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Verified 13 September 2026

Topping up your child’s Tap2Eat meal wallet

By Josephine Njeri · Tap2Eat and Dishi na County hub · paybillke is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Tap2Eat and Dishi na County.

M-PESA, Lipa na M-PESA, Pay Bill, business number 956781, account is the phone number you registered with Tap2Eat, then the amount and your PIN. The paybill belongs to the Food for Education Foundation, which is what the confirmation SMS will name.

The account field is your number, not your child’s name

This is the one that goes wrong. The account is the Safaricom number registered on the Tap2Eat account, not the child’s name, not their admission number, and not whichever handset you happen to be paying from. If you pay from a different line without changing the account field, the money still needs that registered number to find the right wallet.

Step by step

  1. Open M-PESA and choose Lipa na M-PESA, then Pay Bill.
  2. Business number: 956781.
  3. Account number: your registered Safaricom number.
  4. Enter the amount. Meals run roughly KES 15 to 45 a day depending on the school and county, so parents commonly load a week or a month at a time.
  5. Enter your PIN and confirm. The confirmation should name the Food for Education Foundation.

Money is only taken when the child eats

This is the reassuring part and it is worth knowing before you load a larger amount. Funds are deducted when the child taps and is served, not on a schedule. If your child is away sick, or it is half term, the balance simply stays there. Loading a month up front does not mean losing a month’s worth if attendance is patchy.

It is fully cashless, including the wristband

Tap2Eat does not take cash for meals, and it does not take cash for a replacement wristband either. The first wristband is free. If one is lost, report it through the school lead or the helpline rather than paying anyone at the gate: a request for cash in this system is a red flag, not a process.

Registration goes through the school

Parents cannot self-enrol online. Registration happens through the child’s school on the school’s form, and the phone number you give there becomes the account number you will use forever afterwards. If your number changes, tell the school, because the paybill account follows the registered number rather than you.

About this page

paybillke is an independent payments directory and is not Tap2Eat, Food4Education or Nairobi County. Checked against tap2eat.org on 20 September 2026. Always confirm the paybill (956781) on your M-PESA screen before sending. Programme reach and meal prices change as the scheme expands, so treat figures here as indicative.

Frequently asked

What is the Tap2Eat paybill?

956781, which belongs to the Food for Education Foundation.

What account number do I use for Tap2Eat?

The Safaricom number registered on the Tap2Eat account, not the child’s name or admission number.

How much are Tap2Eat meals?

Roughly KES 15 to 45 a day depending on the school and county.

Does unused balance expire?

No. Money is deducted only when your child taps and is served, so an unused balance stays on the account.

Can I pay cash for school meals instead?

No. Tap2Eat is fully cashless, including wristband replacement. Anyone asking for cash is not following the process.

How do I register for Tap2Eat?

Through your child’s school, on the school’s form. Parents cannot self-enrol online.