Fairprice

Hey, it’s a Fairprice. I call it NTUC, but really, you know what I mean. It’s that steady, calming presence at any mall, and I’ve been comforted by this one, knowing that I can pop in here to pick up a bottle of water or a soda to quench my thirst before I head into the cinema. *wink wink*
I’ve seen the layouts change only so rarely in the almost 20 years it’s been here (yeah, can you believe it’s been around so long?), and I have to applaud how they’ve improved with the times. The next time you’re there, check out the fresh food section. Easily a third of the whole place (maybe 40%?), and on quieter weekdays afternoons, you can chat with the fishmonger counter staff and get them to tell you what just came in. And they even clean the fish for you!
Pro-​tip: when you’re ready to pay, always look out for the cashier counters at the far right… somehow people always forget that they are open too, and all rush to the «express» ones on the left for people with 10 items of less. Sometimes people don’t like rules.

Fairprice Finest is the more ‘atas’ or ‘high-​class’ version of NTUC Fairprice Supermarket. What that actually means is that they carry groceries and other food stuff that caters to a more niche market which you cannot find at the normal Fairprice Supermarket. Thus, you might be able to find a wider variety of salads but also less varieties of common vegetables like bok choy, etc. The space for fresh produce is also less. On the other hand, you can also find a wider range of organic products at Fairprice Finest.
However, I like to go to Fairprice Finest just because the crowd size there is less overwhelming than the Fairprice Supermarket in Tampines Mall basement. Furthermore, the prices for the common goods that can be found in both supermarkets are the same as well as some of the weekly promotions.