11 Best Games Where You Run A Restaurant

There are a lot of great “simulators” out there that showcase what it’s like to run a restaurant. Here’s a look at some of the best.

Gamers who want to bring their love of cooking into gaming may appreciate business simulators – especially those that let gamers fulfill their dreams of being restaurant managers. Thankfully, the gaming world doesn’t fall short of restaurant simulation games for casual and strategic minds alike.

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In fact, certain games offer a simpler simulation experience through minigames or a hardcore restaurant management sim where budgeting and supplies remain an integral part of the game experience. Just which restaurant sims deserve that chef’s kiss of approval?

Updated on December 12, 2021 by Ashely Claudino: Who doesn’t love cooking games? They can either be very relaxing or extremely stressful. There are tons of great cooking games out there so which ones are the best? This article has been updated with more details and a game that definitely deserves to be on the list has been added – The Sims 4: Dine Out. Keep reading to find out more about this awesome game pack and many other games that will provide cooking fun for hours on end.

Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!

Released 14 October, 2020. Available on Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox and PC

Players who want to start off easy in restaurant management sims might appreciate the food truck experience offered by Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! In this title, players travel around the country as they prepare for the National Foodtruck Championships. As such, a lot of dishes featured in the game aren’t massive and complex entrees. Rather, there’s a lot of focus given to popular street foods from around the world.

Unlike other hardcore restaurant management sims, Cook, Serve, Delicious! focus more on time-pressured order completion. Players are given a dish with specific ingredients, and they have to press keys that correspond to them. The faster they accomplish their orders, the more satisfied their customers are. And the more experience they get every level, the more complex their dish offers can get.

Cake Mania: Main Street

Released February 16, 2010. Available on PC

Fans of Cooking Dash who want a more baking-oriented restaurant sim might appreciate Cake Mania: Main Street. As the name implies, players take on the role of Jill as she opens her new bakery. However, her goals don’t just stop there. She wants to eventually expand her restaurant to compete with the best bakeries throughout Main Street.

At its core, gameplay resembles that of Cooking Dash. In turn, Cake Mania uses a time-management cooking system where customers wait patiently in line as Jill prepares their sweets using meticulous steps. Thing is, given its nature as a baking game, players need to bake pastries and an assortment of breads and cakes to satisfy their customers.

Coffee Tycoon

Released April 30, 2005. Available on PC

Despite its age, Coffee Tycoon is perhaps one of the most comprehensive looks into coffee in the context of a business simulator. Released in 2005, this PC game tasks players into being the best cafe in town.

The game features two modes of play. In a planning mode, players get to assess the current state of their shop. These include their employees, their existing menu, potential upgrades, and frequent customers. However, in the simulation mode, players need to wait and see if their planning efforts paid off in attracting customers for the day and what else they may need to improve.

The Sushi Spinnery

Released July 3, 2012. Available on Android and iOS

Players who want an engaging business sim on their smartphones might want to give The Sushi Spinnery a try. Unlike other cooking games that focus more on food, The Sushi Spinnery lets players create and manage their own sushi bar. As such, players not only need to manage the layout of their restaurant but even manage the little things that go on in their place.

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For instance, players need to manage which dishes to serve and which items to prioritize making. This is a great way for sushi lovers to simulate the feeling of running their own sushi bar, or for those new to Japanese cuisine to have an accessible way of getting to know some hit Japanese dishes.

Cooking Dash

Released August 12, 2009. Available for Android and iOS

Nothing can beat classics, and there’s nothing more classic in restaurant sims than the wonder that is Cooking Dash. Despite its quirky comics-style graphics, Cooking Dash still offers quite a lot of challenge for its time-based management gameplay. Essentially, players start by assembling dishes by going through necessary equipment throughout the kitchen. They then need to serve these dishes to customers before their patience runs out.

Thing is, Cooking Dash ramps up the challenge quickly as players progress through levels. Eventually, players need to remain on top of their game despite their efforts to fully optimize their kitchen space.

Overcooked 2

Released August 7, 2018. Available on Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox and PC

Thanks to Overcooked 2, players can finally experience what it’s like being in the frontlines of a restaurant. In Overcooked 2, up to four players can test their endurance being in the kitchen during busy shifts. Through minigames, Overcooked 2 simulates the usual restaurant kitchen experience by having players create specific dishes in precise steps and orders.

As expected, timing and panicking are integral (and fun!) elements of Overcooked 2. Watch as friendships shatter and family relationships get tense while virtual customers eagerly await their orders in Overcooked 2.

Restaurant Empire II

Released June 1, 2009. Available on PC

In Restaurant Empire II, players take charge of building and managing their restaurant. Players begin by choosing their specific cuisine specialization (American, Italian, German, or French) and creating their restaurant of choice. Additionally, players need to pay particular attention to very specific statistics between their staff and customers.

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In turn, Restaurant Empire II has this minor micromanagement element that earned the ire of some gamers. For instance, players need to keep track not just how long customers wait in line. Rather, they sometimes boast high budget in place of high quality expectations as well. Players looking to manage these tiny elements will appreciate Restaurant Empire II.

Pizza Connection 3

Released March 22, 2018. Available on PC

Why settle for a restaurant when players can finally create their favorite pizzas in their very own pizzeria? With Pizza Connection 3, players can manage create the pizza of their dreams. In this pizzeria simulator, players build their own restaurant from scratch – complete with nearby establishments that may or may not lead to customers.

When players construct their shops, they even need to select designations to certain rooms to denote their role. Typical to business games, Pizza Connection 3 will also have players keep track of statistics, employees, marketing, and research of their own pizzerias. However, the game also features an in-depth menu option and the unique feature of sabotaging competitors.

Coffee Shop Tycoon

Released December 5, 2016. Available on PC

Contrary to the business-heavy Coffee Tycoon, the experience in Coffee Shop Tycoon focuses more on the active aspect of management. In this quirky-looking game, players build and take charge of their coffee shop. They might start small with a tiny space that can accommodate a few tables into a sprawling coffee house tailored to executives and their favorite caffeinated drinks.

What makes Coffee Shop Tycoon interesting is its rather deep approach into the management side of the coffee shop. Aside from tending to customers, players also need to manage little things such as their equipment and inventory. In fact, they also need to pay close attention not just to their stock of coffee, but in their freshness as well.

Chef: A Restaurant Tycoon Game

Released December 6, 2018. Available on PC

In Chef: A Restaurant Tycoon Game, players focus more on the management aspect of business sims. At its core, Chef needs players to construct their dream restaurant. However, this doesn’t just mean customizing their chef and the layout of their dream eatery. Rather, the game eventually lets players create their own recipes as well!

Unlike other restaurant tycoon games, Chef lets players look in awe as their staff perform (or underperform) much to the wonder of customers. And as a player’s restaurant grows, the more they can curate their restaurant’s theme and menu to particular dishes and cuisines.

The Sims 4: Dine Out

Released June 7, 2016. Available on Playstation, Xbox and PC

There is tons of content available for The Sims 4. One of the many game packs is called Dine Out and it lets fans experience what it’s like to build and own a restaurant in a busy world and micromanage nearly every single thing.

It’s possible to build every inch of anyone’s dream restaurant and it’ll work as long as it’s functional. Not only that but fans can also choose who they hire, what the employees wear as a uniform and pick out dining menus. Although it’s not an expansion pack, it’s a very complete game pack.

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