FAQ
Quick answers to common player questions. Click any link for the deep dive.
Getting Started
Where should I put my first food truck?
The University Area or Residential Area are your best bets. Students and Parents are the most forgiving customer segments — they don't demand premium quality and there's reliable foot traffic. See Getting_Started for a full walkthrough.
What should my first recipe be?
Simple and cheap. Your Level 0 staff cap quality at 40 points, so premium ingredients are wasted money. Focus on filling, affordable meals that Students love. Keep your COGS at 30-40% of your selling price.
How should I price my food?
Start with cost-plus pricing: calculate your ingredient cost per meal, then add a 60-80% markup. Adjust based on what actually sells. If your COGS creeps above 40% of the selling price, raise prices or cut ingredient costs.
Staff and Training
Should I train my staff or buy better ingredients?
Train first. Always. Your staff's training level caps food quality — even the best ingredients can't overcome untrained staff. A Level 0 cook maxes out at 40-point food no matter what you feed into the recipe.
What's the most important training level?
Level 0 to Level 1 gives the biggest percentage jump: 40 to 50 points, a 25% improvement in both quality and speed. Every level matters, but early levels give the best return on investment.
Why aren't my staff reaching Level 6?
Not all employees can reach Michelin Maestro. Each candidate has a maximum training potential set when you hire them. Check this stat when recruiting — you may need to hire someone new with higher potential.
My staff keep quitting. What do I do?
Raise wages. Low pay causes low morale, which leads to high turnover. It's almost always cheaper to pay well and retain trained staff than to constantly rehire and retrain from Level 0.
Money and Finance
Should I take out a loan?
Only if the investment will generate more revenue than the loan costs. Never borrow to cover operating losses — that just adds interest on top of your problems. Loans have a 5% processing fee and interest that depends on your debt-to-equity ratio plus the central bank rate. See Banking.
Why do interest rates keep changing?
The economy cycles through boom and recession over the course of 1 game year (compressed from 10 real years). The central bank adjusts rates — lower in recession to stimulate borrowing, higher in boom to cool things down.
How do I stop losing money?
Check the Troubleshooting page for a step-by-step diagnostic. The most common causes are: wrong prices for your district, ingredients too expensive for your training level, over-ordering (waste), and being in the wrong location.
Customers
How do I attract Managers, Foodies, or Influencers?
Premium segments are demanding. You need: the right truck type (Maxi Burger Wagon or bigger for Influencers and Environmentalists, Mini Burger Trailer or bigger for Foodies), high training level (Level 4+), quality recipes, and the right location.
| Segment | Minimum Truck | Best Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Influencers | Maxi Burger Wagon | Shopping Centre | Low price sensitivity |
| Foodies | Mini Burger Trailer | Tourist Zone | Demand high quality |
| Managers | Any | Business District | Very low price sensitivity, highest spenders |
| Environmentalists | Maxi Burger Wagon | Residential | Moderate price sensitivity |
Why aren't customers buying my food?
Several things to check: Is your price too high for the segment? Does your recipe match what they want? Is service too slow (each training level adds 10 speed points)? Does your stand look appealing? See Troubleshooting for the full checklist.
What's the most profitable customer segment?
Managers have the lowest price sensitivity and the highest spending. But they demand top quality — Level 4+ staff, premium ingredients, and a great-looking stand. You'll find them in the Business District.
Operations
My ingredients keep expiring. What do I do?
Order less. Track your actual daily usage and match your orders to real demand. Use FIFO (first in, first out) to rotate stock. If you're using auto-replenishment and it over-orders, switch to manual. See Inventory_Management.
When should I upgrade my truck?
Upgrade when your current truck limits your growth: you can't reach target segments (Influencers need Maxi+, Foodies need Mini+), your storage is too small (frequent stockouts), or you need more employee capacity.
| Truck | Storage |
|---|---|
| Startup Burger Bike | 8 units |
| Maxi Burger Wagon | 16 units |
| Mini Burger Trailer | 24 units |
| Burger Master | 32 units |
| Happy Big Burger | 48 units |
| Giant Burger | 64 units |
How do I know when to expand to a second location?
When your first truck is consistently profitable, staff are at Level 3+, you have cash reserves, and your reputation is solid. Don't expand while your first truck is still losing money — see Common Mistakes.