How to Stretch your Dollar when ordering æ‚èœé¥
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Visit the stall near the end of lunch/dinner time.
Sure, some of the dishes may be sold out, but there will also be plenty of other dishes still available. Since the stall owner can't keep the dishes until the next lunch/dinner time, it is in his interest to give away larger portions so that he won't need to deal with leftovers later.
Get your guy colleague to order for you.
This only applies to girls. Stall owners tend to give a smaller portion to girls compared to guys. However, they charge the same price for both. So it is more value for money for a guy to place the order on behalf of the girl so as to receive a larger portion.
Ask for 'more rice' instead of 'add rice'.
Most stall owners will interpret 'more rice' as a larger scoop of rice which will result in more rice. This is generally free. However, 'add rice' entails adding a second scoop of rice to the first, and this generally cost additional money.
Make sure the stall owner has space to serve.
In many mixed vege stalls, there are usually two or more people serving dishes as the same time. When you are ordering, make sure to order dishes that are near the person serving you so that he won't have to stretch over his co-worker to reach your dish. If he is stretching to reach your dish, he probably won't give you more than usual serving since it is that much of a hassle.
Order the meat first.
This is to create a good impression with the stall owner. By ordering the meat first, your are signaling to the stall owner that you will not be ordering the cheapest items on the menu. This puts the owner in a better mood, so he may give you a larger serving.
Order 1 dish at a time and wait until he finished serving.
Point to your first dish, then wait until the stall owner finish serving it before pointing to the next dish. Do not rush him. Often, the stall owner needs time to gauge the portion of food to serve. If you give him sufficient time, it is likely that he will give you a larger than standard portion. Hurrying him results in less than standard portions.
Pause in between ordering dishes.
Pretend to ponder in between dishes. This gives more time for the stall owner to serve your previous dish which likely will result in a larger portion. When he is finished and noticed that you are still pondering overyour next order, he may feel bored and add a few more slices of your previous dish while waiting for you to make your next choice.
Order the same dish twice.
Use this technique very sparingly. After order a dish, pretend to look distracted and point to the same dish again. The stall owner will likely tell you that he has already served that dish. However, occasionally, he may instinctively go through the motion of serving the dish again and make your portion slightly larger, all for the same price.
Order dishes that are about to run out.
It takes practice to estimate, but it is worth picking dishes that are left with about 1.5 to 2 portions. Chances are, that if there is only about 1.5 to 2 portions of the dish left, the stall owner will think 'what-the-heck' and just give you everything. The good is that you get extra servings, the bad is that sauces right at the bottom of the tray are very salty.
Order vege dishes that contain meat sauces.
Some vege dishes have some meat in it to bring out the additional flavour. But it is sold at the price of vege becos the meat is usually in small amounts and only present in the sauce. Tofu dishes are an example of such. By ordering such dishes, you are getting some serving of meat for the price of vege. Nice.
Do not order meat dishes that contain vegetables.
These dishes count as meat but is usual half served with vegetables. It is very not worthwhile, do not order it. An example is the stir fried venison with leek. Go for fully meat dishes instead.
Ask for curry sauce.
Many a time, when you ask for curry sauce, some other ingredients in the curry sauce will find its way onto your rice, such as small pieces of chicken or potato. Cabbage curry sauce will probably bring you some cabbages and longbeans. And it's free.
Ask for meat sauces.
As mentioned earlier, some sauces are cooked with minced meat. It is near impossible to separate the mince meat from the sauce. So if you ask for meat sauces, you will definitely receive some serving of meat with it. And it's free.
Become a regular customer.
Talk to the stall owner on occasions. With good rapport, the stall owner will recognize you as a regular customer and will naturally give you extra servings the next time you visit. -
i just need to smile and bat my eyelids to the ah beng and i get alotta liao and at a discounted price
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you very chio is it?
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I saw it myself, some no need do anything and by the good figure they have some hawkers will give more dishes to them.
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no, im fat and poor.
tts why i get a lotta liao and discount -
Stooky lives!
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the person who wrote that must be a cheapskate......and fireice, stop that false show of modesty lol.
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Originally posted by Kuali Baba:
Stooky lives!
stooky???maybe...
I saw the same article on HWZ quite sometime ago le... supposely taken from a facebook post or something...
Does stooky have facebook????
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whoever wrote that must have had a lot of practice.
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Just visit any shipyard canteen in singapore during lunch time, and you know what is stretching your dollar.
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Times are bad.
We need to eat more to have more energy to be Cheaper, Better and Faster.
