Countdown to content removal (boxes)

A removal of 'Winter holiday content' took place on Tuesday 7th January 2014. Only Christmas content was removed. More information can be found here.

Let me take you back to 3rd January 2013...

A pop-up appears to every player on every TeamLava game, and it informs that all holiday content from 2012 will be removed on the 7th. Chaos ensues as players frantically try to decide what is and what isn't 'holiday content', before invading Design mode to buy up items expected to go and desperately trying to master seasonal recipes.

It was a bit of a shambles in all honesty. Only four days notice of a whole raft of unnamed items and dishes being removed with no promise of any returning at any time in the future. So as that time approaches again, here's a guide as to what you should do.

The definition of 'holiday content' is a dodgy one - Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas clearly all fall into this bracket, but what about Summer, Autumn, Carnival and Cruise themed items? So for the sake of taking no chances I'm going to class anything added this year as at risk.

Year in review 2013

As we near the close of 2013, here's a review of the goings on in Restaurant Story over the last 12 months...

We opened up with plenty of drama in January. Just as we were recovering from the New Year blues, TeamLava announced a removal of all holiday themed content from the game later that same week. There was much anger at this, with frustration both at the short notice and the lack of clarity over exactly what would be removed. My range of countdown to content removal posts in recent weeks will hopefully make the next removal less stressful!

To further anger the players, the game's developers decided to add a new set of goals which had no prizes! The winter goals were bizarre, making use of old recipes many had already mastered. A lot of people believed that it was all an attempt by TeamLava to distract from the content removal. I'll let you form your own opinions.

Things soon picked up though with the release of the Valentine's Day theme. Both iOS and Android got a shiny new app unexpectedly on a Friday, with the goal set coming on the Sunday. This, incredibly, was the last time that iOS got a seasonal edition app. The initial update included a remarkable 10 new recipes, most of which were freely available on the regular appliances.

And we were feeling the love when all of the 2012 Valentine's content was re-released shortly before Valentine's Day itself. There was a lot of stuff, however my attention was elsewhere, as it was on the same day that the Restaurant Story Adventures blog was launched!

Game update: 25/12/13

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! The day was capped with a late update.

Notification for latest Christmas update

I didn't expect an update on Christmas Day, and didn't actually see it myself until Boxing Day morning. Apologies for the lateness of this update post, but hey it's the holidays! Here is the full list of new additions:

The Garlic Tree at Christmas

Season's greetings to all!

Christmas is a favourite time of year for many, myself included. And a big part of the festive period is decorating your home for the holidays. In Restaurant Story this obviously extends to the lavish decorating of our diners for Christmas, so here's a look at how I've got my restaurant, The Garlic Tree, decked out for this very special time...

As usual when I decorate for special occasions, I've not changed the layout of my place drastically, but simply swapped out a few items here and there to make for a festive feel. Take the foyer section for example. I've combined a few things from both this year and previous, with the Holiday Choir overlooking the super cute Mistletoe Kiss:

Christmas themed foyer section of The Garlic Tree

Countdown to content removal (counters)

A removal of 'Winter holiday content' took place on Tuesday 7th January 2014. Only Christmas content was removed. More information can be found here.

Let me take you back to 3rd January 2013...

A pop-up appears to every player on every TeamLava game, and it informs that all holiday content from 2012 will be removed on the 7th. Chaos ensues as players frantically try to decide what is and what isn't 'holiday content', before invading Design mode to buy up items expected to go and desperately trying to master seasonal recipes.

It was a bit of a shambles in all honesty. Only four days notice of a whole raft of unnamed items and dishes being removed with no promise of any returning at any time in the future. So as that time approaches again, here's a guide as to what you should do.

The definition of 'holiday content' is a dodgy one - Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas clearly all fall into this bracket, but what about Summer, Autumn, Carnival and Cruise themed items? So for the sake of taking no chances I'm going to class anything added this year as at risk.

Suggestions Box (Dec 2013)

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...

Game update: 18/12/13

This could be the last update before Christmas!

Notification for latest Christmas update

There's another selection of new Christmas content now live. And in a holiday twist, some of the festive stuff from previous years has been re-released! Here's a full list of everything added:

Tables:

• Cinnamon Spice - 40,000 coins
• Ornament Table* - 6 gems
• Frosty Table* - 15,000 coins

Christmas 2013 goal recipes report

On Wednesday the second Christmas update came with a new set of goals. Within these there are two new appliances to unlock, namely the Cocoa Maker and Christmas Feast Oven. Each contain three recipes, so here I will analyse their statistics.

You can analyse these recipes using my recipe list located here. 

Let's kick off with the Cocoa Maker...

Recipes on Cocoa Maker

Countdown to content removal (floor tiles)

A removal of 'Winter holiday content' took place on Tuesday 7th January 2014. Only Christmas content was removed. More information can be found here.

Let me take you back to 3rd January 2013...

A pop-up appears to every player on every TeamLava game, and it informs that all holiday content from 2012 will be removed on the 7th. Chaos ensues as players frantically try to decide what is and what isn't 'holiday content', before invading Design mode to buy up items expected to go and desperately trying to master seasonal recipes.

It was a bit of a shambles in all honesty. Only four days notice of a whole raft of unnamed items and dishes being removed with no promise of any returning at any time in the future. So as that time approaches again, here's a guide as to what you should do.

The definition of 'holiday content' is a dodgy one - Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas clearly all fall into this bracket, but what about Summer, Autumn, Carnival and Cruise themed items? So for the sake of taking no chances I'm going to class anything added this year as at risk.

Christmas 2013 goals (in full)

Please note that this set of goals expired on Monday 13th January 2014.

The Christmas spirit is in full flow, with a new set of goals released in the 11th December update.

There are six items which can only be unlocked by working through these goals, two of which are appliances.

There are 34 days on the clock to complete the goals, so they should vanish for good on Monday 13th January 2014.

Here are all the steps:

• Step 1: A Christmas Surprise
• Step 2: Christmas Cabin
• Step 3: The Feast Begins
• Step 4: Tasty Trees
• Step 5: The Christmas Roast
• Sidestep A: Crazy For Cocoa
• Sidestep B: Cocoa With A Kick
• Sidestep C: Mr. Snowman
• Sidestep D: Snowed In

Game update: 11/12/13

With Christmas now a fortnight away (what?!) the festive goals are here.

Notification for latest Christmas 2013 update

Tis the season to get busy on the goals and decorate your restaurant for the holidays. Here's a comprehensive list of all the new content this week:

Tables:

• Log Table - locked by goal

Countdown to content removal (wallpapers)

A removal of 'Winter holiday content' took place on Tuesday 7th January 2014. Only Christmas content was removed. More information can be found here.

Let me take you back to 3rd January 2013...

A pop-up appears to every player on every TeamLava game, and it informs that all holiday content from 2012 will be removed on the 7th. Chaos ensues as players frantically try to decide what is and what isn't 'holiday content', before invading Design mode to buy up items expected to go and desperately trying to master seasonal recipes.

It was a bit of a shambles in all honesty. Only four days notice of a whole raft of unnamed items and dishes being removed with no promise of any returning at any time in the future. So as that time approaches again, here's a guide as to what you should do.

The definition of 'holiday content' is a dodgy one - Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas clearly all fall into this bracket, but what about Summer, Autumn, Carnival and Cruise themed items? So for the sake of taking no chances I'm going to class anything added this year as at risk.

An expansion... to the update archive!

Back in July I added a new section detailing the weekly updates since the blog was launched.

Well now I'm pleased to announce that the update archive has been updated to include weeky updates from well before the Restaurant Story Adventures Blog was launched.

The archive now stretches way back to March 2011, around six months after the game was first introduced.

Game update: 04/12/13

It's update time again, and the countdown to Christmas is on!

Notification for Christmas update

With the first update of December, we've got our opening Christmas update. There aren't any goals yet, but there is a selection of festive content. Here's a list of it all:

Countdown to content removal (floor decorations)

A removal of 'Winter holiday content' took place on Tuesday 7th January 2014. Only Christmas content was removed. More information can be found here.

Let me take you back to 3rd January 2013...

A pop-up appears to every player on every TeamLava game, and it informs that all holiday content from 2012 will be removed on the 7th. Chaos ensues as players frantically try to decide what is and what isn't 'holiday content', before invading Design mode to buy up items expected to go and desperately trying to master seasonal recipes.

It was a bit of a shambles in all honesty. Only four days notice of a whole raft of unnamed items and dishes being removed with no promise of any returning at any time in the future. So as that time approaches again, here's a guide as to what you should do.

The definition of 'holiday content' is a dodgy one - Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas clearly all fall into this bracket, but what about Summer, Autumn, Carnival and Cruise themed items? So for the sake of taking no chances I'm going to class anything added this year as at risk.

Black Friday 2013 analysis

Yesterday was Black Friday, and Restaurant Story was very much included in the shopping chaos!

Notification for Black Friday 2013 sales

I've been building up to it for months, and on Thursday some players got a notification to tune in over the weekend for 'something special'. From the moment I saw this teaser, I knew we wouldn't be let down.

So I opened the app with baited breath on Friday. The first thing to meet my eyes was this pop-up:

The Garlic Tree at Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all the American readers!

I may be from the UK, but that doesn't mean I can't dress my restaurant up for the holidays! So here's a brief look at how The Garlic Tree has been furnished for Thanksgiving...

