Jason and the others watched closely, observing how the cafeteria operated. They saw people step up to the counter and point at the dishes they wanted. A staff member behind the counter would scoop generous portions onto a plate, place it on a tray, and move on to the next item until the tray was full.
At the end of the counter, the diners would hand over a stamped and signed paper currency to the cashier. If any change was due, the cashier would return a similar paper slip with the appropriate amount, functioning just like real money.
Once their meals were paid for, people found a seat and began to eat.
The entire system was smooth, efficient, and well-organized—completely different from the chaos they were used to back in their old camp. There, food distribution was centralized, meals were handed out in rations, and most people simply wandered aimlessly, paralyzed by fear.
