Hacks for Eating at Premium Steamboat Joints in Singapore
In Singapore, there are plenty of “PREMIUM” steamboat joints around, offering good and tasty food, and not forgetting, excellent dining experience too 🙂
These “PREMIUM” steamboat restaurants even offer extra FREE perks (or some call gimmicks) to “lure” diners, such as loaning free jacket (if you are feeling cold when eating steamboat, I wonder why???) or help you put on an apron to prevent stains or smell, and even various phone chargers to “refill” your smartphone too.. and oh ya, FREE WiFi connection too 🙂
However, such unique premium services come with a price, a STEEP one! (at least if you bother to compare prices with those “conventional” ones)
As a smart diner, what can we do to take FULL advantage for the money paid 🙂
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- FREE Smartphone Screen Protection Film
Some “premium” steamboat restaurants offer FREE smartphone screen protection film for your precious phone.. Yes! it’s COMPLETELY FREE!
They even help you to peel off your old film, clean the screen, and paste it for you, while you are happily enjoying your delicious steamboat.
A quick check in local mobile shop, such typical film costs about S$10 to $18 each (+/-).
HACK: Before going for your steamboat “date”, gather all your friends or colleagues’ smartphone, tell them you are offering screen protection film replacement at only S$5 each!
That way, you can truly enjoy your steamboat session, knowing that it is being paid for, and you might be able to profit from it too! 😉
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2. FREE Ice Cream
Some outlets are giving FREE ice cream in tiny-tubs..
Diners are free to take it from the restaurant’s freezer at any time, the freezer are normally located at the exits of the restaurants..
HACK: Ensure you have bring a reasonable-size bag with a “cooler bag” hidden within.
When no one is watching you, just casually walk up to the freezer, and grab a few and stuff it into your bag (be discreet!).
Each tiny-tub is about 70-80 cents, to a dollar (SGD) in Singapore, which you can easily sell it to your friend at 50% price.
Or you can simply keep it in your home freezer, and enjoy it at a later time 🙂
(*Disclaimer: We DO NOT encourage theft, such hack should only be initiated if there are NO expressed notice against diners taking more than one ice-cream tub)
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3. FREE Toothpicks
Once upon a time, a senior “Minister” ever told local reporters, praising the quality of the toothpicks (those sealed in paper wraps) from a famous restaurant in Singapore.
He even openly said that he always take a “HALF A BOX” each time he visited the said restaurant.
Which means to say, some toothpicks are worth taking 🙂
A check in local supermarket finds a typical box of “normal” toothpicks range from about 80 cents to $2.00 (+/-).
HACK: Since a Minister can do it, just openly tell the staffs that you think their toothpicks are of good quality, and ask for a few boxes! 🙂
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4. FREE Popcorn or Tidbits
A few “premium” steamboat joints even offer free “after-meal” sealed tidbits or popcorns, that diners can take home or eat onsite.
Most of them do not set any limit on the quantity a customer can take.
HACK: Be thick-skin, just ask for a couple more of these treats!
You can eat it slowly, or simply sell to your friends at a reasonable price!
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5. FREE Cleaning Wipes
A few steamboat restaurants offer unlimted FREE cleaning wipes (those in nicely packed plastic bag), or even smartphone screen wipes too.
Such “single-sheet” cleaning wipe is pretty handy and easy to carry around in tiny handbag or wallets, for normal or emergency use.
HACK: Just grab as many as you can manage, and give them a BIG SMILE 🙂
These “HACKS” are just some brilliant ways you can make your steamboat dining experiences, a lot more pleasing, cost-effective or even profitable!
However, in promoting a more gracious society, some form of considerate restraints are always recommended.
Lastly, always be appreciative and always THANK YOUR WAITERS AND WAITRESSES! 🙂