Unlike Halloween where I opted to mix the spooky content with my existing set-up, for Thanksgiving I've got a dedicated section for the season:

Thanksgiving section of The Garlic Tree

This replaces my retro diner section (which is now in storage) and smaller Autumn section which was contructed prior to Halloween.

Clearly the centrepiece of this large area is the Cider Bar, which was a limited time offer the week before the Halloween updates began. It may have cost 38 gems, but is massive and has lots of detail. I've flanked it with a few Fall Counters, although if you look closely at the Panpipe Asparagus, it's actually on a Steampunk Counter. There's still 46,000 plates of it, so I can't bring myself to hit the dispose button!

The Cider Bar obviously gives an outdoor feel to the section, and the Thanksgiving Dinner LTO from last week also has that aura, so would have been a great fit here. But with Black Friday on the horizon I saved my gems and decided to use Pumpkin Stools with Autumn Tables instead. Hardly the ideal substitute, but there you go!

Once the punters have had a drink they can warm up on the Cozy Couch, which is one of several items from last year's Thanksgiving offering that I've got placed. The Thanksgiving Display and Pumpkin Topiary alongside the couch along with the Wagon of Pumpkins and Thanksgiving Desserts are also 2012 content but is unfortunately no longer available (the Cozy Couch is still available for a bargain of 10,000 coins).

The other floor decorations I've yet to mention both feature a person to keep the barmaid company - the Leaf Pile was a goal item this year and is one I really love, while the Playful Parasol was actually released in Spring. I've not had much of a chance to get her on the restaurant floor much since I acquired her services, but complete with her umbrella, this lass adds to the outdoor quality.

To finish my themed area off, I've used the Autumn Dividers which are relatively cheap to seperate it from the rest of the diner.

I've always liked the Autumn themed content in Restaurant Story, having had an Autumn section installed for a long time previously. I particularly like the orange and brown colouring, which together really convey a warmth that can be connected to warming up in front of the fire as the weather gets colder over winter.

It's the walls and floor which really define the tone, and I toyed with a few floor tile choices for a while. The Fall Leaves Tile and Autumn Floor from this year's releases were both tested, as well as the Autumn Leaves from 2012. But ultimately I chose the Autumn Slate to compliment the Outdoor wallpaper. Again these are both from last year but are still buyable.

Meanwhile the Parade Car and Thanksgiving Float both fail to make the cut in my restaurant. Why? Because there's no space! I don't want to totally overrun my place for Thanksgiving so restricted myself to a decent sized area. Yet these two goal items are really big (especially the float which is truly gigantic) so I can't fit them.

So that's the tour over. Get back to your Thanksgiving dinner everyone!

Game update: 27/11/13

Thanksgiving may be upon us, but the Old West is making a return...

Notification for Old West update

With the potential for some very special Black Friday sales, this update was always going to be a bit underwhelming, but here's a full list of the new content all the same:

Countdown to content removal (wall decorations)

A removal of 'Winter holiday content' took place on Tuesday 7th January 2014. Only Christmas content was removed. More information can be found here.

Let me take you back to 3rd January 2013...

A pop-up appears to every player on every TeamLava game, and it informs that all holiday content from 2012 will be removed on the 7th. Chaos ensues as players frantically try to decide what is and what isn't 'holiday content', before invading Design mode to buy up items expected to go and desperately trying to master seasonal recipes.

It was a bit of a shambles in all honesty. Only four days notice of a whole raft of unnamed items and dishes being removed with no promise of any returning at any time in the future. So as that time approaches again, here's a guide as to what you should do.

The definition of 'holiday content' is a dodgy one - Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas clearly all fall into this bracket, but what about Summer, Autumn, Carnival and Cruise themed items? So for the sake of taking no chances I'm going to class anything added this year as at risk.

Game update: 20/11/13

Thanksgiving is now just over a week away, so there's another batch of new Thanksgiving content in this week's update.

Notification for latest Thanksgiving update

Here's a comprehensive list of all the new items coming our way:

Countdown to content removal (chairs)

A removal of 'Winter holiday content' took place on Tuesday 7th January 2014. Only Christmas content was removed. More information can be found here.

Let me take you back to 3rd January 2013...

A pop-up appears to every player on every TeamLava game, and it informs that all holiday content from 2012 will be removed on the 7th. Chaos ensues as players frantically try to decide what is and what isn't 'holiday content', before invading Design mode to buy up items expected to go and desperately trying to master seasonal recipes.

It was a bit of a shambles in all honesty. Only four days notice of a whole raft of unnamed items and dishes being removed with no promise of any returning at any time in the future. So as that time approaches again, here's a guide as to what you should do.

