Waiting in line for food at TCS used to mean keeping track of small physical tickets, but the recent shift to facial recognition technology has transformed the daily cafeteria routine. Eleventh grader Lorenzo Vargas has observed firsthand how the student body responded to this digital transition.

Vargas notes that the overall feedback from his peers has been overwhelmingly positive since the new scanners were installed.

“I have only heard good opinions of students; this has changed that the line is way faster and way easier,” Vargas said.

Beyond saving time, the biometric system solved a persistent daily problem for students who frequently misplaced their payment tokens.

“It was a big problem when someone lost their ficho, and now you don’t have to take care of it,” Vargas said.

Despite the obvious benefits, occasional technical glitches still occur when the scanners fail to identify a student’s face correctly.

“I think we should take photos every six months because sometimes the face ID doesn’t get your face right, and it makes a huge line,” Vargas said.

While Lorenzo highlights both the operational success and minor technical flaws of the system, upperclassmen who used the previous method agree that the overall experience is a significant upgrade. Eleventh grader Nicolas Gomez reflects on how much simpler his routine has become without physical credentials.

“Before, I always had to remember to bring my physical fichos and worry about losing or forgetting them,” Gomez said.

The physical handling of tickets used to create long bottlenecks, but optical scanning keeps the crowd moving continuously during lunch hour.

“The cafeteria line moves noticeably faster now. Scanning a face only takes a second, whereas handling tickets took more time for each student,” Gomez said.

Although the transition required an initial adjustment period, biometric recognition has established a faster, more reliable cafeteria experience.

“It feels very modern and practical, and it makes the lunch process easier for everyone once you get used to it,” Gomez said.