Hastings Boys’ High School, which offers all of its 800 students free lunches, has now banned them from ordering takeout.

Uber Eats offers in Hastings are: McDonald’s, Carl’s Jr, KFC, Pizza Hut, Subway to Burger King, to name a few.

For some students, this seems more appealing than school lunches where they get spaghetti and meatballs, sandwiches and bits of fruit.

Over the past month, many have ordered on Uber Eats for their lunchtime meal.

But the school has put its foot down, sending a message to parents and carers yesterday.

“Over the past few weeks, we have had an increase in the number of Uber Eats delivering at lunchtime,” the post read.

“It has also resulted in an increase in the number of cars arriving on site to deliver food etc. After discussing this issue with the principal, the decision was made not to allow Uber Eats at school.

“With the school lunch program and the school canteen, there is more than enough food available for students. Any Uber Eats entering the school grounds after August 17 will be confiscated”.

RNZ spoke to students outside of school.

Some said they had Uber Eats because they were “hungry”.

“I love school food, but sometimes I’m even hungrier because we’re growing kids,” said one student who got pizza, fries and a McDonald’s from Uber Eats.

Another student got Uber Eats “because we get good nutrition.” The student described the school’s food as “good, but not up to certain standards – [not] good tasting food. The sandwiches are poor, terrible, they are atrocious.”

Then a member of staff came, sending RNZ to manager Rob Sturch’s office.

Sturch spoke to RNZ, but would not be recorded.

Hastings Boys’ High pioneered free lunches – and many other schools had visited for ideas, Sturch said.

A lot of work had been done to provide the boys with healthy lunches and they met all dietary requirements, he said.

The president of the Federation of New Zealand Head Teachers, Cherie Taylor-Patel, did not believe the practice of students getting Uber Eats was widespread across the country.

“Once in a while you get students thinking of something to do and they go off and do it. When schools find out, they have to put the appropriate measures in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”