The once popular restaurant management game on Facebook that allowed users to create and run their own virtual restaurants was called Restaurant City. Launched in 2009 by Playfish, Restaurant City quickly became one of the most popular games on Facebook, attracting millions of daily users at its peak. Here are some quick answers about Restaurant City on Facebook:
What type of game was Restaurant City?
Restaurant City was a freemium restaurant management simulation game. Players could create and customize their own restaurants, hire staff, select menus, decorate, expand, and run every aspect of the business virtually.
Who created Restaurant City?
Restaurant City was created and published by Playfish, a game development company acquired by Electronic Arts in 2009. Playfish specialized in making popular simulation games for social networks like Facebook.
When did Restaurant City launch?
Restaurant City launched on Facebook in June 2009. It was one of the first restaurant simulation games on the platform and quickly gained significant popularity.
What could you do in Restaurant City?
In Restaurant City, players could:
- Design and customize their restaurant’s exterior look including the building style and outdoor decor
- Select a cuisine type like Italian, Chinese, French, etc. and create menus
- Hire and manage virtual staff like chefs, waiters, busboys, and hosts
- Purchase and place decor, furniture, kitchen equipment and dining accessories
- Expand the restaurant by adding outdoor patio seating, banquet rooms, etc.
- Craft marketing campaigns and promotions to attract customers
- Set menu prices and manage finances and expenses of running the restaurant
- Level up and earn coins which allowed expanding and improving the restaurant
- Visit friends’ restaurants and send gifts
- Complete challenges and quests within the game
What features made Restaurant City popular?
Some key features that contributed to Restaurant City’s popularity included:
- In-depth customization – Players had control over every design and menu aspect.
- Social play – Players could visit friends’ restaurants, send gifts, and see how their restaurants compared.
- Progression – The ability to start small and expand over time kept gameplay engaging.
- Challenges and goals – Various quests and tasks with rewards kept players invested.
- Monetization – Players could progress faster by purchasing in-game currency and items with real money.
How many people played Restaurant City?
At its peak in 2010, Restaurant City had over 10 million daily active users and over 50 million registered users. It was one of the most popular games on Facebook for months in terms of daily users.
When did Restaurant City close?
On June 25, 2014, Restaurant City was permanently closed and removed from Facebook. The game remained online for just over 5 years.
Why did Restaurant City shut down?
There were a few key reasons Restaurant City was shut down:
- Decline in popularity – After a few years, daily active user numbers dropped significantly.
- Shift in gaming trends – By 2014, short mobile games were growing while in-depth simulation games declined.
- Changes at Playfish – Leadership and cultural changes at Playfish led to different priorities.
- High maintenance costs – The game required ongoing resources to manage and update.
The game’s developers ultimately decided to focus their resources on more promising products over keeping Restaurant City online.
Were there any similar games to Restaurant City?
There were a few other restaurant simulation games on Facebook around the same time period that offered similar gameplay mechanics to Restaurant City:
- Cafe World – Players managed a virtual cafe, from menus to decoration.
- Bakery Story – Players baked and sold loaves and pastries in a customizable bakery.
- Pizza Street – Build your own pizzeria, create pizza recipes, and deliver orders.
- Nightclub City – Design a nightclub, decorate, hire DJs, and manage customers.
However, none quite matched the scale and popularity that Restaurant City achieved at its peak.
Is there a way to still play Restaurant City?
Unfortunately no, there is currently no way to play the original Restaurant City game anymore. When it was closed in 2014, all Restaurant City accounts and data were permanently removed. Some fans have created unofficial remakes or similar games, but the classic Facebook version can no longer be accessed.
Was Restaurant City actually fun to play?
For most users, Restaurant City was an incredibly fun, engaging game. Some reasons it was so enjoyable to play include:
- Rewarding progression – Growing from a small cafe to 5-star restaurant gave a strong sense of accomplishment.
- Creativity – Designing and decorating your ideal restaurant was exciting.
- Simulation – Managing the different roles and systems felt like running a real restaurant.
- Social play – Visiting and helping friends and comparing restaurants added fun competition.
- Customization – With so many decor and menu options, no two restaurants were the same.
The game struck the perfect balance between long-term progression, creativity, and social play for its time. For those who enjoy simulation and management games, Restaurant City offered hours of challenging and engaging fun.
What were some tips and tricks for Restaurant City?
Over the years, expert Restaurant City players discovered some useful tips and tricks to progress faster and build the best possible restaurant, such as:
| Tips and Tricks | Description |
|---|---|
| Buy the VIP membership | The monthly VIP membership offered bonuses like free items, doubled income, and queue priority. |
| Fully expand ASAP | Add both floors and all expansions early for maximum customers and revenue. |
| Optimize kitchen size | Balance kitchen size to number of waiters. Too big caused unused appliances. Too small caused delays. |
| Manage staff morale | Giving staff rest days and gifts boosted morale for better performance. |
| Wait for sales | Patience paid off. Decor and equipment went on sale every Monday. |
Mastering these and other tips could give players a competitive advantage over their friends and leaderboards.
What lessons did Restaurant City teach?
While it was primarily meant as entertainment, Restaurant City imparted some useful skills and lessons including:
- Business strategy – Making smart purchasing and marketing decisions was key to success.
- Financial management – Players had to manage budgets and expenses wisely.
- Multi-tasking – Monitoring diverse roles like seating, cooking, and serving customers required focus.
- Interior design – Decorating and optimizing the restaurant layout was an artistic challenge.
- Customer service – Providing fast and high quality service led to better reviews.
For young gamers, Restaurant City offered early lessons in running a business while having fun and being creative. The skills learned likely helped some players in eventual real-world careers in business, finance, marketing, and more.
Could Restaurant City make a comeback?
While very unlikely, there is always a possibility that Restaurant City or a very similar game could make a comeback in some form. Nostalgic gamers often ask for and predict the return of classic games. If it did return, some possibilities include:
- A new version for mobile devices, given gaming’s shift to smartphones and tablets.
- An updated “Restaurant City 2” launch on Facebook from Playfish or a different developer.
- A very similar spiritual successor game that captures the original experience.
- Rerelease of the classic version on a retro gaming platform.
- A restaurant management MMORPG with gameplay inspired by Restaurant City.
Fans would likely be thrilled by any official revival that recaptured the magic of the original Restaurant City. However, with Playfish defunct since 2013, the chances seem very slim unfortunately.
What are some alternatives to Restaurant City today?
While no current game perfectly replaces Restaurant City, here are some alternatives gamers might enjoy:
| Game | Platform | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking Craze | Mobile | Freemium restaurant game with time management gameplay. |
| Restaurant Paradise | Mobile | Design restaurants, craft recipes, and play match-3 puzzles. |
| Restaurant Story | Mobile | Manage a restaurant from construction to menus. |
| Goodpizza, Greatpizza | Nintendo Switch | Run a pizza shop, make pies, and deliver orders. |
| Overcooked! | Multiplatform | Cooperative restaurant simulation focused on preparing dishes. |
While none provide the exact same experience, these games allow players to fulfill their restaurant management fantasies in different ways.
Conclusion
For over 5 years, Restaurant City gave millions of Facebook users an incredibly engaging and satisfying virtual restaurant experience. Its fun mix of simulation, customization, progression, and social play made running your dream restaurant addictive during its peak. While clones and successors exist, fans still pine for the classic Restaurant City game that can no longer be played. The chances of it ever officially returning seem slim, but its legacy lives on in the memories of the many satisfied burger-flipping, coffee-brewing, and pie-baking fans.