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not all your tricks work
I like economic rice because it provides variety..However, it's always quite expensive when I order 2 meat and 2 vegetables or probably 2 meat (drum stick and a fish ) and 1 veggie
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actually there is only ONE WAY to get more out from a STall.....
Everyday go to the same store....make friends with the owner. Trust me u get better portion.
Here is a true story from a Veg Rice hawker store owner.
There is this Middle Age man come to the store everyday for lunch. He order 1 Veg and 1 Egg. Without Fail.
Than come jun he only order 1 Veg. One day the owner was curious asked the old man.....He replied Saved up for money so that he can buy Durain for his children.
The store owner was touch gave him bigger portion of veg and rice for him.....
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go malay stall speak malay, u get more food
go indian stall speak tamil, u get more food
go hokkien stall speak hokkien, u get more food
go cantonese stall speak cantonese, u get more food
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If you do this....
the hawker definitely will not accept......your $ note....
maybe... you can use it as your bow-tie...
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Teach you how. If you are guy, always approach the aunty to serve you. And you must dress very smart and handsome. She tend to be soft-hearted and give you more serving.
If you met a malaysian guy, you must not comb your hair. Wear 2 dollar slipper, wear round neck T-shirt that wash 100 times later and wear a short. Look tired. From their point of view, you look worse than you. Naturally, they pity you and give you more servings and charge u cheaper.For ladies, Just be your prettiest and sound very weak and sweet. Put on some good perfume for the cai fun guy to smell. Smoothing their mood. They will give you more and maybe free without charging. Happen you met an aunty, I dunno how you going to impress her.
I am a guy, so whenever i visit the stall. I will always look for the aunty that serve me. Going downstair to have dinner, i will dress like only have 2 dollar in my pocket like that to impress the malaysian worker.
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"Get your guy colleague to order for you.
This only applies to girls. Stall owners tend to give a smaller portion to girls compared to guys. However, they charge the same price for both. So it is more value for money for a guy to place the order on behalf of the girl so as to receive a larger portion."I dun agreed to get a guy colleague. If you are working in the factory. Ask your Factory AH NEI to go pack for you. Naturally, you got more rice for free and larger servings and more curry for your food. :D
I always ask ah nei to help me to buy.
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Originally posted by Itedino:
Teach you how. If you are guy, always approach the aunty to serve you. And you must dress very smart and handsome. She tend to be soft-hearted and give you more serving.
If you met a malaysian guy, you must not comb your hair. Wear 2 dollar slipper, wear round neck T-shirt that wash 100 times later and wear a short. Look tired. From their point of view, you look worse than you. Naturally, they pity you and give you more servings and charge u cheaper.For ladies, Just be your prettiest and sound very weak and sweet. Put on some good perfume for the cai fun guy to smell. Smoothing their mood. They will give you more and maybe free without charging. Happen you met an aunty, I dunno how you going to impress her.
I am a guy, so whenever i visit the stall. I will always look for the aunty that serve me. Going downstair to have dinner, i will dress like only have 2 dollar in my pocket like that to impress the malaysian worker.
must look real cheap lah.
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If you wish to stretch your dollars and 1.80 to 2 even further. My advice to you. Ask an AH NEI to pack for you inside Primary school after the lunch period. More cheaper, more rice, more ingredient, Free ingredients and more sauce. Better you pass your bigger lunch pack to the an nei to da bao for you. :D
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Originally posted by Arapahoe:
actually there is only ONE WAY to get more out from a STall.....
Everyday go to the same store....make friends with the owner. Trust me u get better portion.
Here is a true story from a Veg Rice hawker store owner.
There is this Middle Age man come to the store everyday for lunch. He order 1 Veg and 1 Egg. Without Fail.
Than come jun he only order 1 Veg. One day the owner was curious asked the old man.....He replied Saved up for money so that he can buy Durain for his children.
The store owner was touch gave him bigger portion of veg and rice for him.....
true....you don't even have to open your mouth to order....they know the dishes u want, although can be a prob if u want to change dishes one day...
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How about at KFC how to get all big pieces?
Aunties usually gives big pieces to guys. Two pieces = One thigh, one drumstick
Girls usually give small pieces. Two pieces = One wing, one drumstick.
Fat Malay guy must watch out. Two pieces = two wings!
If buy take away, must check before leaving counter.
Eat in, must make request to change the pieces.
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Man.. there is being cheap.. and really being an annoying cheap arse...
lol
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????u people begging for food next ???hey....why dun u all go cook it yerself....
1 huge pack rice =$1 =3 bowls rice
microwaved kfc =$2 for 1
total=$3
or 3 slice bacon =0.60cents
and 2 shing shiong burger=0.80cents
1 pack rice= $1
total=$2.40