That suggestion defeats the purpose. The thing is schools are supposed to provide meals to students (at no cost), so if you're bringing your own lunch you're not saving your money, you saving the school money.
If you take the money that the school gives you and make your own lunch for less money than the restaurants charge, that's better than a free lunch, since you have more money.
The cards are locked to a few restaurants.
Only on the summer as the school does not allow eating anything other than what the cafeteria serves in the buildings. The lunch cards are restricted to certain restaurants only.
Wow, banning people from bringing their own lunches to eat for lunch seems quite weird to me. Over-regulate much?
Yes. But that's what they do. It's a trend. The programing teacher also forces one editor on all students. You can't even rest fruits in school.