It would be best to go over a weekend. The most happenings are on Sundays. There's a shopping area of sorts just next to the Equatorial Hotel. You can buy just about anything that Cameron Highlands has to offer there. All stalls/shops are open on Sundays but many are closed on other days.
If you go for makan in Brinchang town, beware of some so-called restaurants serving steamboat. It's a cluster of restaurants along the main road - the opposite of the road has some hotels. I had a bad experience there in one of the restaurants. My family ordered "all you can eat" steamboat only to find out that the more expensive ingredients on display are not included. Fortunately, we hadn't started yet so we paid for the drinks and left.
The restaurants in Tanah Rata town are better. You can try the masala chicken there :thumbsup: