I did create my own restaurant. I wouldn't consider it the most "optimized" restaurant in the world, as it has the kitchen on the 1st floor and the dining room on the 2nd floor. Other than that, the design is really straightforward. I never witnessed any routing issues. It just takes the kitchen forever to produce the meal.
I, personally, don't know of any real world restaurants where you enter at 6 P.M. and you don't finish up until nearly noon the next day. However, that was my initial experience with Dine Out. It doesn't represent a typical restaurant experience whatsoever.
Some improvements have been made since then. However, that sweet spot still hasn't been found. Unless it's a dinner theater, a luau, or a recreation of a Roman all-day feast, there's no reasonable excuse for such long waits for service.
I've found a work around before switching games for a while and that was to only have one restaurant with less dining areas. It reduces the time between ordering and being served.
1) A little preparation before you go.
2) Make sure your Sims needs are in the green.
3) Have the kitchen on the same floor as dinning.
4) 3 waiter station, two Hosts, and at lease 2 Chefs.
5) As soon as you get to the table order your main course and drink.
6) As you get your first order to your table, order your second course or deserts.
7) Your table must be clear to be served, if not clear let your sims clear it.
8) Do not add dining tables to a second floor or outside that will slow down the waiters.
Any place its a table and a chair on the lot, it will be included to be served.
**Seems to me they have speeded up Sims eating in restaurants.**
we'll give you a full refund. Just make sure you make your request within 24 hours after you first launch the game, within seven days from your date of purchase, or within seven days from the game's release date if you pre-ordered, whichever comes first.
Who said EA doesn't have a sense of humor
I just got Dine Out and my sims went to the restaurant at maybe 7:30 pm and had finished their one course one drink meal at......8am!!!! Uh, who takes all night to go to the restaurant ?!
Ok so Nancy Landgraab (I think it's her name in English ?) asked my sims if she wanted to eat a burger, so they went there around noon, at 10 pm they still weren't served and it seems somehow the restaurant forgot their order! They had to go home. Speaking of, why can't we complain to the waiter because it takes too long to get our order like people do in real restaurants ??
I agree. The Dine Out experience in The Sims 4 has not held up at all. When my Sims go to restaurants, they end up sitting there for 12 hours between waiting for their meal and eating.
In The Sims 2, my Sims leave in a matter of 2 hours or so, after eating.
Not sure, but that would have been a nice feature. If you sims order takes to long, they get a huge discount on their meal.
If you own the restaurant you can give them free food when it takes to long.
people do complain in a bubble over their head all the time, you must be the owner.
************************************************************************************
If you are just there to eat and others that came in after you are getting served, give up your table, by clicking on it and ask for a new one or go to a different restaurant.
If you have kids or just the one Sim, you can just go into the restaurant fridge and get a snack. or if they have a bar you can order food and drinks from the bartender anytime.
we'll give you a full refund. Just make sure you make your request within 24 hours after you first launch the game, within seven days from your date of purchase, or within seven days from the game's release date if you pre-ordered, whichever comes first.
Who said EA doesn't have a sense of humor
It's worse now. Now it takes more than two hours for the waiter to take your order (probably more, I leave the restaurant at this point). My restaurant involves two floors and maybe a little too many tables, but it was less of an issue with this particular restaurant in the past.
You all should be glad you're at least getting served, because that's not a given in my game. Two out of the last five times I visited a restaurant, my sims ended up abandoning their tables and going home with several of their needs in the red because the food never came, even though all the other guests got served. Another time it did come, but was inexplicably served to an empty table next to that of my sims, and they had to move over there to eat it.
Oh, and yesterday my sim asked for cake three times, but the waitress couldn't be bothered to even take the order. Needless to say, the cake never appeared on the table, but instead I found three fresh cakes in my household inventory later... Pretty sure that's not how it's supposed to happen, is it? Restaurants are so broken, it's unbelievable...
My Sim was invited for breakfast on her day off and it was my first time using Dine Out, so I accepted. She and friend arrived at the restaurant about 10 am and were seated. At noon, I removed the 'Waiting to be seated' from the task list because I thought that might be holding things up and they'd been seated for nearly two hours. They ordered one course, after which the chef and a waitress(?) stood as if absolutely frozen by the stove for about six hours (all other Sims were moving around, Sims and friend each went to the restroom and new sims came in and sat, etc.). I was unable to figure out how to cancel things and go home, or I'd have done so. They finally got served at 10 pm and finished their one course at 2 am! Sim went home with everything in the red, including hunger; the restaurant complained that we'd tried to skip out on the bill - I didn't know how to go about paying. The next day I had to wake her up for work and while she was frantically gulping breakfast the spouse of the friend called to invite her to the same restaurant for 'breakfast' again!
You all should be glad you're at least getting served, because that's not a given in my game. Two out of the last five times I visited a restaurant, my sims ended up abandoning their tables and going home with several of their needs in the red because the food never came, even though all the other guests got served. Another time it did come, but was inexplicably served to an empty table next to that of my sims, and they had to move over there to eat it.
Oh, and yesterday my sim asked for cake three times, but the waitress couldn't be bothered to even take the order. Needless to say, the cake never appeared on the table, but instead I found three fresh cakes in my household inventory later... Pretty sure that's not how it's supposed to happen, is it? Restaurants are so broken, it's unbelievable...
I didn't get served. Two hours passed and the waiter hasn't even taken my order. I got disgusted and left.
My Sim was invited for breakfast on her day off and it was my first time using Dine Out, so I accepted. She and friend arrived at the restaurant about 10 am and were seated. At noon, I removed the 'Waiting to be seated' from the task list because I thought that might be holding things up and they'd been seated for nearly two hours. They ordered one course, after which the chef and a waitress(?) stood as if absolutely frozen by the stove for about six hours (all other Sims were moving around, Sims and friend each went to the restroom and new sims came in and sat, etc.). I was unable to figure out how to cancel things and go home, or I'd have done so. They finally got served at 10 pm and finished their one course at 2 am! Sim went home with everything in the red, including hunger; the restaurant complained that we'd tried to skip out on the bill - I didn't know how to go about paying. The next day I had to wake her up for work and while she was frantically gulping breakfast the spouse of the friend called to invite her to the same restaurant for 'breakfast' again!
Yikes.
If that's a completely vanilla game, remove any shelves/decorations from the walls/ceiling directly above the stoves. If that doesn't work, repair your game?
My Sim was invited for breakfast on her day off and it was my first time using Dine Out, so I accepted. She and friend arrived at the restaurant about 10 am and were seated. At noon, I removed the 'Waiting to be seated' from the task list because I thought that might be holding things up and they'd been seated for nearly two hours. They ordered one course, after which the chef and a waitress(?) stood as if absolutely frozen by the stove for about six hours (all other Sims were moving around, Sims and friend each went to the restroom and new sims came in and sat, etc.). I was unable to figure out how to cancel things and go home, or I'd have done so. They finally got served at 10 pm and finished their one course at 2 am! Sim went home with everything in the red, including hunger; the restaurant complained that we'd tried to skip out on the bill - I didn't know how to go about paying. The next day I had to wake her up for work and while she was frantically gulping breakfast the spouse of the friend called to invite her to the same restaurant for 'breakfast' again!
You are a lot more patient than I am. That kind of wait is insane!
I did create my own restaurant. I wouldn't consider it the most "optimized" restaurant in the world, as it has the kitchen on the 1st floor and the dining room on the 2nd floor. Other than that, the design is really straightforward. I never witnessed any routing issues. It just takes the kitchen forever to produce the meal.
This GP is really where I had no problems. It depends on what the cook can cook (how fast) and if the server is a good server. You have added to the problem by having to walk a long way to deliver food, too. And it matters who is seated first. My Sims went out all the time when I played TS4 and I could expect to stay much longer if my Sim was not the first to get a seat, if the cook didn't have any experience with the food I set up( and most townies don't) and how often I visited (so they could gain more experience). You can't expect in TS4 these townies know how to cook something better than lunch meat sandwich, which will take longer if they don't have enough experience.
This game is like reality as far as TS4 goes, if they can't cook it takes a long time, if the server doesn't have any experience they are slow and not doing their job, and if your Sim doesn't get the first seat be prepared to wait. You need to build simple restaurants until the townies get more experience. Then change menus to better food. Especially for NPC run restaurants. ETA: Then put those who are fast in a house and mark them as Non played so they can keep that job (maybe) and will serve and cook food faster over time.
ETA: Their experience depends on how many times you visit.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
I did knock down the saloon venue from Brindleton Bay and create a new restaurant with 4 tables. My sims were served relatively quickly. Perhaps the key to fast service is less tables.
I agree. The last time my sim went out to eat, they were there 9 hours -- and then went from mostly green need-bars to passing out before they even finished eating because of it. I think the game does a little better when you're on a date or something, but that last experience made me fairly sick of the entire game for a good week or two.
I generally control it with the menu choice. Like want a quicker experience limit your menu to just sandwiches and maybe salad and basic beverages like coffee and milk - so it is sort of fast food style. But for full services restaurants limit their menus to type of restaurant - like a seafood restaurant have just seafood. A steak house - steaks, beef, dishes. So changing up and limiting choices of menus may make a bit faster experience. Keep the sandwich restaurants smaller - nothing to attract sims attention, fewer table etc. Perhaps that will help you.