The definition of 'holiday content' is a dodgy one - Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas clearly all fall into this bracket, but what about Summer, Autumn, Carnival and Cruise themed items? So for the sake of taking no chances I'm going to class anything added this year as at risk.

Suggestions Box (Nov 2013)

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...

Halloween 2013 content removal

As was discussed in this week's game update post, an in-game notification gave notice of a removal of Halloween items on Friday.

Notification for Halloween 2013 removals

Well the removal has now taken place and the results are in...

Both the content released brand new this year and the stuff from 2012 which was re-released have been removed, but recipes were exempt. However there were some exceptions to the rule.

So here is a list of all 58 removed Halloween items:

Game update: 13/11/13

Before I begin to discuss this week's Thanksgiving themed update, I want to bring your attention to a notification which hopefully all players have now had:

Notification for Halloween removals

Now it's nice that TeamLava had gone to the bother of notifying us in advance of a content removal, but I'm still not satisfied - this message doesn't clarify a couple of things.

The Halloween content removal has now taken place - more information here.

Firstly, will the Halloween themed recipes on the basic appliances be removed? There have been six such dishes, and it would be a shame (and slightly unfair) if they were pulled just over a month after being introduced as this is not a long time for players to master them.

And secondly, does this removal consist of all Halloween stuff currently in the game or just the 2012 items which were re-released in the final Halloween update? Remember that at the time, the re-release of the 2012 content was described as for 'limited time' so those things are certain to go, but the 2013 items are still up in the air.

Countdown to content removal (appliances)

A removal of 'Winter holiday content' took place on Tuesday 7th January 2014. Only Christmas content was removed. More information can be found here.

Let me take you back to 3rd January 2013...

A pop-up appears to every player on every TeamLava game, and it informs that all holiday content from 2012 will be removed on the 7th. Chaos ensues as players frantically try to decide what is and what isn't 'holiday content', before invading Design mode to buy up items expected to go and desperately trying to master seasonal recipes.

It was a bit of a shambles in all honesty. Only four days notice of a whole raft of unnamed items and dishes being removed with no promise of any returning at any time in the future. So as that time approaches again, here's a guide as to what you should do.

The definition of 'holiday content' is a dodgy one - Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas clearly all fall into this bracket, but what about Summer, Autumn, Carnival and Cruise themed items? So for the sake of taking no chances I'm going to class anything added this year as at risk.

Initial Thanksgiving 2013 recipes report

As part of last week's Restaurant Story update, eight new recipes were added to the game. Two are available at the start of the recipe list on the Basic Stove and Basic Oven respectively, while the other six are available across two new appliances which are only unlockable via the Thanksgiving 2013 goals.

You can analyse these recipes using my new recipe list located here.

Let's start the report with the two dishes on the Basic appliances...

New recipes on Basic Stove and Basic Oven

Thanksgiving 2013 goals (in full)

Please note that this set of goals expired on Monday 9th December 2013.

As part of the opening Thanksgiving update, a new set of goals has arrived on Restaurant Story.

These goals unlock six items which are otherwise unavailable, including two appliances.

There are 34 days to complete the goals, so they should disappear forever on Monday 9th December, at which time Christmas content will probably be rolling out.

Here it is then...

• Step 1: Thanksgiving!
• Step 2: Fall Furnishings
• Step 3: Barbecue Style
• Step 4: The Turkey Parade
• Step 5: Turkey Time
• Sidestep A: Treats From A Teacher
• Sidestep B: Sweet Potato Secrets
• Sidestep C: A Teacher's Test
• Sidestep D: Parade Permit, Please

Game update: 06/11/13

Halloween is behind us, and Thanksgiving is now in sight!

Notification for Thanksgiving update

November comes with a Thanksgiving theme and a new set of goals.

So lots to discuss - firstly, here's all of the new content added to the game this week:

Tables:

• Mushroom Table - 2 gems
• Fall Forest Table - 4,350 coins

Countdown to content removal (tables)

A removal of 'Winter holiday content' took place on Tuesday 7th January 2014. Only Christmas content was removed. More information can be found here.

Let me take you back to 3rd January 2013...

A pop-up appears to every player on every TeamLava game, and it informs that all holiday content from 2012 will be removed on the 7th. Chaos ensues as players frantically try to decide what is and what isn't 'holiday content', before invading Design mode to buy up items expected to go and desperately trying to master seasonal recipes.

It was a bit of a shambles in all honesty. Only four days notice of a whole raft of unnamed items and dishes being removed with no promise of any returning at any time in the future. So as that time approaches again, here's a guide as to what you should do.

The definition of 'holiday content' is a dodgy one - Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas clearly all fall into this bracket, but what about Summer, Autumn, Carnival and Cruise themed items? So for the sake of taking no chances I'm going to class anything added this year as at risk.

