Free Milo Peng

I've still got a couple more module reviews + SQ related posts sitting in my drafts folder but since this just happened today and I'm too lazy to do the post about Cambodia, I shall recount my Milo queuing experience. 

'Twas ...conflicting...

The sister and I saw this post on FB last night and decided to go for it because free Milo (and I LOVE Milo; everyday must drink at least once) + both very eng.

The sister (henceforth S) woke me up at the crack of dawn  8am so we could get ready and hopefully reach Tampines Mall at 9am. Managed to reach TM at 9am but they were still setting up + we didn't see any queues. So off we went to get macs breakfast (such typical Singaporean youth).

We finished our macs pretty fast (no prizes for guessing what drink I chose). Purposely kopped a seat where we could see the queue (near the glass/ Yoogane)... or so we thought. S was like some kan chiong spider and after we finished the food (like 20mins max) she wanted to go see the queue and made me leave my lovely air-conditioned seat at macs but the queue area was weirdly empty?? 

I mean, this is Singapore, land of the kiasu where queuing is a national past-time and anything free confirm + chop will have the aunties and uncles braving our massive 30℃ heatwave for hours to get the goods. In hindsight maybe we were inexperienced queue-ers, two young uns navigating the cruel kiasu world of freebie grubbing. 

Anyway, we didn't realise anything was wrong (yet), so we STOOD around TM entrance waiting for someone to queue first because paiseh mah, didn't want to be the first to queue but still want the goody bag. #typical

It wasn't till around 9.45am when a group of young people happened to stand near us and I kaypoh-ly overheard that the queue for the Milo was incredibly long.

👀👀👀👀

SAY WHAT??????

I looked up at the Milo booth they had set up, THERE WAS NO ONE WHAT. Nevermind, I decided to walk out and as I turned the corner (with a bewildered and not as kaypoh S trailing behind me) 他妈的 THE QUEUE LONG UNTIL CANNOT LIAO LOR 

We begrudgingly joined the queue and all S could do was laugh. This one is really 哭笑不得 lor 😪 Reach so early end up queue still so long.

So for those who know the TM area, the queue started slightly behind the Newstand (the one in front of the traffic light), reached the carpark entrance of Century Square and turned into a U-shape so it was LONG ASF. When we joined the queue it was like a 3/4 U but after awhile it blossomed into a full U. 

As I was complaining to S about the lack of signage displaying where the queue was and being generally pekcek with my inability to secure the goody bag. 老娘七早八早醒来去淡滨泥就是为了拿赠品好吗？😤 S was busy fiddling with her phone and complaining about the heat. 

(Apparently people started queuing as early at 7am wtf and by 九点五分/九点五个字, Milo rep couldn't get her story straight, all the goodybags were spoken for 😓)

Thankfully Milo had sent representatives to give us updates on when the queue would be moving (they officially start giving out at 10am) and for the lucky ones who had the number (for goodybags!!) to hold on to their numbers as goodybags are limited. Only complaint is that the rep's voice was too chipper; like to the point of being annoying, but thats her job, to be nice to potential customers so bo pian.

Queuing in front of us were a couple of aunties (1 slightly younger one) and thank goodness for them. I love how aunties really 敢讲 and dare to complain LOL. 

Keeping in mind that it was really hot, almost mid-day Singapore sun with no aircon/fan, naturally everyone in the queue was hot, sweaty and angsty. So when this poor representative (NP) came to my section of the queue at about 9.59am to announce that they are starting to give out the free Milo, everyone was happy. 

All can finally get out of the heat and I think the older aunties were also a lil' confused about goody bag what 100 people etc, so they just wanted the Milo.

10.10am: Still standing in the same place, queue didn't move...

I casually (and loudly) remarked to S that 10 minutes had passed but the queue didn't seem to have moved. S joked that they were giving out the goody bags prize-presentation style LOL #foreshadow

Then poor NP came and again announced that they were starting to give out Milo now...poor NP because, poor girl didn't realise the aunties in front were getting du lan of queuing + heat makes people angsty. 

The aunty basically told her off nicely, saying that 10 minutes had passed and she had hardly moved when previously NP said that they were already starting. She knew she and the rest around her were not eligible to get the goody bag and just wanted her Milo Peng bottle.

HOOOBOY.

NP apologised (because what else can she do?) and said she'd check. 

