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We tried MealPal, the subscription service that offers daily lunches for under $6https://www.businessinsider.in/we-tried-mealpal-the-subscription-service-that-offers-daily-lunches-for-under-6/i-was-instructed-to-log-on-between-7-p-m-and-930-a-m-before-each-lunchtime-to-select-my-lunch-and-set-a-pick-up-time-the-update-now-lets-users-choose-lunch-starting-at-5-p-m-/slidelist/57189811.cms2017-02-16T19:41:14+05:30

We tried MealPal, the subscription service that offers daily lunches for under $6

Feb 16, 2017, 19:41 IST

I was instructed to log on between 7 p.m. and 9:30 a.m. before each lunchtime to select my lunch and set a pick-up time. (The update now lets users choose lunch starting at 5 p.m.)

To find my first meal, I filtered by location, which narrowed my options to 10 restaurants within a three-block radius of the Business Insider office (MealPal has since added dozens more). I chose pulled pork sliders from The Hog Pit.

On Monday, I ventured outside to pick up my food, which felt strange since I often bring my lunch.

The Hog Pit turned out to be a dimly lit BBQ bar. Except for a few men at the bar, it was completely empty. Partnering with MealPal, which is guaranteed to bring lunch customers, is probably beneficial for restaurants that don't get big daytime crowds.

My three sliders came with a side of cole slaw and extra BBQ sauce. The bread was a tad soggy from sitting before I arrived, but otherwise, thumbs up.

On my second day, I decided to go with a healthier option: an Asian sesame grain salad from Just Salad. The best thing about MealPal (besides the cheap food) is that I got to skip the lunch lines. All I had to do was tell the cashier my name.

My salad came with a chunk of bread and a tub of Asian sesame dressing. It was decent, but nothing stood out about it.

On the third day, I chose pork shoulder tacos from Tres Carnes. Again, when I picked them up, I skipped the long line, grabbed my bag, and was out the door in under a minute. Unfortunately, the portions looked pretty wimpy.

But on the fourth day, my margherita pizza from Waldy's Woodfire was huge. The delicious 10-inch pie was giant compared to my previous meals. I was stuffed.

On two evenings during my trial week, I forgot to reserve my lunch and scrambled to choose a meal at the last minute. It sometimes felt weird to be planning the next day's lunch so far ahead, but the most popular ones sell out if you wait too long to reserve. On my last day, I ordered a chicken and roots bowl from Inday.

But the next day around 10 a.m., MealPal notified me that Inday was 'unable to serve lunch.' No reason was given.

I decided to go with Stinky Bklyn, an artisan cheese shop, instead. I bought a turkey and dry jack cheese sandwich on focaccia and a bag of BBQ chips. This was my favorite lunch of the week.

Overall, my food was great and the service was convenient. MealPal is a sweet deal for those who often buy lunch, especially since a midday meal can cost upwards of $10 in cities like New York. But there is a limited menu, and if you're on a food budget like me, the price still doesn't beat grocery shopping and bringing your own food.

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