Recipe list added

Whenever new recipes are released, I tend to go off on a tangent with a long analysis of each dish's statistics and compare them with other recipes of the same length.

Well now you can too!

I've added a new feature to the blog - a recipe list which includes every Restaurant Story dish past and present complete with an abundance of related data including the key three of profit, portions and XP. It is this table which I have used over the last few months to give a summary of the quality of each new recipe.

Part of Recipe List from Restaurant Story Adventures Blog

You can access this rather large spreadsheet by clicking the 'Recipe List' tab at the top of the page, or by clicking here.

Game update: 30/10/13

Halloween hits us tomorrow, and there's a great gift for players...

Notification for latest Halloween update

As I predicted may happen, all of the 2012 Halloween content has been re-introduced!

Here is a list containing all the returning items:

Tables:

• Monster Table - 6,000 coins
• Ghost Table - 3 gems

Countdown to content removal (recipes)

A removal of 'Winter holiday content' took place on Tuesday 7th January 2014. Only Christmas content was removed. More information can be found here.

Let me take you back to 3rd January 2013...

A pop-up appears to every player on every TeamLava game, and it informs that all holiday content from 2012 will be removed on the 7th. Chaos ensues as players frantically try to decide what is and what isn't 'holiday content', before invading Design mode to buy up items expected to go and desperately trying to master seasonal recipes.

It was a bit of a shambles in all honesty. Only four days notice of a whole raft of unnamed items and dishes being removed with no promise of any returning at any time in the future. So as that time approaches again, here's a guide as to what you should do.

The definition of 'holiday content' is a dodgy one - Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas clearly all fall into this bracket, but what about Summer, Autumn, Carnival and Cruise themed items? So for the sake of taking no chances I'm going to class anything added this year as at risk.

The Garlic Tree at Halloween

With Halloween this coming Thursday, I've got my restaurant decked out in a Halloween theme.

I've seen a few really special restaurants for the occasion, where a huge amount of effort has been put in to totally refurbishing the diner in the name of Halloween. I've been busying myself with mastering the newest recipes and saving gems for Black Friday so have not gone too big with my decorating.

But as an iOS user who has been playing the game for more than a year, I do have access to last year's Halloween content, so have been able to mix and match nicely to create a spooky tone.

I've actually looked to incorporate some of the Halloween content within my existing design. For example, in the kitchen section my Swedish Server has morphed into a Zombie Waiter:

Halloween themed kitchen section of The Garlic Tree

Game update: 23/10/13

The Halloween theme continues in Restaurant Story as the 31st moves on to the horizon.

Notification for latest Halloween update

As I predicted, this week we've got a new box. The Mystery Mummy Chest is the only new item in this update, but for 24 gems you get a shot at picking up a seriously spooky decoration. Of course the odds are against you so gamble those gems at your own risk!

So what exactly are the prizes available from this new chest? Well here is a prize distribution list of everything available:

Suggestions Box (Oct 2013)

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...

Game update: 16/10/13

Halloween is now two weeks away, so it's time to stock up on candy!

Notification for latest Halloween 2013 update

The latest update is candy themed, so those going guising will be showered in sweets. Here's a full list of all the new content:

App update: 14/10/13

Yesterday for iOS players an app update for Restaurant Story was released, the first since April:

Restaurant Story app update
on iTunes store

For reference purposes, this update is version 1.6.9 of the regular edition of Restaurant Story.

As the image above shows, this update contains 'Performance improvements'. Now this description isn't very accurate, as the only change to the game that I have observed isn't really performance related. What I have noticed is a change to the interface of the Invite Friends tab of the Social section off the Main Menu.

Black Friday is coming!

As the title suggests, this post is all about Black Friday, which this year falls on Friday 29th November.

For the benefit of those outside of the US, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and marks the start of the Christmas shopping season. Consequently there tend to be lots of sales and promotions from retailers on this day, much like on Boxing Day in the UK.

Now I understand that the end of November is still some time away, so why on earth am I bringing this up now? Well, because the developers of Restaurant Story, TeamLava, treat Black Friday just like high street retailers. So this means something very special could be coming...

Some recipe changes

Just after I published my report on the new Halloween recipes on Tuesday, TeamLava kindly changed the statistics on two of the dishes. Both the Pumpkin Soup and Handburger had their data altered, so here's a look at the differences:

Pumpkin Soup on Basic Stove before and after stats change

So other than the duration, the Pumpkin Soup gets a total statistical makeover. Previously it was a strong 7 hour dish, but now it's poor. Across the board it compares badly, with the School Lunch the only recipe of the same duration which has poorer numbers. So it has gone from a good dish to a substandard effort.

Game update: 09/10/13

The Halloween fun continues this week.

