Re: Sims™ 4 "Dine Out" BUGS WITH RESTAURANT TABLE.

@sallakat Can I ask if this is a restaurant that came with the pack (a Maxis Restaurant), one you made, or one that you downloaded form the gallery? If it's in the gallery, can you please share the name and creator? If it is your restaurant, I would love to try it myself and see if I have the same issues or see anything that may be causing your troubles. Could you add some screenshots?

• There's a great Carl's Guide on restaurants here: https://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/gamepacks/dineout/managing-your-restaurant.php
• There are some tips for restaurants at this link: https://sherigr.com/gameplay-tips/restaurants-in-sims-4/
• Please check the Bug Reports on restaurants at this link to make sure none of the known bugs are what you're dealing with: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/READ-FIRST-Compiled-list-of-reported-Issues/m-p/3445209#DO8

Thanks a lot for your reply! 

I created, well modified, the restaurant myself. I found a space from San Mushyno and modified to my liking. I modified upstairs so it has a bar, karaoke rooms and a balcony lounge, at least the bar works and entertains people, upstairs seems to be buzzing really. I don't have anything placed outside of the building.

How can I get you to try my restaurant btw? I'm quite new to the game so I don't know many details yet.

Actually now that I logged in again I got info that my chef needs more experience to cook my chose menu, so I chose lower level foods as well and ppl have been seated and eaten and I got more reviews than the 2 I had for a while. But my owner sims still can't get a table, just wave the No Route all the time. Also same with a couple that went on a date there. Also the people that ate in my restaurant right after logging in were the only ones, nobody afterwards again.

Exactly the same thing happening in my other restaurant in Del Sol Valey (a home property that I modified into a restaurant) with some randos getting food, then nobody eating and the sims that I play cannot get a table. This time I tried siblings that just went to the restaurant together.

I couldn't add more than 3 screenshots at a time.

@sallakat Thank you for the screenshots! It appears that you have customers sitting? I have found that customers have a lot of fun with karaoke and other entertaining elements in the restaurant, which attracts and keeps them more, but may not help much for your 'customer' success rates (in fact they can be pretty distracted by it, though I don't mind this, personally). You can get them to eat faster and other very helpful things, gradually, by using the rewards.

I had my sims living on-site with one of my restaurants and I found it became buggy - and the Sims were acting odd sometimes. Plus things that restaurant customers are meant to use - like tables - that are in your Sims' 'home' area will cause issues in the restaurant, it seemed to me, as I am assuming that any table on the lot can be assigned to a customer, and if it's locked away from them (in your home area, a break room, etc.) there will be issues since the customer cannot access the table they were assigned. 

Also, I believe the owner Sims cannot sit at a table that is intended for customers.

Did you have a chance to read the 'restaurant tips' page that I linked to? I included in that a bunch of these details about things that I found can cause issues and how to work around them: https://sherigr.com/gameplay-tips/restaurants-in-sims-4/ 

Also, there are directions about how to save your lot and how to share it to the gallery at this link:  https://sherigr.com/tutorials/saving-lot-to-sims-4-library-gallery/

Thanks for the tips. I did actually read your link. While it had great advice on getting started etc I couldn't find the final solution for me I'm afraid. I did however follow the advice here and in the link and disabled the possibility to get to the karaoke and bar on both of my restaurants for the time being.

At the moment I sort of gave up on getting the sims I play to actually get food but it seems hard to get anyone else to eat either, again only once I log in I can see a table or two being served at one of the restaurants IF at all. Maybe I just need to give it time and it will happen..?

If I, as the owner, go welcome the guests when they enter or shortly after, does it affect on them getting the table, do they lose focus?

Anyways I saved my restaurant #1 in the library if you feel like checking it out. The triplet sisters that own the restaurant are soon at the end of their days so who knows how long the restaurant will stay open :D

@sallakat I'm sorry to say that I have tried multiple times and ways in the browser and in-game gallery and cannot find the restaurant or for that matter any items under your username. I tried with and with out custom content checked in the filter and searched both 'Restaurant #1' (it auto-removed the "#" part), and "Chill out place". Nothing matched, or even close, from what I see. I also searched your username (sallakat) and nothing comes up under it. Did you click the blue cloud icon to share to the gallery? Once it's shared from your library it will turn green: 


If you need more details about the process of sharing the lot to the gallery, there are directions here.

If you add a bar with bar stools your sims will be able to sit and eat there. All tables on the lot will be designated by the game for the use of the customers - no matter where they are on the lot. Your Sims will be able to use the kitchen and refrigerator in it to make food and to store it in the refrigerator when the restaurant is closed. This way they can eat leftovers from the refrigerator while the restaurant is open. They could also eat quick meals from a microwave while the restaurant is open. As I said, though, add a refrigerator.

Yes, most entertainment and fun items on the lot will be a distraction to the customers if they are accessible to them, and they will get up from the table, to watch or do karaoke, look at the fish tank, listen to an entertainer singing or playing an instrument, etc. Bars are a distraction to them also, if this is a concern. Plus I don't think you earn any of the profits whether you hire a bartender or your sim serves up free drinks. 

You can get perks for them to eat faster, be more satisfied, and many other helpful things.

Welcoming the guests is important, and 'checking' on them at the table as well. Try to not do these things while your waiter or host are trying to interact with them, though.

And yes, it does take time for things to go more smoothly, the staff to get better at their jobs, and to get the swing of how to run it well.

Also, were you able to check out the Bug Reports list that I linked to in my other comment? A few that stand out in your case that you may want to check:

• Sims will not stay seated in restaurants
• Waiters don't take orders
• Sims cancel eating in restaurants
• Entire list: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/READ-FIRST-Compiled-list-of-reported-Issues/m-p/3445209#DO8

Oh dear yes I didn't click on the actual cloud icon. Now it's done though, same name Chill Out Place.

I read the links but I'm not experiencing the same issue. I just get the No Route from any sims I try to get seated by talking to the butler.

I keep putting my employees to training all the time and take care of them, so they're working fine. It's just the quests that I play can't get a table and very rarely any NPC sims eating even though I've tried to disable other interests in the restaurant.

@sallakat  Thanks... I'll have a look at the restaurant now. In the mean time, I actually just did a test on the customer end of things that may be of some interest to you, on a different thread:
https://answers.ea.com/t5/General-Discussion-Feedback/Dine-out-is-it-worth-it/m-p/9305921#M33572

Note: I downloaded it fine. Old Salt House! 🙌 Love that place!

First off I have to thank you because this is the most I've EVER gotten help from a community and I've been playing different games (MMO and FPS) for years! I really appreciate it! I changed the butler's station like in your picture, as well as put up new tables outside, and almost all the seats were taken as soon as I opened! such small things but big difference! My reviews jumped from 8 to 23 in a matter of minutes, just wow! Also the gate to kitchen was a really good suggestion.

Also amazingly I got a sim that wanted to just go eat by themselves and they got a table, omg I'm so happy thank you! :D Finally I have some hope of getting this work. And the biggest thing is that my owner sim (in another restaurant) got a table as well!

@sallakat 👏👏✨⭐  Yay!! 🎉 That just makes my day to hear!! ⭐✨👏👏
Thank you so much for letting us know! I hope you have lots of fun with your restaurants! ☕