Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: Formerly Pleasanton Ca, now in Marietta Ga
10,345 posts, read 8,559,492 times
Reputation: 16679
Advertisements
I don’t know if’s the same as a box lunch. Rice, Mac salad, meat, spam . Last time I was there it was 5 bucks or so .
In new you’re I think they are locking up the spam because of theft. Who would have thought.
Does anyone really need 2 scoops rice, a scoop mac salad and 2 or 3 pieces of fried meat in one sitting ?
Inflation buster: cut the price in half by eating 1/2 today and 1/2 tomorrow.
I stopped eating plate lunch many years ago for this reason (that and they are generally unhealthy). Way too much food for an average person to consume in one sitting. And I'm 200 lbs. Average plates are 1500-1800 cals. Totally insane. If people cut the meals into two sittings or share with another they are quite reasonable.
Does anyone really need 2 scoops rice, a scoop mac salad and 2 or 3 pieces of fried meat in one sitting ?
Inflation buster: cut the price in half by eating 1/2 today and 1/2 tomorrow.
Probably not, but it's so yummy At least it can be.
When I used to get plate lunches from the Heights Drive Inn in Aiea (they sadly closed after 40 years in 2016 due to increasing business costs), they gave you so much food (over 2 pounds) that I had to split things between two meals. Most other places I get plate lunches from these days don't seem to be providing anything close to as much food as this place did.
I ALWAYS found plate lunches to be overpriced for what you get. In the majority of cases I found the quality gross, and generally unhealthy. Sure you can find exceptions.
I always bought home lunch, and for the most part, cooked most of our meals at home. I DO really miss some of the foods though.
Just talking to DH (who just returned from HI), that now I have a craving for gau gee and pork hash.... so I have to make it.
__________________ ____________________________________________
My posts as a Mod will always be in red.
Be sure to review Terms of Service: TOS
And check this out: FAQ
Moderator: Relationships Forum / Hawaii Forum / Dogs / Pets / Current Events
Probably not, but it's so yummy At least it can be.
When I used to get plate lunches from the Heights Drive Inn in Aiea (they sadly closed after 40 years in 2016 due to increasing business costs), they gave you so much food (over 2 pounds) that I had to split things between two meals. Most other places I get plate lunches from these days don't seem to be providing anything close to as much food as this place did.
Never understood the appeal. Food was gross. No one should need 2 lbs of food from The Heights. Ever.
__________________ ____________________________________________
My posts as a Mod will always be in red.
Be sure to review Terms of Service: TOS
And check this out: FAQ
Moderator: Relationships Forum / Hawaii Forum / Dogs / Pets / Current Events
Never understood the appeal. Food was gross. No one should need 2 lbs of food from The Heights. Ever.
I loved it. Their mac salad was the best I've had in Hawaii . . . I even got my old, former Japanese American landlady into it (and she generally hated those places). I would always get their combination plate, which was basically a sampling of everything I will say that since they closed I've started going to Helena's Hawaii Food and Poke On Da Run more. Get the bulk of my plate lunch from Poke On Da Run as they were better priced than Helena's, but both are still good.
I am looking forward to my return to Oahu in two months!
I loved it. Their mac salad was the best I've had in Hawaii . . . I even got my old, former Japanese American landlady into it (and she generally hated those places). I would always get their combination plate, which was basically a sampling of everything I will say that since they closed I've started going to Helena's Hawaii Food and Poke On Da Run more. Get the bulk of my plate lunch from Poke On Da Run as they were better priced than Helena's, but both are still good.
I am looking forward to my return to Oahu in two months!
Pork adobo fried rice omelet. So good, AND you can hear your arteries hardening as you eat it!
The local poke bowl places is our go-to. Fish, brown rice, and all the veggie/fruit toppings you want. A Nevada poke bowl is not related to a Hawaii poke bowl in any way shape or form. Now I'm craving Foodland poke.....
__________________ ____________________________________________
My posts as a Mod will always be in red.
Be sure to review Terms of Service: TOS
And check this out: FAQ
Moderator: Relationships Forum / Hawaii Forum / Dogs / Pets / Current Events
all other things aside (C.P), let's talk about something REALLY important - The prices of Attended Morning Production Tel-Com Monitored DTR Bucket list.
Monitored ongoing Work 2C1 Avail Michael Murphy DDG-112
. When I was home in May, I paid more than $14 on average for lunches that only a few years ago were in the $6 - $8 range. The worst was $17 for a BBQ Mix Plate at a well known drive-in - Not Rainbow (never been a big fan except for their cheeseburger - WM's is better but their prices are up and their quality is slipping too - $12 for a Double Royal, fries, and a drink now!). Aside from tourists, deep pocketed islanders, and the Mil, how long can your average local keep up with these prices? Just looking at the weekly special circulars online for the island supermarkets give me the shivers price wise. A pound of fresh (never frozen) poke is $24 take out...
