COVID-19 UPDATE In this Age of COVID-19 people think I'm a "cheapskate", when it comes to food. My friends and family think I'm a "tightass" because they think I only buy food that is cheap. I admit that I do look for bargains but to be labelled a "cheapskate" or "tightass" are misleading and unmerited. For me, I think of myself as a "Food Investment Analyst" or "FIA", which sounds way better than "tightass" or "cheapskate." I hunt for value and "cheap" is only one of the evaluation components in my food investment analysis. Let give you an example of the difference between a "cheapskate" or "tightass" and a FIA. Times Supermarket Beretania has a food service area called Taste of Times. They sell a pre-packaged bento called "Donburi Fishcake" for $3.59. A cheapskate would look at their menu board and consider price first. A cheapskate would look at all the pre-made bentos and again look at price first. After finding the cheapest item, which would be the Donburi Fishcake which is prewrapped with a napkin and chopstick; they would ask the person behind the counter for two more napkins and two more chopsticks because they want something free. They would head for the self checkout station; pay in cash and take all the change. This is even if the change is two pennies. And for your information, cheapskates never pay with a credit card. A Food Investment Analyst on the other hand would see this Donburi for $3.59 and keep it in their mind. They would scan all the pre-made bentos and then look at the impressive menu board on the back wall of where Taste of Times sells hot food. In their evaluation they know that pre-made means cold and menu board means hot. They also know the difference between "Plate" and "Portion." Plate means includes choice of three sides and a drink (a can soda or bottle water). They would know that Times Supermarket is owned by Don Quijote and Don Quijote sells meals that do not include sides or drinks and DQ plate lunches sell for over $9.00. They also know that the menu board may not include the daily specials. The daily specials are posted on a paper menu taped on the right sneeze guard window and include additional "Plate" meal options. On Tuesday's the special includes Pastele Stew for $6.99. The FIA performs the mouthwatering test by picking up, looking and smelling the Donburi and then goes to the hot food section and ask the server behind the counter to lift the lid of the stew container so that they can see the pastele stew. If the FIA's mouth waters when looking or smelling the Donburi, they would automatically buy the Donburi because it's so cheap. But let's say the FIA's mouth doesn't water for both the Donburi and the Pastele Stew Plate. "Cheap" is then an evaluating factor; hot or cold is a factor; weight is a factor; sides are a factor; drink is a factor; taste is a factor. The final decision to purchase is multifactorial and more complex. Evaluation, experience, memory and an overall understanding of what is available at other food places in Honolulu are all part of the analysis by a professional FIA. A Food Investment Analyst mind is able to process all the evaluation points quickly and efficiently and come up with a "Best Value" decision. In this particular example, a Food Investment Analyst would buy the Pastele Stew Plate for $6.99 because it is a better overall "best value" for the price. In this example, I the Food Investment Analyst always order this Pastele Stew special every Tuesday at Taste of Times. I get one scoop brown rice and two scoops hot vegetables and a can of Diet Pepsi. The server assembles my Pastele Stew Plate and Saran Wrap the box and puts on a barcode sticker for scanning. I take the neatly wrapped Pastele Stew and drink to the self checkout station and scan the barcode on the wrap but do not scan the can soda. I would push "0" bags and in
A D.
Ordered the daily special at Times Beretania location which was the steak plate and also the beef brisket. It was good from what my family stated to me. The brisket was perfect and tender and not overcooked or dry, thank goodness. The lady at the counter said it's a process for making the brisket and smoked flavor was good according to my family. The only thing I wished they offered but they didn't have was the potato wedges and they said each plate includes 3 sides but only had limited choice, green salad , rice and hot steamed vegetables.. Otherwise it's tasty!
Reasonably priced plate lunch with drink in town.
Good grinds ?
COVID-19 UPDATE In this Age of COVID-19 people think I'm a "cheapskate", when it comes to food. My friends and family think I'm a "tightass" because they think I only buy food that is cheap. I admit that I do look for bargains but to be labelled a "cheapskate" or "tightass" are misleading and unmerited. For me, I think of myself as a "Food Investment Analyst" or "FIA", which sounds way better than "tightass" or "cheapskate." I hunt for value and "cheap" is only one of the evaluation components in my food investment analysis. Let give you an example of the difference between a "cheapskate" or "tightass" and a FIA. Times Supermarket Beretania has a food service area called Taste of Times. They sell a pre-packaged bento called "Donburi Fishcake" for $3.59. A cheapskate would look at their menu board and consider price first. A cheapskate would look at all the pre-made bentos and again look at price first. After finding the cheapest item, which would be the Donburi Fishcake which is prewrapped with a napkin and chopstick; they would ask the person behind the counter for two more napkins and two more chopsticks because they want something free. They would head for the self checkout station; pay in cash and take all the change. This is even if the change is two pennies. And for your information, cheapskates never pay with a credit card. A Food Investment Analyst on the other hand would see this Donburi for $3.59 and keep it in their mind. They would scan all the pre-made bentos and then look at the impressive menu board on the back wall of where Taste of Times sells hot food. In their evaluation they know that pre-made means cold and menu board means hot. They also know the difference between "Plate" and "Portion." Plate means includes choice of three sides and a drink (a can soda or bottle water). They would know that Times Supermarket is owned by Don Quijote and Don Quijote sells meals that do not include sides or drinks and DQ plate lunches sell for over $9.00. They also know that the menu board may not include the daily specials. The daily specials are posted on a paper menu taped on the right sneeze guard window and include additional "Plate" meal options. On Tuesday's the special includes Pastele Stew for $6.99. The FIA performs the mouthwatering test by picking up, looking and smelling the Donburi and then goes to the hot food section and ask the server behind the counter to lift the lid of the stew container so that they can see the pastele stew. If the FIA's mouth waters when looking or smelling the Donburi, they would automatically buy the Donburi because it's so cheap. But let's say the FIA's mouth doesn't water for both the Donburi and the Pastele Stew Plate. "Cheap" is then an evaluating factor; hot or cold is a factor; weight is a factor; sides are a factor; drink is a factor; taste is a factor. The final decision to purchase is multifactorial and more complex. Evaluation, experience, memory and an overall understanding of what is available at other food places in Honolulu are all part of the analysis by a professional FIA. A Food Investment Analyst mind is able to process all the evaluation points quickly and efficiently and come up with a "Best Value" decision. In this particular example, a Food Investment Analyst would buy the Pastele Stew Plate for $6.99 because it is a better overall "best value" for the price. In this example, I the Food Investment Analyst always order this Pastele Stew special every Tuesday at Taste of Times. I get one scoop brown rice and two scoops hot vegetables and a can of Diet Pepsi. The server assembles my Pastele Stew Plate and Saran Wrap the box and puts on a barcode sticker for scanning. I take the neatly wrapped Pastele Stew and drink to the self checkout station and scan the barcode on the wrap but do not scan the can soda. I would push "0" bags and in
Ordered the daily special at Times Beretania location which was the steak plate and also the beef brisket. It was good from what my family stated to me. The brisket was perfect and tender and not overcooked or dry, thank goodness. The lady at the counter said it's a process for making the brisket and smoked flavor was good according to my family. The only thing I wished they offered but they didn't have was the potato wedges and they said each plate includes 3 sides but only had limited choice, green salad , rice and hot steamed vegetables.. Otherwise it's tasty!
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