Notification for latest Halloween 2013 update

The focus is on the graveyard, where the spirits are in full swing. Here's a list of everything new:

Halloween 2013 recipe report

This year's initial Halloween update was a cracker, with loads of new content, a new set of goals, and a massive ten new recipes!

At last I've gained access to them all, so let's take an in-depth look at the new dishes, starting with those that are freely available on the basic appliances...

The Basic Stove has three new recipes:

New recipes on Basic Stove

Halloween 2013 goals (in full)

Please note that this set of goals expired on Monday 4th November 2013.

With this week's update came a new set of goals to celebrate Halloween.

There are six items from the update which can only be obtained by completing the goals, including two new appliances.

There are 33 days on the clock to complete the goals, so they are likely to expire on Monday 4th November, just after Halloween.

The goals contain five 'sidesteps' which must be completed when appropriate if you are to progress through the main strand of goals. All the necessary information is included, so let's get into it...

Game update: 02/10/13

Halloween has arrived in Restaurant Story!

Notification for Halloween update

The update was a few hours late in release, presumably due to a spooky gremlin in the system.

As of yet, there is no new edition of the app as there was last year, but there are loads of new items and a brand spanking new set of goals to get our fangs into.

Here's a list of all the new content:

Suggestions Box (Sep 2013)

A new feature of the blog starting this week is my Suggestions Box. Every month I'm going to list five things I'd like to see added, altered or abolished from the game. Because even though my year 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...

Game update: 25/09/13

There's a crispness in the air as the winter draws ever closer.

Notification for latest Autumn update

That's right. This week we've got further Autumn content to lavish over our restaurants. Here's a full list of the new items:

Porridge and pizza aced

Following up my post over the weekend regarding a pursuit of mastery in the Halloween edition of Restaurant Story from last year, I'm pleased to say that I managed to accrue the two gems for acing Pumpkin Porridge and Candy Corn Pizza by Sunday evening.

And I seem to have achieved this in good time, with the Halloween 2012 version still supported on my device for now, although I have read of some users no longer being able to use this version of the game. This may however be due to the iOS 7 upgrade.

As I said in Saturday's article, it was disappointing to receive the news that the Christmas 2012 edition was no longer supported just a short time after discovering the possibility of mastering several recipes exclusive to that version.

A tale of gem drama

Recently I made a discovery which left me very happy and provided a prospect of a gem boost. Then it was snatched from my grasp. Let me tell the tale...

If you have been playing Restaurant Story long enough to have been around for the World Games, Halloween and/or Christmas editions in the latter part of last year, then you'll probably also know that content from these games was pulled at the start of 2013.

  World Games, Halloween and Christmas editions
  of Restaurant Story

Game update: 18/09/13

After the Old West goals last week, we're already moving on.

Notification for Autumn update

Summer is behind us and Autumn is arriving. So what goodies are up for grabs? Here's a comprehensive list of all the new items:

Tables:

• Leaf Table - 79,400 coins

Chairs:

• Leaf Chair - 2 gems

Wall decorations:

• Fall Leaf Lamp - 9 gems

Old West recipe analysis

Via the Old West goals, there are two new appliances unlockable, and each contains three fresh dishes.

Let's start analysing them with the Old West Oven's recipes:

First recipe on
Old West Oven

Second recipe on

Old West Oven

Third recipe on
Old West Oven

Gifting advice (part 2)

Gifting your neighbours is a significant part of Restaurant Story. The only piece of advice that I believe all players should take on board is that they should whenever possible try to gift a neighbour the same item that they've received a request for from said neighbour if they've made one. Otherwise, what is the best thing to do regarding gifts?

There are two main categories of gift items - food and parts. I covered food gifts in part 1. Here I concentrate on part gifts.

The ten main parts in Restaurant Story

Old West goals (in full)

Please note that this set of goals expired on Tuesday 15th October 2013.

As part of the this week's Old West update, we received a new set of goals. The steps involved in unlocking a range of new items are listed here.

Remember that there is a time limit on the goals. There are 34 days to complete this set, so they should disappear on Tuesday 15th October.

With that in mind, let's get to it...

Game update: 11/09/13

It's that time of the week again...

Notification for Old West update

The notification may promote a continuation of the musical theme, but in reality, we're returning to the Old West to complete some goals with this update. Here's a list of all the new content:

Tables:

• Wagon Wheel Table - locked by goal

Gifting advice (part 1)

Gifting your neighbours is a significant part of Restaurant Story. The only piece of advice that I believe all players should take on board is that they should whenever possible try to gift a neighbour the same item that they've received a request for from said neighbour if they've made one. Otherwise, what is the best thing to do regarding gifts?

There are two main categories of gift items - food and parts. In this first installment, I focus on food gifts.

The six food gifts in Restaurant Story

Game update: 04/09/13

We enter September with another new theme.

