Kitchen management game PlateUp is what happens if you take Overcooked‘s puzzle-like designs and turn it into a rogue-like where all the design problems are your fault. And now, the beloved PC game has made its way to consoles, bringing a new set of players to the delightful frustration.
In PlateUp, maximize efficiency by yourself or with friends to survive every 15 rounds of fun, fast-paced food service life. If you’re new to PlateUp and want a quick rundown on how to build the best eatery and avoid beginner mistakes, here’s how to get started.
Related: Will PlateUp! Be On Xbox Gamepass?
1. How to Start a Game Of PlateUp
When you load into a game of PlateUp, you start at headquarters. Here, not only do you pick your kitchen layout and your recipe, but you can also practice those recipes before you get into the game. In the beginning, you start out with just steak, but the more you play and level up, you can serve pie, pizza, burgers, soup, and more.
It can be a little confusing to know how to get out of here, but the trick is to “complete the plan to begin” by grabbing the kitchen layout and recipes you want from the tables across from the bulletin board. Once you have this how you like it, you’ll walk into the next room to begin the game.
2. Basic Gameplay Overview for PlateUp
Once you get into the game, your goal is to survive for 15 rounds. Each round starts with you setting up your workspace and purchasing upgrades. Then, you hit go and tackle the day ahead of you. Once you’re in a round, you can’t move anything, so be sure you’ve got it where you want it before you hit go!
During those 15 rounds, 3 rounds are about upgrading the style of restaurant you will have (formal, expensive, affordable, or charming). Meanwhile, 4 other rounds give you challenges.
As you progress through the rounds, you have to choose between two options that put pressure on either the kitchen, the dining room, or both. You must cope with these challenging changes to your establishment without disgruntling customers.
Throughout the game, the major factors you have to account for are cleanliness, cook speed, and customer volume. If you make customers wait too long for a table or for their food, you fail the day and have to start the game from the beginning again.
3. Best Items to Look for in PlateUp
Between rounds, blue envelopes spawn with blueprints for new items you can add to your restaurant before the next round begins. All PlateUp items have a purpose, either for making serving easier, helping clean, speeding up cooking, upgrading items, automating your restaurant, etc. Using the money you earn from running your restaurant, these items can be game-changing in helping you win.
As far as the early game is concerned, some of the best items you can buy are extra plates, sinks, and a research desk. Meanwhile, upgraded hobs (stovetop) or sinks can revolutionize your starting gameplay.
Later in the game, you’ll be fighting against the accumulated customer demand and dirtiness. So, wellies, trainers, automated cleaners, knives, rolling pins, knives, and mixers can be invaluable. They either make you cut/knead faster or get rid of/ignore the mess customers make while they eat.
4. Aim for Simple Kitchen Designs
Each game of PlateUp will be different, but the less your avatar has to move, the better. While you set up your design, make all your walking paths simple and straightforward, and make sure everything is easily accessible.
For example, a chef will likely want to place their kitchen set up in a way that makes it easy to walk from their final cooking step to the serving window and plates.
You also want to consider the layout of your dining room, making sure to leave a clear and easy path for delivering food. If you put decorations too close to a table, you may have trouble getting to customers to take orders and deliver food in time!
5. Tips for Playing PlateUp Multiplayer
PlateUp lets players cook together in groups of 1-4 with both in-person and online co-op. For some console versions, you’ll need subscription services like Game Pass Premium to access online co-op. Playing with others changes the game, so you’ll want to keep that in mind as you enter into multiplayer mode.
In single-player mode, you do everything yourself. But in multiplayer, it’s easier to play the game if you assign everybody roles. And no, it’s not just as simple as being the chef and server. Think of everything you need to do to keep the restaurant running smoothly and communicate who will be doing what.
Then, create easy-to-use stations for each of you. The person in charge of dishes, for example, should have an easy way to access plates so that you can get clean dishes back into rotation as easily as possible.
