not-so-hot foods counter

<p>I don't always risk buying lunch from pick and pay at Stellenbosch square anymore, but over the past 4 years I have tried it on a number of occasions, and I've decided that I will occasionally try it to see if it has improved. Today was such a day. Here's what I found:</p> <p> <br />1) On your staffed hot-foods counter next to the entrance, staff are always friendly and helpful. But I don't always feel like eating a chicken thigh/drumstick that's floating on a layer of oil. And I had a bad experience with the fish once that meant I needed to stay within metres of a loo. The calamari, when available, is sometimes chewy and has a slight aftertaste (the oil?) although I have enjoyed it many times. So we've come to calling your shop "chicken pay" due to the predominant food. Today, I skipped past the chicken counter and moved onto the hot foods self service.</p> <p><br />2) On the self-service hot foods counter, there are still no labels. When it was introduced around 3 years ago, I spoke to the store manager and suggested some labels. It's after all difficult to distinguish between chicken pie, veggie pie, and road**** surprise until you cut into it and expose the meaty substance inside. Ditto on the veg - is it butternut, or sweet potato? And how much soya is in the mince? Are the crispy strips chicken or fish? What about people with allergies to fish, nuts, etc? (not me, mind you). At the time he said the labels would be coming in a couple of weeks...</p> <p> </p> <p>3) I took a piece of cauliflower and some other veg from the collection in the centre, but it smelt odd, sort of fishy and the one piece i did eat tasted odd too.</p> <p>4) It helps to cook meat and fish through all the way. In the past I've had chicken strips that were not properly cooked and pink or ****** inside. Today's surprise was a foul-smelling mince thing that might have been intended as lasagna - I only tried a s****ful of it to see if it was as bad as it looked, and when I got back to the office I found it was actually still pink and raw, so left it on the plate. <br /> </p> <p>5) The salad bar has improved. In the past, I've found expired products there, such as feta in the cous-cous that was actually rotting and smelling. Today was ok, although the coleslaw was a bit runny for my liking (as is the norm).</p> <p>6) Vegetables don't usually need to go mushy to be done enough. I have most of my teeth so I can chew. Today's veg had already given up. Bring back the roasted veg, that usually worked out well.</p> <p><br />7) Selling healthy snacks won't make you into some greeny hippy tree-hugger. But you might just sell more. Think perhaps of a small pack of veggie crisps or an affordable pack of nuts or nut bars at the checkout counter. Or even just chocolate with less than 50% sugar.</p> <p>7) I was hungry, so I bought a lot of food today, but the bill came to over R70 with the chocolate. I can get a sit-down quality meal at a restaurant in Stellenbosch square for less than that, or a Woolies meal and a packet of veggie crisps and still have some change, without throwing any of the food away.</p> <p> <br />I take comfort in the fact that my stomach is basically just a big acid pit, so it should be able to cope with your food. If it doesn't, I'll send you the doctor's bill. In the meantime, although I would like to support you, I'm sorry to say I plan to buy my lunch elsewhere.</p>