I just know earlier restaurants were slower than they are now - but if you are still having issues and long meals perhaps giving them less choice and less distractions will speed up the process. As for not staying seated - I just have no idea as my sims no longer roam like they used to - so I have no idea why some of you still have those issues.
I send my sims out to dine. I have a few who never cook at home.
But as @Writin_Reg suggests, if meals seem too long the first things I do is check the restaurant setup. Long menus, layout, number of servers and cooks can all slow down a meal. Simple is best. And placing restaurant required items using MOO or off grid placement can effect how the NPC's navigate.
One of the best ways to see how everything works together is to play test as the restaurant owner.
I appreciate your suggestion! Only, that stuff is completely out of my range of knowledge. My sims don't work. I play the Sims for escapism reasons and having them work is the exact opposite of the goal for me. I don't want to test the game as the restaurant owner. I don't know how to check out restaurant settings (?). I don't want my sims to have a job, point blank, at all. Even temporarily. I've only just figured out how to use the community gallery and the bloody thing doesn't even work half the time I look at it.
For those who want to speed things up and are not opposed to mods, try the Waiter and Host Perk and Chef and Waiter perk mods. I recently updated them in the comments.
If you install both, your restaurants will be able to have 2 chefs, 2 hosts, and 4 waitresses which significantly speed up service time. I also have a version that integrates the changes made by Sims4Me restaurant overhaul, let me know if anyone here would be interested in that version.
Comments
Some improvements have been made since then. However, that sweet spot still hasn't been found. Unless it's a dinner theater, a luau, or a recreation of a Roman all-day feast, there's no reasonable excuse for such long waits for service.
Tips for Better dining experience In Sims 4:
1) A little preparation before you go.
2) Make sure your Sims needs are in the green.
3) Have the kitchen on the same floor as dinning.
4) 3 waiter station, two Hosts, and at lease 2 Chefs.
5) As soon as you get to the table order your main course and drink.
6) As you get your first order to your table, order your second course or deserts.
7) Your table must be clear to be served, if not clear let your sims clear it.
8) Do not add dining tables to a second floor or outside that will slow down the waiters.
Any place its a table and a chair on the lot, it will be included to be served.
**Seems to me they have speeded up Sims eating in restaurants.**
Who said EA doesn't have a sense of humor
In The Sims 2, my Sims leave in a matter of 2 hours or so, after eating.
If you own the restaurant you can give them free food when it takes to long.
people do complain in a bubble over their head all the time, you must be the owner.
************************************************************************************
If you are just there to eat and others that came in after you are getting served, give up your table, by clicking on it and ask for a new one or go to a different restaurant.
If you have kids or just the one Sim, you can just go into the restaurant fridge and get a snack. or if they have a bar you can order food and drinks from the bartender anytime.
Who said EA doesn't have a sense of humor
Oh, and yesterday my sim asked for cake three times, but the waitress couldn't be bothered to even take the order. Needless to say, the cake never appeared on the table, but instead I found three fresh cakes in my household inventory later... Pretty sure that's not how it's supposed to happen, is it? Restaurants are so broken, it's unbelievable...
Something wicked this way comes!
I don't use MCCC.
I didn't get served. Two hours passed and the waiter hasn't even taken my order. I got disgusted and left.
Yikes.
If that's a completely vanilla game, remove any shelves/decorations from the walls/ceiling directly above the stoves. If that doesn't work, repair your game?
You are a lot more patient than I am. That kind of wait is insane!
This GP is really where I had no problems. It depends on what the cook can cook (how fast) and if the server is a good server. You have added to the problem by having to walk a long way to deliver food, too. And it matters who is seated first. My Sims went out all the time when I played TS4 and I could expect to stay much longer if my Sim was not the first to get a seat, if the cook didn't have any experience with the food I set up( and most townies don't) and how often I visited (so they could gain more experience). You can't expect in TS4 these townies know how to cook something better than lunch meat sandwich, which will take longer if they don't have enough experience.
This game is like reality as far as TS4 goes, if they can't cook it takes a long time, if the server doesn't have any experience they are slow and not doing their job, and if your Sim doesn't get the first seat be prepared to wait. You need to build simple restaurants until the townies get more experience. Then change menus to better food. Especially for NPC run restaurants. ETA: Then put those who are fast in a house and mark them as Non played so they can keep that job (maybe) and will serve and cook food faster over time.
ETA: Their experience depends on how many times you visit.
Thanks to their powers superspeed/bat form/mist form, they can serve quicker the consumers.
The Sims 4 Ideas Corner
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The Sims 4 General DiscussionInteresting idea.
If you install both, your restaurants will be able to have 2 chefs, 2 hosts, and 4 waitresses which significantly speed up service time. I also have a version that integrates the changes made by Sims4Me restaurant overhaul, let me know if anyone here would be interested in that version.