Restaurants take too long

"Writin_Reg;c-16455067" wrote:

"NickSims;c-16454955" wrote:

"Anthonydyer;c-16454846" wrote:

"Writin_Reg;c-16453605" wrote:
Technically restaurants in real life is why we have fast food places too. But frankly for me - nothing beats going out to a real restaurant for a none fast food experience. You do not expect a restaurant meal to be in and out like Taco Bell or any of the fast food franchises. You expect a 4+ hour experience. My first job when I was in college was working evenings at a very nice, fancy restaurant - and the average table service was about 4-5 or more hours from start to finish for a table. Of course in a true restaurant meals are delivered in courses, one course at a time - allowing people to eat each course before the next part is delivered. We delivered 5 courses to each table - with a few tables ordering up to two more courses. It was not unusual in that restaurant to see the same folks there still at their table my entire shift. I worked from 5pm -11pm.

If you have never been to a full service restaurant - then yes you would think it takes a long time. To me it is pretty normal - as that is the dining experience I prefer. Maybe though this game could use some fast food restaurants where food is delivered all at once and fast- and save the fancy restaurant for sims who use them for a dinner date.

I see your point of view. Personally, I would go nuts sitting at a table for 4-5 hours. When my family goes to a restaurant, sometimes we order our drinks and meal at the same time, we eat, and we get out of there.

"NickSims;c-16453634" wrote:

But a two course dinner shouldn't take 5 hours in the game.

Also when I have a two course dinner at a restaurant irl I take 2-3 hours. Not everyone wants a 4+ hour long experience. And if shorter it's already fastfood?

I would like to see fastfood restaurant in the game though. Right now we can only order pizza and that's it. Kind of sad.

I agree. I don't want to sit at a table for 4+ hours. I like to keep it under 2 hours... preferably between 1 hr to 1 hr 30 min. It is especially worse with the sim clock where time goes by so fast. I think in the sims, food should be ready right after the order is placed. It will take plenty of time to bring the food over and eat it.

Sure, but that would make the cooks irrelevant. Everything just takes to long and should be made shorter imo.

But we delivered 5 courses with every meal - regardless of when you ordered - and the next course was not delivered until the present course was finish. The main course was the third course of the meal. There were beverages for each course. It was part of the meal regardless of what you ordered. We were not allowed to bring every thing at once. Keep in mind this was a full service restaurant - where you have a cover charge just coming in the place, need reservations often days in advance, not a Howard Johnson Family restaurant or an Olive Garden. This was the kind of place where celebrities frequented with their families. It had a dress code even. It was impossible to get in and out of that place in less than 3-4 hours, and as I said many were there during my entire 7 hour shift.

It was more an experience than just dinner. LOL.

Yeah okay. I get what kind of restaurant you worked at. It sounds great. All I said was that a two course meal in the game shouldn't take 5 hours just like how in your irl restaurant you can serve 5 courses in the same amount of time. In TS4 an olive garden experience shouldn't take 5 hours, like I have in my game.

The game could accommodate both. Just order what you want on the menu. If you want 5 courses, order an appetiser, a drink, a salad, a meal, and a dessert. If you want 2 courses, order a drink and a meal. What I was saying from the beginning is it shouldn't take 3 hours to get a fish taco.

"Anthonydyer;c-16456658" wrote:
The game could accommodate both. Just order what you want on the menu. If you want 5 courses, order an appetiser, a drink, a salad, a meal, and a dessert. If you want 2 courses, order a drink and a meal. What I was saying from the beginning is it shouldn't take 3 hours to get a fish taco.

The thing is though, if you do the three course meal (i.e. app, main course, and dessert) then it will take slightly longer than with just ordering a drink and a meal. I've had it where my sims have sat down, and another table will get their food right after my sims places their orders. The other sims will finish eating and my sims still haven't gotten their food yet. A second table will get their food, then finally my sims will get served.