S and I being very 贱 said maybe they really were giving the bottles out like they were prizes, must shake hand and take picture LOL. And also joked that NP ain't gonna come back to our area liao and  added a lot of 风凉话 saying they should just bring a carton over and we'd take and leave, or they should just hand it out to passer-bys as they walked past the Milo booth instead of making us queue and wait 😞

Shortly after (less than 5 mins; power of complaining) the queue started moving and NP came back and apologised again for the delay. (Props to her🙌) 

That was when we saw.. 

the Milo "booth" was just a decorated queuing area with fans. /faints/ 

But at least we were moving forward so all's good.

AND THEN WE SAW HOW THEY WERE HANDING OUT THE MILO BOTTLES.

😂😂😂😂😂😂

It was almost like a prize presentation!!! Must individually go up to obtain an OPENED bottle of Milo Peng.... S had something on in the afternoon and was intending to use the bottle as her water bottle after and she realised that everyone who already got the Milo didn't seem to get the cap back???

When it was our turn she asked the girl ushering if she could have the bottle cap back but the girl said no, she asked why not but the girl didn't know and said it was Milo protocol 😕

OOOOOHKAY...so we decided not to pursue with more questions and gratefully took our bottles of opened + capless Milo Peng. Thankfully the Milo was COLD. According to S not cold enough but chilled lah. 

After walking away S 越想越不甘心 that she didn't get her bottle cap. (She deliberately didn't bring her bottle along because she thought she could re-use the Milo bottle). So we walked back and decided to approach someone who seemed more "senior" about the bottle caps. As we were walking we discussed the plausible reasons for the curious protocol of giving bottles but not the cap.

Here's what we came up with: 

1. Recycling purposes

To help reduce plastic waste, it was possible that the bottle caps were being collected to be recycled. But if that were the case it'd make more sense to simply place a recycling bin near the Milo area so that they could collect the bottles after drinking to recycle too right? And there were no designated Milo bottle bins so...I guess not?

2. Re-use bottle caps

S postulated that maybe they were keeping the bottle caps to be reused for future Milo Peng bottles but...then shouldn't they also do the same for the bottles (see point above)

3. Top-secret company policy about bottle caps

....?????

Walked back to the booth and S walked right up the the announcer guy and asked about the bottle cap, and he explained that it was to prevent re-sellers from getting the bottles of Milo Peng and selling them at a higher price.

OH.Okay, understood.

BUT

IF THEY ALREADY OPEN HOW TO RE-SELL THE BOTTLES???? 

Plus I think most people take a swig of the drink so...? 

I then asked but what if I drank my drink halfway and couldn't finish? His response...

"Throw away lor." 

A bit taken aback but errr okay can. S then asked if they wanted back the bottles since she'd already finished hers (I was still drinking mine). He replied nicely that they were only keeping the caps so S jokingly asked if he'd dispose of the bottle for her and he agreed. 

We walked away and S was very happy that she got rid of the bottle because she knew the area around the booth hardly had trash bins. Her logic being since she now had to spend 30-50¢ purchasing bottled water, might as well make them/Milo work. Petty sia 😂

Taste

Milo Peng is claimed to taste like the Milo from Milo trucks (the ones that always appear during school sports days). CLAIMED AH. 

My Milo rating is like this:

Randomly made Milo < Homemade Milo < FASS Milo < Milo from Macs < Milo from Milo truck

The Milo Peng is just after randomly made Milo. In all honesty I thought it tastes too milky??? The taste kind of reminded me of Magnolia Chocolate milk, which is not what I was expecting. 

As S and I were leaving TM level 2, I was drinking my Milo Peng with the bottle and happened to lock eyes with an auntie who was also drinking her Milo Peng bottle with a quizzical expression as she drank it. She probably also thought it was an unexpected taste for Milo and we both laughed at each other as she asked me 好喝吗 from across the pathway. I gave her a somewhat forced smile and said it was probably and acquired taste as we passed each other. 

So I guess I wasn't the only one who found the taste of Milo Peng interesting 💁

p/s found out what was in the goody bag. S's friend reached super early and got a goody bag. 

1l full cream milk, 1 Milo van, 6 bottles of Milo Peng, 6 cans of Milo & 1 packet of 3-in-1 Milo.

Probably somewhat thankful we didn't get the goody bag because WAH CFM HEAVY LOR. Must lug it back to Pasir Ris somemore.

So yes, free Milo Peng made me happy but the journey to free Milo Peng and after tasting it left me perplexed.