The Sims 4: Dine Out is the latest game pack in The Sims franchise. Released on June 7, as its name suggests, you can become the proud owner of a restaurant. From the small chip shack to the gourmet restaurant, there is something for everyone. Priced at €19.99, do we get what we pay for? That's the big question!
Game packs, stuff packs and add-on discs
When I grow up, I will be a restaurateur!
Has your sim never uttered this phrase as a pretty toddler? Not? Are you sure? Anyway, you will never be sure, no one understands the funny but no less incomprehensible porridge of sims language. Anyway, here, Violet, a young adult, heiress to a fortune that her dear little dad left her (Yes, Motherlode, this cheat code known to all players still works), decided to open her very first restaurant. Of course, to look realistic and start "small", she decided to open her own hamburger "truck". Just to compete with the best fast food restaurants around and fatten all those poor sims. Soon, Violet will create her own fitness salon to come and lose weight all the sims she has made obese, a winning combo that will make her rich! (Sorry, I digress).
Let's resume, so this is her very first restaurant, here, Violet did not bother, she just bought for four francs six under this restaurant, but in addition to having to go to the checkout when buying, it must also transfer funds to her business. You know, it's like in real life, your purchase is not enough, you have to have capital. This capital will allow you to make all your expenses related to your new restaurant. First, you will have to manage some aspects of your restaurant (which we will list for you), then the decoration and construction. The most meticulous will enjoy setting up their restaurant from A to Z, and that's classy. In addition, you can give it the name of your dreams "The enchanted unicorn", "The space trolls"… or even "At the dinner of idiots", enough to invite all your unbearable neighbors to eat!
Without further ado, here are several aspects that you can choose from and will have to manage as your restaurant evolves. Some options will only be available after a certain period of time:
- The margin, from 125% to 300%, at the beginning, it would be better to start with the minimum, so that your quality / price ratio is respectful of your customers.
- Advertising, as its name suggests it allows you to highlight your restaurant, be careful in the long term, it's expensive!
- The quality of the ingredients is important, especially if you want to have people in your restaurant. From poor quality to local produce, it's up to you to make your choice. Your margin will certainly be more interesting with lower-cost products.
- Your restaurant's menu can be personalized, from drinks to dessert. Be careful to choose dishes that will be suitable for your inexperienced chefs, or they will take a long time to prepare them for poor quality. Your customers may not be happy. There is a wide variety of dishes with different difficulties, something to delight everyone!
- The outfits of your employees can be totally personalized, chefs, waiters or hosts will be able to dress chic or neglected, it's up to you. And if you're a Star Wars fan, know that Vader can be in the kitchen, while a sexy twi'lek (well… this one is not necessarily) will be able to serve customers…As for Darth Maul, he will just take them to their table… You can also add the dress code of your future customers, from everyday to dressy.
Good reviews for a great restaurant!
Know that the more rewards you earn, the happier your customers are and the higher the rewards. With these rewards you will be able to make purchases that will help you grow your business. You can have up to 3 waiters, 3 chefs… Not to mention, that some rewards can lower your food costs, push other customers to come and discover your restaurant, and this permanently. Indeed, some rewards may be short-lived, just to boost your restaurant for a day!
As we told you, you will have to hire a chef, a waiter and a host for your restaurant to run. The first ones you hire will be… Well a little suck! They will not be expensive, but they will have to be trained so that they can improve. Of course, at each department, your employees will gain skills, but the training will not be mandatory but more than recommended. The higher their skills, the better, the chef will be able to make more and more elaborate and better quality dishes, while the waiter will be faster and more helpful. As for the host, he will be pleasant, smiling, and will place the customers at their table with care. At first it is not that, and you will have a very big role in the success of your business. You will have to welcome customers, but also go to see them at their table, ask if everything is okay. You will be able to recommend dishes to certain sims, push the chef and the waiter to serve them first. And if all this does not work, you can offer free drinks, the meal, or a dessert. Enough to increase the satisfaction gauge, which goes from 1 to 5 stars. Once the meal is over, the stars will be given to you as a reviewer, thus increasing your fame at the same time.
Be careful even if you are a 5-star restaurant, bad reviews can always lower your rating. That's why, in addition to pushing your employees to do training, you will also have to congratulate them if they have performed a good service, reprimand them if they are on their phone for example…You will also be able to "inspire" them via a reward to buy. This will motivate them to get it right. Note that at some point, if your employees' skills increase, they will greatly appreciate receiving a raise…
Your sims will be able to request a table in their own restaurant and eat like any other customer. It's actually rather amusing… New interactions will of course be available, such as inviting a friend or girlfriend to dinner at a restaurant. Many of your contacts will call you to invite you to eat. Besides, your restaurant will be open if one of your sims (non-manager) wants to go for lunch, even if it is currently closed since you do not control your sims owner! Moreover, if the dish does not please your sims, he will always have the opportunity to criticize the chef. Even if it's Darth Vader himself!
Second point, if your sims have ever been delighted with the kitchen, they will always have the opportunity to remake their favorite dish at home, thanks to the experimental food. We pass you the details of the new objects related to the restaurant, they are numerous, they will allow you to decorate and decorate your little shack as you wish! But if you don't have the fiber of an architect or decorator, you can always use the pre-built restaurants and start your brand new adventure as a restaurateur.
At the restaurant, is a really successful game pack, we will enjoy to grow his business, and to see it flourish. For lovers of control, you can as always, do everything in your own way! The interactions are nice, although they could have been more numerous. The most appreciable is the satisfaction you have to see your restaurant evolve gradually. The only downside is that your sims can only be a manager, he will never be able to take control of the kitchen, even if he has a skill to the max. It's a shame, but maybe it wasn't essential. Anyway, this is a game pack with satisfactory content, the price may be a bit high. If we take into account that your restaurant evolves quickly, and that once you have unlocked everything, the pack may no longer seem so essential to you.
