A "Scarlet P" as it were isn't defensible, but a name-only system seems ripe for abuse. Unless the employee can keep track of every student, all it takes is a greedy and/or cruel student to use someone else's name and they don't get a lunch that day.
Best method, imo, is free lunch for every student. No fuss, no muss. That children are held responsible for the economic welfare of their family (and there are people fighting to keep it that way) is atrocious. Just feed the children, easy as.
How old could a millennial be, Michael? 7?