Where the Money Actually Comes From
Software isn't free to build or run. When a platform is free for schools, that cost is typically recovered through a fee charged to vendors or restaurants on each order — meaning it indirectly affects the vendors' margins, even if parents and schools never see a direct charge. Petit Lunch is upfront about this trade-off rather than presenting "free" as if there's no cost anywhere in the system.
Questions Worth Asking
- What fee does the platform charge vendors, and is it disclosed clearly?
- Does "free" apply to every feature, or only a basic tier?
- Can the school choose its own vendors, or only ones already in the platform's network?
- Is there a cost if the school later wants to switch platforms — is order/student data portable?
Petit Lunch's Model
Petit Lunch is free for schools, funded by a transaction fee charged to vendors through Stripe Connect — not a hidden or undisclosed cost, and not tied to a fixed restaurant network. Schools can work with any local food vendor.
"Ask any platform to state its vendor fee plainly, in writing, before you sign anything — if it can't, that's the answer."
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "free for schools" software actually free?
Free for the school, typically — but the platform still needs revenue from somewhere, usually a fee charged to the vendors fulfilling orders. It's worth understanding that fee structure before assuming there's no cost anywhere in the system. Petit Lunch is free for schools in exactly this sense — funded by a vendor transaction fee rather than a school-facing charge.
Do vendors pay more on a "free" platform than a paid one?
It depends on the specific platform's fee structure — a paid (school-funded) platform may charge vendors less or nothing, since the school is already covering costs directly.
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