A-Maze-ing

• Create a complicated pathway for diners to walk from the front door to the tables to maximize the time that waiters have to clean tables and serve other guests. Your guest turnover may be a little slower, but the additional time means that the waitstaff can help all customers, resulting in fewer walk-outs and more positive feedback. Use railings, decorations and plants to outline a pathway. Click the "Redecorate" tab at the bottom of the screen to purchase new decorations or to access your stored decorations.
  
  

The Straight and Narrow

• When it comes to setting up your tables and stoves, lay out tables in a way that minimizes the number of steps your waiters have to take. Boxing in a waiter by surrounding him with tables and stoves is ensures that he does not spend time wandering aimlessly around the restaurant. Avoid a layout that makes waiters move in a diagonal line. The time it takes for waiters to walk in a diagonal increases by 140 percent over the time it takes to walk in a straight line.
  
  

No Man is an Island

• "Islands" is the name used by Restaurant City players to describe a restaurant layout that consists of small, self-contained groupings of tables, stoves and staff. Since the staff and the stoves are closely clustered around the customers, orders are processed and handed out with greater speed. The veteran players at Kitchen Cow recommend up to two waiters for every three cooks you employ and three tables per cook. For an island with three cooks, plan on one or two waiters and nine tables. The waiters serve food far faster than chefs can cook it, so the abundance of chefs will be able to keep with the waiter's service.
  
  

Space and Style

• Center the tables and stoves whenever possible. Placing chairs directly against the wall wastes space, as Restaurant City characters cannot edge past the wall or let other customers pass. Islands do not have to spread across the restaurant; often they are spaced closely together to allow maximum room for decorative mazes and other design elements. Choose decorations that serve a function as well, such as grouping decorations into mazes, or choosing elements that come with time and service bonuses. If you don't know whether your decoration has an additional purpose, look for the blue question mark on the right side of its box when it's in inventory. Click on the question mark to get more information about your item.