I like the idea of them popping in for a quick bite. But it takes three hours sometimes. That is not quick. lol But I also like the idea of my sims going out for a nice formal dinner. That's when I don't mind them sitting, chatting, and eating for a few hours.

But I do agree, it would be nice if they game could accommodate both options, but within a reasonable amount of time.

"GoldenBuffy;c-16457548" wrote:

"Anthonydyer;c-16456658" wrote:
The game could accommodate both. Just order what you want on the menu. If you want 5 courses, order an appetiser, a drink, a salad, a meal, and a dessert. If you want 2 courses, order a drink and a meal. What I was saying from the beginning is it shouldn't take 3 hours to get a fish taco.

The thing is though, if you do the three course meal (i.e. app, main course, and dessert) then it will take slightly longer than with just ordering a drink and a meal. I've had it where my sims have sat down, and another table will get their food right after my sims places their orders. The other sims will finish eating and my sims still haven't gotten their food yet. A second table will get their food, then finally my sims will get served.

I like the idea of them popping in for a quick bite. But it takes three hours sometimes. That is not quick. lol But I also like the idea of my sims going out for a nice formal dinner. That's when I don't mind them sitting, chatting, and eating for a few hours.

But I do agree, it would be nice if they game could accommodate both options, but within a reasonable amount of time.

I generally control it with the menu choice. Like want a quicker experience limit your menu to just sandwiches and maybe salad and basic beverages like coffee and milk - so it is sort of fast food style. But for full services restaurants limit their menus to type of restaurant - like a seafood restaurant have just seafood. A steak house - steaks, beef, dishes. So changing up and limiting choices of menus may make a bit faster experience. Keep the sandwich restaurants smaller - nothing to attract sims attention, fewer table etc. Perhaps that will help you.

I just know earlier restaurants were slower than they are now - but if you are still having issues and long meals perhaps giving them less choice and less distractions will speed up the process. As for not staying seated - I just have no idea as my sims no longer roam like they used to - so I have no idea why some of you still have those issues.

Well I'm not sure how many of you have actually tried it but you can buy "quick" food at bars (base game) and cafe's (Get Together). You have to direct your sims more but if you go order before the crowd shows up you can do your eating pretty quick. There is also retail where you can set up food in cases for your sims to grab. I don't know the in's and outs of that but I have sent ghosts to buy ambrosia from retail places made by other simmers that I downloaded. In that the food goes in your sims inventory but you can go to a table with it and eat. There are also of course the food carts (City Living and JA).. it's meant to be quick.
I'm not trying to be a jerk about it..even if it comes off that way. I am saying there are multiple ways to get a quicker meal in the game without asking them to redo a system already in place. Not that I think this sort of desire will be catered too. I think you will basically end up modding in a quicker system.. which is available.
I am going to add that I do hope they do add in for us some type of fast food establishment that works better than our current cafe's do. I just know I avoid them as you can really only order one thing at a time (food OR drink) or it's highly subject to being swiped.

I agree. It just takes way too long, especially if you’re in a big restaurant, and it’s a nightmare if the waiter drops your food. I also hate how you can’t order appetizers, main dishes, and desserts all in one go. It already takes long to just order one thing so I can’t even be bothered to order other stuff because of it.

"Writin_Reg;c-16458080" wrote:

"GoldenBuffy;c-16457548" wrote:

"Anthonydyer;c-16456658" wrote:
The game could accommodate both. Just order what you want on the menu. If you want 5 courses, order an appetiser, a drink, a salad, a meal, and a dessert. If you want 2 courses, order a drink and a meal. What I was saying from the beginning is it shouldn't take 3 hours to get a fish taco.

The thing is though, if you do the three course meal (i.e. app, main course, and dessert) then it will take slightly longer than with just ordering a drink and a meal. I've had it where my sims have sat down, and another table will get their food right after my sims places their orders. The other sims will finish eating and my sims still haven't gotten their food yet. A second table will get their food, then finally my sims will get served.