Notification for musical themed update

It's time to face the music, with a variety of music related content. Here's a list of everything added to the game:

Game update: 28/08/13

I was on holiday this week, so that is why the update post is late - or should that be delayed?

Notification for airplane update

At least the Restaurant Story airplanes are on time, with this new theme including plenty of content, all of which is listed below:

A sporting expansion

It's been two and a half months since the last one, but at last I'm ready to expand my restaurant again, this time to 21x24.

Expansion to 21x24

As you can see this expansion costs 7,500,000 coins (or 80 gems) and requires players to have 45 neighbours before it can be executed. I've saved up over 8,500,000 coins to ensure I have plenty left over for refurbishments and any upcoming sets of goals.

Game update: 21/08/13

The seaside theme continues this week, with the pirates continuing to rule shores.

Notification for latest under the sea update

The centrepiece of this update is a limited time offer, but there are a few other addition too. All are listed below:

The optimum neighbour number

Neighbours are an integral part of Restaurant Story. When you start out, Stormie's Store is your only pal, but you can add up to as many as 2,000 neighbours (including invites) if you so wish.

Now that maximum number is a bit bonkers, but what is the optimum number of neighbours to have?

Well those who like to tip their neighbours every day will need to ensure they don't take on too much of a workload.

Tips on tables in The Garlic Tree

Game update: 14/08/13

Following on from last week's under the sea update, the pirates are now taking over!

Notification for latest under the sea update

The only addition to the game this week is a new box, called the Pirate Chest. It costs 24 gems a go, with those brave enough obtaining one of nine possible items. Some are worth around 24 gems, while others are worth much less, but one or two are worth a whole load more.

The latest new recipes

Over the last week there have been four new recipes added to the game. Three have come from the under the sea update and the other was part of the back to school update released the following day.

Let's start off with the three recipes on the Sunken Stove. To gain access to them, you will need to work through the Under the Sea goals to unlock this new appliance. The dishes are as follows:

First recipe for Sunken Stove

Second recipe for Sunken Stove

Third recipe for Sunken Stove

My one-year anniversary

It's now one year since I innocently downloaded an app called Restaurant Story. Little did I know the obsession I was unleashing.

So having unlocked every item in the game, saved and spent many millions of coins, fallen into multiple gem traps and reached level 99 at last, whatever do I aim for now?

Well, I'm still working on expansions. Currently my restaurant is 20x23 with three more expansions to go. So this is something I'll continue to focus on in the coming months, with the huge figures required to make final couple of expansions set to make this a long haul.

Expansion to 21x24

My next expansion is to 21x24, and I am getting close to reaching the 7,500,000 coins needed for it. So some rejigging will be necessary for that.

Then there's mastering recipes. I'm moving towards mastery at the third level across the basic appliances while some slots have been homing in on fourth level mastery for specialist appliances. There's a long way to go as far as the basic cookers are concerned, so I'll have to be patient, but just think of the windfall of gems when I do get there!

And the nature of the game helps to keep me interested too. With weekly updates, there's something new every week. Some updates are better than others, but as long as there continues to be an inviting update every now and again there will always be an incentive to return to the app.

Just look at this week's under the sea themed update complete with goals. Some really nice content which encourages players to keep checking in.

My first year of playing Restaurant Story has been very enjoyable indeed. Here's hoping that the second year is just as good. There's plenty to work on!

Game update: 08/08/13

Yesterday there was a bonus update in addition to Wednesday's big under the sea update.

Notification for back to school update

There's several new items in a back to school theme, and here's a comprehensive list of all of them:

Tables:

• Pencil Table - 3 gems

Chairs:

• Pencil Chair - 7,000 coins

Wall decorations:

• Back to School Sign - 15 gems

Floor decorations:

• Crayon Divider - 2 gems
• Bookworm - 20,000 coins

Wallpapers:

• Pencil - 1 gem

Counters:

• Lunch Box Counter - 15,000 coins

This update is of the usual variety for iOS users while Android players need to download a new app.

I quite like this mini update. The Pencil Table and Pencil Chair are cute pieces which go well together. However not many will be keen on paying 3 gems for a table.

The Crayon Divider is an inventive way of forming a divider, and reminds me of the giant equipment in the children's TV show Art Attack here in the UK.

The Back to School Sign is another nice idea, although is a bit small considering the 15 gem price tag. In contrast, the Bookworm is 2x2 in size and very tall. It's for coins and screams of cuteness.

And finally the Lunch Box Counter doesn't remind me of school lunchboxes. To me a school lunchbox is brighly coloured with cartoon characters plastered over it. This one is a shiny silver. Yet I'm not complaining as it is slick and could fit in well if you've got a restaurant designed to be glossy.

