Game update: 25/05/16

It's crate week in Restaurant Story, and the high end dining theme is continuing to flourish.

Notification for Chic Crate

The Chic Crate is the solitary addition, with a 24 gem outlay resulting in one of eight floor decorations being handed to you at random. The prizes come in all shapes and sizes, with the bigger and better stuff being the rarer finds.

This is the first new box we've had since the end of March when the Sock Hop Crate was introduced. Consequently I'm not too disheartened to see this week's fresh content being cooped up in a crate, and the choice of theme helps that cause too.

After going years without any real fine dining décor we've had three updates dedicated to it in a short space of time, and it's been all-encompassing - we've had goals, a regular update and now a box. Personally I'm delighted that Storm8 have finally given in and gone all posh on us, and hope it continues. When there are so many far-fetched themes in the game, it's great to have some content that truly belongs.

So let's take a look at the various prizes the Chic Crate has to offer, courtesy of the following snap from the Storm8 Blog:

Items from update as shown on Storm8 Blog

Assuming there are only eight prizes, they are all showcased here. With thanks to Dragony Diner, I've managed to put together what I think is an accurate distribution list, and have included the positions of some of the less descriptive pieces in the above image:

First Prize

• Chic Chef's Station

Second Prize

• Chic Stove (far right)
• Chic Café (left, with cabinets)

Third Prize

• Chic Fridge
• Chic Culinary Station (left, with single cook)

Fourth Prize

• Digital Menu
• 'Chic Host'
• 'Chic Stand'

As usual, if you find any discrepancies or can confirm the official name of any item, feel free to leave a comment!

This is a great box. The Classic Kitchen Box has always been my favourite of the crates, and this is the first box since to genuinely challenge it. Some of the decorations actually mirror the Classic Kitchen's goodies, not least the Chic Chef's Station which is a more stylish version of the Chef's Station. It is an outstanding decoration, with so much intricate detail. The only shame is that it is a first prize! This is undoubtedly one that will be going on my wishlist for Black Friday!

The third prize Chic Culinary Station is another which has a link to the Classic Kitchen, with the Culinary Artist being somewhat similar. This time the chef's moustache is more impressive, and his dish is more hearty (whatever it may be!)

The Chic Fridge is akin to the Industrial Fridge, but this one is so much more fancy. The gold frame contrasts strongly with the black, and you get the sense that there are some truly classy delicacies stored within.

To the left of the fridge in the teaser are the 'Chic Host' and 'Chic Stand'. At first glance you may think they are one single entity, but I do believe they are separate items. The 'Chic Host' breaks with tradition by trading his whites for blacks, and I adore those pinstripe trousers. The 'Chic Stand' is really ritzy, but whether it's actually any good depends on its function - is this purely a floor decoration or is it a host stand? My instinct sadly points towards the latter since the Gray Host Stand is nearby in the teaser, plus we've never had a host stand released in a box. I can dream though...

 High end dining

 24/05/16 Goals content report
 18/05/16 Goals
 18/05/16 Goals update
 27/04/16 Initial update

The Digital Menu is a poor return for 24 gems, but is still a quirky prize. I don't really view it as much of a high end dining piece, but rather an item which would look at home in a futuristic layout. I doubt it rotates in all four directions, and that is something which will count against it.

All that's left are the Chic Café and Chic Stove. The first of these looks nice, although it is just the latest incarnation of a long-running decoration - we've seen the shop front item with storage in behind format too much now in my opinion and it's starting to lose its spark. The Chic Stove is more original, and although it can't be seen particularly well in the teaser it is 2x1 in size. It's definitely a nice item to squeeze in-between actual appliances, although I can't help but feel a little underwhelmed given that it's a second prize.

All in all this is a really good box. That Chic Chef's Station especially is to die for, and has me drooling in the exact same way that the Chef's Station did back in the day. The most impressive thing about the crate is that there isn't really a total dud in there - everything has some merit, even the Digital Menu. They may not all be worth the 24 gem gamble, but that's always going to be the way of it.

And the Chic Crate isn't the only gamble you can partake in with this update. The Woodland Box is on sale for a limited time at 50% off, meaning you can get two dips for the price of one.

Notification for Woodland Box sale

The Woodland Box is one of the very early crates, and it shows. The top prize Reflecting Pool is absolutely stunning, but it is the only non 1x1 item in the mix. That's pretty staggering really, and so even at 12 gems a go I'm not interested in taking a chance. Furthermore the Reflecting Pool has been the subject of special deals and LTOs on multiple occasions over the last couple of years, so anyone desperate to get hold of it probably already has.

That said, these 50% off deals on the crates are mightily generous. They've been consistently appearing every fortnight for more than three months now, and we should be grateful that the gamemakers are providing these specials at all. I just hope the Chic Crate is the subject of an offer soon!

And for iOS players only there was a Value Pack up for grabs over last weekend, with the Garden Dinner included along with the usual 25 gems.

Garden Dinner Value Pack

The Garden Dinner is the top prize in the Love Chest, which is a Valentine's Day themed box not currently available in the market. That makes this an ultra rare decoration at this moment in time, and definitely a good choice by Storm8. There could well be a few players opened their wallet to procure this item, although I've yet to succumb to any of the Value Packs.

On the other hand, I strongly suspect I will succumb to the Chic Crate one day. It's got an excellent array of content which will most certainly enhance the reputation of your diner. So well done Storm8 - you've done the business again!