Lavazza Coffee by Burger King

Lavazza Coffee
$19 (regular price)
$9.5 (price if purchased with another drink)
Burger King (Tsim Sha Tsui)

Patrick and I had lunch at Burger King, which was heavily promoting its Lavazza coffee, a brand which, while prevalent in South Korea, has yet to truly penetrate the HK market. I took the plunge, paid half-price for a cup, and at last consumed a savory cup of joe. I thought it was good, and is definitely worth $9.5HKD - though I would be wary of paying its full price of $19.

Ajisen Ramen

Tenderous Ribs Fried Rice Set

$30

Ajisen Ramen (Festival Walk)

At one of the academic conferences which I attended this spring, I received a requisite goodie bag, inside of which I found a coupon booklet provided by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Generally, I am none the worse for not using coupons, my residence after all being Hong Kong - a place where neither taxes nor trade restrictions apply, and consequently all goods and services can be bought at a relative discount. Nonetheless, I flipped through the booklet and discovered a few eye-catching deals.

My hunger yesterday afternoon left me small opportunity for anything other than a meal; and as a result, the fortuitous moment was upon me. So I picked up the handy coupon booklet, and began rifling through its pages. Selecting a 10% discount coupon at Ajisen Ramen and reading the fine print on the back to ensure its acceptance at the Festival Walk outlet, I then walked out the door and wended my way up the escalators to the food court. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

The phlegmatic lady at the counter, however, wouldn't take my coupon when I tried to purchase a set meal. I had to either purchase food a la carte, or try my luck at another outlet, she said impassively. Though hiding behind a specious smile, I was a bit beside myself, because to be sure I thought this coupon would work its magic! I subsequently stepped away from the counter and positioned myself about ten feet away, my eyes still gazing on the facade before me, at which point I took out my mobile phone and called the number listed on the back of that vexing piece of paper.

The man on the other end of the line, whose ardent temperament outshone mine, quickly began troubleshooting my situation. He launched a volley of questions, and when all was answered and done, he tactfully told me that I had misread the coupon: it was valid only for use in the airport, and nowhere else! I turned over the coupon, I read the fine print more fastidiously than I had earlier in the day; and this man's elucidation hit me like a ton of bricks. That I need to read my coupons more carefully is the moral of this story.

More embarrassed than intrepid - had I used the coupon to order an item, I would have ripped off the store - I returned to the counter and ended up ordering the set meal, paying the full price. The fried rice was delicious.

Milk Drinks

Nestle chocolate milk

$3.80 (7-11s in Hong Kong)

$5.20 (Park 'N Shop in Lam Tin)

The milk drink discount card that is given annually to students in local primary and secondary schools is indeed invaluable, especially when the discount prices are measured against competitors' regular prices for the same products. Imagine saving a $1.4 on a small carton of milk - you can!

Bombay Dreams

Indian food

$928 for four people (inclusive of 10% discount)

Bombay Dreams (Tsim Sha Tsui East)

My friends and I held a farewell gathering in this dimly lit restaurant, where laughed, reminisced and feasted on a variety of scrumptious Indian cuisine. When it came time to settle the bill, my friends, who has since returned to Bombay, was able to haggle - to bargain - for the inclusion of a 10% discount. It pays to speak Hindi.