How to Use AI – Episode 2: Stop Pawning Your Watch for Fries—Unlock Smart, Effortless Ways to Crush Restaurant Prices

How to Use AI – Episode 2: Stop Pawning Your Watch for Fries—Unlock Smart, Effortless Ways to Crush Restaurant Prices

 

SATIRE WARNING:

 

This is a parody of the media machine and every overpriced guru trying to sell you “life hacks” you could Google while boiling water.

 

You eat. You breathe. You’re ready to cook.

 

Side effects include: sarcasm, budget-shaming, and spontaneous culinary empowerment.

 

Hi, I’m Tony Promptano. Welcome to episode 2 of How to use AI.

 

So there I am, standing in the rice aisle of my local grocery store, staring down a $2 box of boil-in-the-bag rice like it just insulted my cooking skills.

Next to me? A pound and a half of ground beef for $8.

 

That’s it.

 

That’s the setup.

 

That’s the dinner plot twist.

 

And here’s the kicker: with that $10 combo, I could make six Quarter Pounders. Six.

 

You know what $10 gets you at a restaurant these days? An eye roll and a seat near the bathroom.

But I had a secret weapon: AI. Or, more specifically, I knew how to use AI like a grocery aisle sidekick.

 

I said, “Hey AI, I got $10, rice, beef, and a grudge against brunch prices. What can I make?”

 

Boom.

 

It gave me three recipes, one bonus idea involving canned corn I forgot I owned, and a virtual pat on the back. That, my friends, is how to use AI when the rent is due and the cravings are real.

 

Let me break it down for the restaurant faithful.

You walk into a trendy spot and order a burger. What do you get? $17 of regret, a pickle with performance anxiety, and a waiter who calls it ‘grass-fed’ to justify the trauma.

 

But if you use AI at home?

 

You get seasoned beef, steaming rice, and the smug satisfaction of knowing your food didn’t require a payment plan.

 

You want a real hack?

 

Learn how to use AI to meal plan while standing in Aisle 9.

 

Just list what you see:

 

“Boil-in-the-bag rice, ground beef, frozen bell peppers, a budget that cries when it sees the Whole Foods logo.”

 

Then sit back. The AI transforms you from Sad Snack Shopper to Weeknight Dinner Wizard.

Mine said, “Try a beef and pepper rice skillet with garlic and onion powder. Add paprika if you have it.”

 

Which I didn’t. But I told it I was pretending to, and it still said “Nice work.” That’s how to use AI like a true culinary con artist.

 

My personal rating scale? If a certain shouty British chef with a permanent scowl would take one sniff, mutter “It’s raw” and storm off—then I know I’ve just cooked one of the greatest meals in human history.

 

And while we’re at it, let’s talk fries. You used to get them for free. Now you need to show two forms of ID and sign a waiver.

 

Meanwhile, back in my kitchen, I peeled a potato and made enough wedges to feed a minor league baseball team. You know how? Because I used AI to look up oven temps and spice combos.

 

This is the moment.

 

This is the revolution.

 

Forget spending $24 on ‘foraged mushroom risotto’ that tastes like fear.

 

Learn how to use AI for dinner. Learn how to use AI for dignity.

 

It’s not just about recipes. It’s about power. Control. Not having to tip someone $7 to refill your soda. When you use AI, you get options. You get ideas. You get to eat.

 

You know what my AI suggested next?

 

A rice bowl with spiced beef, frozen veggies, and a squeeze of lime.

 

I call it ‘Revenge Lunch.’ And it cost less than one of those tiny ‘artisan’ side salads that always come pre-apologizing for existing.

 

So next time you find yourself about to fork over $18.99 for chicken with a name tag, stop.

Breathe.

 

Look at your phone. Then tell it what’s in your cart. That, my friends, is how to use AI to win at life, one bite at a time.

 

Tony’s Closing Thought: AI might take our jobs, but it’ll also give us dinner. And honestly? That feels like a fair trade.

 

#HowToUseAI #BudgetMeals #TonyTeachesAI #RiceAndRedemption