Time travel is an exact science, so follow my words carefully: the year is 1998 and (you) I am a penny less college student.
You and your roommates treat yourselves to a Mandarin weekend lunch once a month. To prepare for it you skip breakfast, maybe a light dinner the night before. We ate for hours and loaded for the rest of the month.
Short version: Mandarin got me through college.
Disclaimer: we ordered drinks and always tipped 15%, because you know, they gotta make money, and yeah don't eat out if you cannot tip, you cheap bastard.