Black Friday 2014 analysis

Black Friday has landed! The pandemonium sweeping the globe is being replicated in Restaurant Story, where a large assortment of items have been brought back for a short time at discounted prices.

As usual on Black Friday, there's a 40% off gems sale to tempt your palette.

Limited time 40% off gems offer

This was the ideal opportunity if you planned to buy gems, as this sale doesn't usually happen at any other time of year (with the possible exception of Cyber Monday). The sale is now gone, although some of the items up for grabs are still in the market following something of a fiasco. Before we get to that, let's take a look at the 20 strong list of decorations included in the Black Friday bonanza, with the prices they had for the majority of Black Friday:

Black Friday is on!

Moments after posting this week's update post, I stumbled across this beauty of a teaser:

Black Friday teaser

Considering the amount of bigging up of Black Friday I have done on this blog over the last few months, I must admit I am somewhat relieved to get confirmation that the event will be hitting Restaurant Story this weekend.

Presumably we can expect old LTOs, high-placed box prizes and removed items to be brought back for one day only, along with a 40% off gems sale to boot.

Game update: 26/11/14

It's Black Friday week, and some of the goodies have arrived early!

Notification for Summer update

The notification above is for a new box, the Bonfire Crate, which is available for 24 gems. This isn't something which sets the pulse racing, but the remainder of the update should make up for that. Here's the full list of new stuff:

The expansion summit

When starting out in Restaurant Story, your diner is 7x9 in size and the first expansion costs 5,000 coins. It's the start of a rather imposing mountain, as we all continually strive to find the necessary footholds to grow our places outward.

I started playing in August 2012, and only now over two years later can I finally proclaim to be a member of that elusive club which has reached the summit. That's right, this week I made that momentous tap to initiate the final expansion!

Expansion to 23x26

App update: 20/11/14

Out of the blue there's an app update available on iOS.

Restaurant Story app update on iTunes store

This is seemingly a Christmas themed update. However usually seasonal editions are completely separate apps from the main game, whereas this one is just an update to 1.7.3 of the usual version (note the name is simply 'Restaurant Story' with no mention of the festive season). It just happens to have all the bells and whistles of Christmas in both the thumbnail and the accompanying screenshots.

Game update: 19/11/14

We waited long enough for Autumn, and now there's a second consecutive update for the season.

Notification for latest Autumn 2014 update

Unlike the goals last week, this one is a regular update, with a range of content across the categories available for a mixture of coins and gems. Here's the list of all the new items:

Autumn 2014 goals content report

Last Wednesday was a big day. It was the day we got a new set of goals revolving around the many rich colours of Autumn. A number of the new items available could only be unlocked through the goals, so didn't get the full treatment from me at the time of release, but that's about to change with this report.

I'm going to start with the two fresh appliances. The first thing I really want to rave about is the fact that both of the cookers offer the option to be rotated in four ways. The Basic appliances have this same property but otherwise it's a trait which is a rarity. Many like myself have their ovens set up in a kitchen section and appreciate being able to rotate them. After all Action Chef Lee's got no business working on the rear of a stove! So thank you TeamLava for that - it obviously requires more work from the design team and doesn't go unnoticed by the players!

Focusing on the Thankful Oven, the first of the two appliances to unlock, it looks nice. The colouring doesn't really put me in mind of Autumn what with the slate grey interior. But that needn't be a bad thing - it gives this oven a realistic touch much like some of the other recent appliances, such as the Fish Stand and Wood Burning Stove. Plus the tea towel with maple leaf is a clever inclusion which makes sure the Thankful Oven has its own unique identity.

Beyond the aesthetics, we have to take a look at the recipes the Thankful Oven has to offer.

Suggestions Box (Nov 2014)

Every month I list five things I'd like to see added, altered or abolished from the game. Because even though my long time of playing Restaurant Story clearly shows I love it, that doesn't mean it's perfect. Some of the ideas I'll air will be significant game changers while others will be low-key and irrelevant in the eyes of many of you readers.

In no particular order, here are this month's entries...

Autumn 2014 goals (in full)

That nippy chill in the air means it's definitely Autumn, but you can soon warm up with a new set of goals which came with this week's update.

The Autumn 2014 goals are the only way to unlock five items, namely two appliances and three floor decorations. There are 27 days allocated for finishing all the tasks (seven less than usual), meaning that Monday 8th December is likely to be the cut-off date.

Without any further ado, here's the complete list of goal steps:

• Step 1: Gratitude for Gran Gran
• Step 2: Sweeter than Pie
• Step 3: Cranberry Classic
• Step 4: A Perfect Pie
• Step 5: Thanksgiving Helper
• Step 6: A Fall Casserole Creation
• Step 7: A Thank You for Gran Gran
• Sidestep A: Giving Thanks
• Sidestep B: Autumn Adornment

Game update: 12/11/14

Autumn is in full swing, and this Restaurant Story update brings new goals apt for the season!

Notification for Autumn 2014 update

It's the theme a lot of players (myself included) have been waiting for, and with it coming in a goals week that means there's not a gem in sight. Here is your full list of all the new content, which kicks in at level 12:

Countdown to content removal 2014

This time of year is all about Autumn, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Christmas. It's a busy period, but there's one not so exciting event also falls in this part of the year, and that's the dreaded content removals. Here I'll try and provide some guidance on what a content removal consists of and what we can expect.

If you've not experienced a content removal before, it basically consists of an in-game notification alerting of a poorly described removal to come in the next week, which is swiftly followed by pandemonium as the community erupts with protests.

Notification for 'winter holiday items' content removal

When the deadline passes, you get to retain any of the removed items you already purchased but won't be able to buy any more.

Everlasting eyeballs!

Among the treats in last week's Halloween update was the return of the Eyeball Stew with a 'supercharged' XP gain. It was only made available for a limited time, and was removed from the Basic Stove on Tuesday.

But Halloween is about tricks as well as treats. And my faithful neighbour Fat Bear has made a remarkable discovery - the Eyeball Stew may be gone, but it isn't rotting! Here's a shot of the stew ready to serve on one of Fat Bear's appliances:

Everlasting Eyeball Stew at Fat Bear's

This image was taken yesterday and at the time of writing the situation is unchanged - this 5 hour recipe remains in its serving state. Of course being the revolting dish that it is, the thing looks spoilt at all times, but the flies are staying away.

Game update: 05/11/14

We're into November and taking a trip on the train...

Notification for Railway update

This update is not a goals update as many may have expected for the first Wednesday of the month. Instead there's a range of railway themed content, along with a couple of nice surprises. Before we get to those though, here's the list of new stuff:

Halloween at The Garlic Tree

Yesterday evening the streets were full of all manner of mutants and monsters as people around the world celebrated Halloween. And in Restaurant Story this event provides a great excuse for some seriously spooky decorating. My place, The Garlic Tree, is among the many diners which have taken on a scary outlook for Halloween, and I'd like to share some of the wicked features currently on display...

We start the tour at the entrance, where the foyer section has been completely overhauled.

Foyer section of The Garlic Tree

As is the case throughout my restaurant, there's a range of Halloween items from several years. The Headless Horseman is a 2012 goal prize, and is standing guard over the door in case any unsuspecting customers try to exit!