ordered, but you can't make changes. If you missed the deadline, see I missed the order window.