In addition to the new content listed above, the School Lunch has been added as a recipe to the Basic Stove.

New recipe on Basic Stove

Further details on it will be posted in a few days, along with more on the recipes which were released via the under the sea goals.

On a related note, the Smoked Salmon Potato (which was added to the Basic Oven a couple of weeks ago) has been relegated to the back end of the recipe list.

Overall, I'm happy with this extra update. My only gripe really is that it wasn't released as a standalone theme with the inclusion of goals and whatnot. There is so much that TeamLava could have came up with,

Under the Sea goals (in full)

Please note that this set of goals expired on Tuesday 3rd September 2013.

As part of the weekly update, we have a new set of goals to work through. And it requires taking a trip to the bottom of the sea...

There are 27 days available to complete these goals before they disappear forever. This means they will likely vanish on Tuesday 3rd September. Here we go!

 Step 1: Under The Sea

• Ask Neighbours for 6 Piles of Sand ... tap 'Ask' and send requests for these to neighbours.
• Buy 10 Under The Sea wallpaper ... any wallpaper is acceptable.

Under the Sea goals: step 1

As is the norm with goals, multiple options now begin to spring up. At this point, you'll have two goals available. The first is 'Ocean Or Ordinary', which is the second installment of the main strand of goals. The other is 'Fine Diving' which is a one-step goal required to continue along the path of the main strand. Therefore I'm going to call it Sidestep A. For details on it, scroll further down this page.

 Step 2: Ocean Or Ordinary

• Buy 10 Ocean Floor Tiles ... any floor tiles are acceptable.
• Buy 2 Clown Fish ... these cost 6,500 coins each.

Under the Sea goals: step 2

Completion of this goal leads to another sidealong goal being produced which I'm denoting as Sidestep B. For more on it scroll down this page. Meanwhile the main set of goals continues.

 Step 3: In Deep

• Have 8 Coral Reef Chairs ... these are locked until you complete Sidestep A and cost 3,200 coins each. Find them towards the end of the Chairs tab.
• Have 8 Sea Turtle Tables ... these cost 4,200 coins each. Any you have already purchased prior to this goal are included in the count.

Under the Sea goals: step 3

By buying these items, you will unlock the Starfish Host Stand. It is needed in order to complete Sidestep B.

Unlocking of Starfish Host Stand in Under the Sea goals

 Step 4: Sunken Stove

• Have 4 Sea Anemone Counters ... these cost 10,500 coins each. Any you have already purchased prior to this goal are included in the count.
• Build 2 Sunken Stoves ... these are locked until you complete Sidestep B and cost 3,200 coins each. They each require 5 Springs, 5 Knobs, 5 Screws and 5 Gears to build. Find them at the end of the Appliances tab.

Under the Sea goals: step 4

 Step 5: The Secret of Seafood

• Prepare 20 Seaweed Salads ... these are found on the Sunken Stove and take 4 hours to cook.
• Serve 20 Seaweed Salads

Under the Sea goals: step 5

By getting those salads out, you gain access to the third recipe on the Sunken Stove, the Grilled Mahi-Mahi.

Unlocking of Grilled Mahi-Mahi in Under the Sea goals

 Step 6: Gems Of The Sea

• Prepare 30 Steamed Mussels ... these are found on the Sunken Stove and take 8 hours to cook.
• Serve 30 Steamed Mussels

Under the Sea goals: step 6

As you may notice in the above image, the reward for steaming those mussels is 2 gems.

 Step 7: Consistency Is Key

• Prepare 40 Grilled Mahi-Mahi ... these are found on the Sunken Stove and take 12 hours to cook.
• Serve 40 Grilled Mahi-Mahi

Under the Sea goals: step 7

This is the final goal, and the reward is the Mermaid Reef. Find it in the floor decorations tab towards the end.

Unlocking of Mermaid Reef in Under the Sea goals

This ultimate goal prize is 3x3 in size, and further purchases cost 76,500 coins each.

 Sidestep A: Fine Diving
 Available after completing Step 1

• Visit 20 Community Members

Under the Sea goals: sidestep A

Completing this goal unlocks the Coral Reef Chair, which is required for Step 3.

Unlocking of Coral Reef Chair in Under the Sea goals

 Sidestep B: Kelp Is On The Way
 Available after completing Step 2

• Have 4 Kelp Columns ... these cost 17,500 coins each. Any you have already purchased prior to this goal are included in the count.
• Buy 1 Starfish Host Stand ... this is locked until you complete Step 2 and costs 17,000 coins. Find it at the end of the Tables tab.

Under the sea goals: sidestep B

Finishing this one off will unlock the new appliance - the Sunken Stove. One is given to you free, but another will be needed to complete Step 4.

Unlocking of Sunken Stove in Under the Sea goals