Vacation Cafe
KITCHEN NOTE 01FRESH

Beginner Guide

Your first day, the counter loop, and how to expand without stressing yourself out.

Behind the counter: the espresso machine is the soul of the place
▲ Steam screenshot — Behind the counter: the espresso machine is the soul of the place

Day one: buy nothing big

Morning · learn the counter

Sell espresso and cappuccino only. Practice the 25-28s stop window — it is the only KPI of day one.

Afternoon · one market run

Flour, tomatoes, mozzarella. The market only opens Tue/Fri all day (see Supplies) — day one is a Tuesday, conveniently.

Evening · wipe every table

Not just cozy ritual: cleanliness seeds tomorrow's starting ambience. The best-spent 3 minutes of the day.

Night · do nothing

Seriously. Walk to the beach. Day one forbids grinding — the money you save has better uses tomorrow.

The counter loop, three stages

Standard loop

Take order at counter → right to machine/oven → pass window → collect empties back to counter. Four tasks, one ring, zero backtracking. Use this for the first two weeks.

With a terrace

Deliver terrace orders first (far end), collect indoor empties on the way back, refill counter stock on arrival. Rule: never walk empty — food out, cups back.

Rush loop (Ferragosto etc.)

Abandon single-table service: batch same-dish orders in threes. During tourist waves this is what saves your regulars — they do not mind waiting, they mind being forgotten.

Expansion pacing: what to buy when

WhenBuyDo this
Week 1recipes only, no machinesCappuccino → bruschetta → margherita. Zero purchases; keep the cash.
Week 2the wood ovenFirst big buy. Pizza margin is high and flour is cheap — your early cash engine.
Week 3terrace tables ×2Seats cap your traffic. Terrace ambience beats indoor renovation, always first.
Week 4+whatever you wantFrom here the game has no "right answer" — wine shelf, garden, repainting: it is your cafe.

Regulars Q&A

Are there really no timers? Guests never storm out?

APPROVED

Really none. Awaiting guests get a small "chat" icon — they start chatting with the next table. A few tourists leave eventually, with zero penalty. The store page does not lie about this one.

What happens if I ruin a dish?

APPROVED

Just remake it; ingredients are consumed as normal. No review system — but regulars served "passing"-grade food three times in a row visit less often. See the timing table on Recipes.

Can I go bankrupt?

APPROVED

No. Cash floors at 0 and you can buy on credit (settled next day). It makes "no stress" genuinely true — though buying luxuries on credit WILL stall your progress. Do not ask how I know.

How long is a day? Can I pause?

APPROVED

One in-game day ≈ 20 real minutes, and you can close early from the menu any time. Closing early loses nothing — it is the official cheat for "I only have 15 minutes tonight".