Customer Service with Heart

The holidays bring excitement, special events, and moments of joy—but they also bring stress. Routines change, classrooms feel different, and emotions run higher for both students and staff. Some students carry worries we never see, and many struggle with the unpredictability this season brings. In the middle of all that, the cafeteria becomes one of the most steady, comforting places in their day. That’s why the holiday season is a time when school nutrition teams should double down on customer service.

Customer Service

When everything else in a child's world feels rushed and emotionally heavy, eating in the cafeteria is the one part of the day that feels stable. It’s a place where adults are predictable, kind, and glad to see them. Holiday stress affects kids' behavior, patience and emotional regulation. During a season that isn’t joyful for everyone, your customer service can afford them a space to exhale.

It’s also a time when enforcing rules can feel harder. Students are distracted or emotionally stretched, and repeating “You need a fruit or veggie” can wear down even the most patient team. Staff feel that same emotional load—extra tasks, special menus, holiday energy, and personal stress outside of work. A little backup goes a long way, and that’s where having fun becomes powerful.

Fun Makes It Easier on Everyone

Enter the Tray Inspector Unit. With sunglasses, badges, shirts, stickers, and a playful attitude, staff shift from being rule enforcers to part of a fun experience. Instead of feeling strict about the regulation to take a fruit or veggie, it becomes a game. Students love a mission and earning “Tray Inspector Approved” stickers and many start reminding each other to grab a fruit or veggie. Use this toolkit or create your own.

Final Thoughts

Kids don't always remember rules and regulations. But, they do remember how you made them feel. Your influence is bigger than you think. Your words and demeanor shape how students feel about food. This is why you shouldn't say, "I don't care if you eat it, you just have to take it!"

Even when you're exhausted. Even when it’s the 200th time. Instead, embrace your role as an influencer and offer positive encouragement that builds lifetime habits like, "Pick the one you like best" or "Grab something that makes you run faster."

You’re not jut serving food.

You’re helping students feel seen, supported, and welcome—right when they need it most.