Seriously, how much longer can regular folks take these price increases? You can't really blame the businesses either. The last thing they want to do is drive off customers. Don't even get me started on how they're tearing down the old 99 Ranch Market in Mapunapuna which was home to my favorite fish place (Take's) for yet ANOTHER Big Box store - Don't we have enough of them already? I don't even want to guess what the price for lunch will be in Nov when I come back...
Yes, it is unfortunate Inflation is through the roof, All prices not only food are up.
I would save up do the plate lunches a month, or the dinner meal, depending on your Income.
Just a suggestion.
Yes, it is unfortunate Inflation is through the roof, All prices not only food are up.
I would save up do the plate lunches a month, or the dinner meal, depending on your Income.
Just a suggestion.
I was watching a local news story about establishments eliminating entire sections of their menu due to increasing prices, especially for bacon and certain other meats:
Probably not, but it's so yummy At least it can be.
When I used to get plate lunches from the Heights Drive Inn in Aiea (they sadly closed after 40 years in 2016 due to increasing business costs), they gave you so much food (over 2 pounds) that I had to split things between two meals. Most other places I get plate lunches from these days don't seem to be providing anything close to as much food as this place did.
Splitting plate lunches in half always works for me. More than enough food if you're going the "Heavyweight" option. Even with the price rises, doing so makes them a reasonably priced option. I mean, regularly consuming 2 pounds of boneless chicken and gravy wit da works (think Richie's) would kill anybody but the hardest working construction type. But that's on the extreme side. Lot of (much) smaller plates featuring (much) more expensive proteins such as Kalbi, steak, seafood (have you seen the price of Mahi-mahi?) etc have skyrocketed the most. Prices for a better quality plate is approaching 20 bucks including tax (hope Green is serious about getting rid of the food tax). The price increases will continue to drive the folks who can afford the least towards the most unhealthy (albeit LARGE) offerings which will predictably result in more long term health issues for this demographic.
I always shake my head when I see the price of island grown fruits and veggies vs imported ones. This is Hawaii, you can plant a broomstick and it'll grow (actually happened). Why should local produce be so much more expensive (rhetorical question - we already know why). Goes to back to lack of affordability for quality fresh foods for low income consumers which means they're going to eat more cheap junk instead (yes, I know, it's also a cultural thing - "In Hawaii, we don't eat till we FULL Bra, we eat till we TIAHED!!! ) Problem is, we're no longer a plantation based economy with the hard work that requires tons of calories to fuel. People on average are pretty sedentary nowadays and it's tough to work off that (delicious) mixed plate
. It's still very possible to pick lower calorie options though. You can go to hot lines at supermarkets and assemble a pretty healthy meal for a reasonable price (WV noted this earlier). Foodland and Times Markets has good options through the week for example.
Don Q's (which owns Times and Marukai) is where I usually go but it can get expensive quick (like Okazuya's nowadays - 21 bucks last time I went to Nuuanu!) if you want a quarter pound of fresh (not pre frozen) poke or a little tray of sashimi, along with a beef or seafood option think 30 bucks - for a lunch! Despite the discussion arguing the caloric and health merits (or lack of) of the beloved Plate Lunch, my post was actually more about the increasing lack of affordability in Hawaii. There's the global "Big Mac Index", in Hawaii, there's the "Plate Lunch Index". It's climbing like a homesick angel and shows no sign of leveling off. How much longer can your average citizen here (not just at the lower economic spectrum - our best educated folks are leaving in droves too and have been for years - I did) make ends meet here before they light out for the mainland or "9th Island"? I think the last census count showed a net decrease in the 10K range. If the trend continues, it's going to hollow out the population demographics to: The Rich, the Military, .Gov workers, and then the very poor... Not a very good balance there. More like a third world demographic.
Want to know what prices are like here in the Deep South to compare (with comparable per capita incomes)? I own and maintain a nice 2100 ft home on 1/2 acre in my town as well as rent a 1 bedroom apartment close to the beach in Florida for $2200 a month... Total. That would barely rent a nice studio in most parts of HNL... Utilities? Add $350 a month. Funny thing though, I'm still gonna sell out and move back, hey! It's home!
V/R
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
At least it can be. 
I will say that since they closed I've started going to Helena's Hawaii Food and Poke On Da Run more. Get the bulk of my plate lunch from Poke On Da Run as they were better priced than Helena's, but both are still good. 
So good, AND you can hear your arteries hardening as you eat it!