I like the idea of them popping in for a quick bite. But it takes three hours sometimes. That is not quick. lol But I also like the idea of my sims going out for a nice formal dinner. That's when I don't mind them sitting, chatting, and eating for a few hours.

But I do agree, it would be nice if they game could accommodate both options, but within a reasonable amount of time.

I generally control it with the menu choice. Like want a quicker experience limit your menu to just sandwiches and maybe salad and basic beverages like coffee and milk - so it is sort of fast food style. But for full services restaurants limit their menus to type of restaurant - like a seafood restaurant have just seafood. A steak house - steaks, beef, dishes. So changing up and limiting choices of menus may make a bit faster experience. Keep the sandwich restaurants smaller - nothing to attract sims attention, fewer table etc. Perhaps that will help you.

I just know earlier restaurants were slower than they are now - but if you are still having issues and long meals perhaps giving them less choice and less distractions will speed up the process. As for not staying seated - I just have no idea as my sims no longer roam like they used to - so I have no idea why some of you still have those issues.

I'll fiddle around with my menus. I do have one fast food type, it's called "Good Dogs", all they serve are hot dogs, tofu dogs and pop (soda). And I believe ice cream or brownies. Yet, even with that limited menu, the wait time is pretty long. *sigh* Hopefully I can find a nice in between! Thanks for the suggestions!

"Hermitgirl;c-16458217" wrote:
Well I'm not sure how many of you have actually tried it but you can buy "quick" food at bars (base game) and cafe's (Get Together). You have to direct your sims more but if you go order before the crowd shows up you can do your eating pretty quick. There is also retail where you can set up food in cases for your sims to grab. I don't know the in's and outs of that but I have sent ghosts to buy ambrosia from retail places made by other simmers that I downloaded. In that the food goes in your sims inventory but you can go to a table with it and eat. There are also of course the food carts (City Living and JA).. it's meant to be quick.
I'm not trying to be a jerk about it..even if it comes off that way. I am saying there are multiple ways to get a quicker meal in the game without asking them to redo a system already in place. Not that I think this sort of desire will be catered too. I think you will basically end up modding in a quicker system.. which is available.
I am going to add that I do hope they do add in for us some type of fast food establishment that works better than our current cafe's do. I just know I avoid them as you can really only order one thing at a time (food OR drink) or it's highly subject to being swiped.

Yeah, I use to do this before DO was released.

"Astreon;c-16458223" wrote:
I agree. It just takes way too long, especially if you’re in a big restaurant, and it’s a nightmare if the waiter drops your food. I also hate how you can’t order appetizers, main dishes, and desserts all in one go. It already takes long to just order one thing so I can’t even be bothered to order other stuff because of it.

Yessss! lol It always seems to happen to my sims when I just want them to stop for a quick bite. The waiter will drop their order. It does make me laugh almost every time though.

I blame all the cooking animations we get in the game. If we didn't have lengthy cooking animations the meals would get cooked and probably delivered faster. A sim at home cooking takes over a sim hour sometimes all thanks to the animations of dropping salt in the pan and so on. I wish they would shorten the cooking times for the Dine out stations. Its something that seriously needs looking in to.

"Astreon;c-16458223" wrote:
I agree. It just takes way too long, especially if you’re in a big restaurant, and it’s a nightmare if the waiter drops your food. I also hate how you can’t order appetizers, main dishes, and desserts all in one go. It already takes long to just order one thing so I can’t even be bothered to order other stuff because of it.

You know, the waiter dropped my sim's food yesterday. I left the restaurant without eating because I was sick and tired of waiting.

"waggymiley2013;c-16459538" wrote:
I blame all the cooking animations we get in the game. If we didn't have lengthy cooking animations the meals would get cooked and probably delivered faster. A sim at home cooking takes over a sim hour sometimes all thanks to the animations of dropping salt in the pan and so on. I wish they would shorten the cooking times for the Dine out stations. Its something that seriously needs looking in to.

That's true. I wish they would just slow down the game clock just a little bit. Therefore it won't take a sim hour to take a shower.