The cruel struggle between catering tycoons

“Lemonade? Do they want lemonade? What has this world come to! I want burger ads on all channels every 15 minutes.” This is how the description of the universe of Food Chain Magnate (2015) begins, board game that puts us in the shoes of the CEO of a fast food chain. It should be said, right away, that this is really a relentless game. «What do you mean by not having enough staff?», continues the boss. «Does the Human Resources director not report to you? So he hires more people! Give them training! But whatever you do, don’t pay them proper wages. I didn’t get into this business to get poor. And fire that discount manager, she’s just a waste of money. From now on we will sell gourmet hamburgers. Same crap but twice the price. Call the marketing director!”

This economy is not for beginners

This fictional CEO won’t be the most likable figure, but to be a restaurant tycoon, at least on this board, it takes a strong spirit. Food Chain Magnate calls for true economic warfare strategies. Does the restaurant on the corner specialize in pizza? It’s time to start an intensive advertising campaign to promote the consumption of hamburgers. Let them hang out! Designed for experienced players (each game can take up to four hours), the ultimate goal couldn’t be clearer: whoever makes the most money wins. To do so, it will be necessary to defeat the other fast food chains, using the human resources management system wisely and resorting to hostile marketing and sales maneuvers. At first, everything seems relatively peaceful, with an almost empty city map and companies with only their respective CEOs. But the crucial decisions immediately begin with placing the initial restaurant and hiring the first employees. Read more: How much does it cost to make a movie or a road trip with friends?

CEO we already have, now the rest is missing

Human resources are the game’s central mechanic: they will determine the strategy of each restaurant chain. And there are several possible paths – and careers – to follow. The employee cards (with a design that takes us back to the 1950s), include professions such as waitresses, financial managers, regional managers, price managers, coaches, gurus, trainers, truck drivers, couriers, recruitment managers, brand directors, advertising campaign managers, marketing interns and, of course, burger cooks and pizza chefs. There’s even a zeppelin pilot! Gradually, players accumulate personnel cards, but with each new round it will be necessary to choose which trumps to use. The company’s organization chart is therefore constantly being restructured, sometimes trying to solidify a long-term strategy, sometimes trying to respond quickly to the actions promoted by the other chains. And it is with a certain joy that one begins to see our structure increasing, reaching three different levels (with the precious help of middle managers), in a pyramid of human resources that is expected to be tremendously efficient and productive. The rule book even mentions what the expected working hours will be: from 9 to 17.Also read: Preservation and profit: Enemies hand in hand

Harness (all) the power of marketing

Connections to the world of economics have new echoes in the salaries paid at the end of each round (and our employees will slam the door if we don’t have the money to pay them) and in the interesting fluctuation of the customers’ desires. Consumers of this board are tremendously susceptible to the effects of marketing campaigns, which can range from letterbox flyers to billboards, radio advertising or air mail. All it takes is a well-placed ad and everything can change: instead of soft drinks, people crave lemonade or beer. Food Chain Magnate will shine especially when players are on the same level. The ideal premise will be that everyone starts from scratch, picking up the tricks of the game in concurrent learning curves. This economic simulation doesn’t come with warm wraps; mistakes are very expensive. And the direct conflict with the interests of other players may not suit all personalities. Read more: From want to power, a budget goes

Prize for the best manager: to be the restaurant tycoon

We are facing a tense game, very interactive, demanding competitive spirit. We need to be able to protect ourselves from blows, because the neighbor next door is not a friend: he is a competitor who will not hesitate for a second to bankrupt us. Blink your eyes and see him altering the conditions on the board, strategically adding houses and gardens to the neighborhood, repositioning or adding restaurants, or even creating a price war. At the outset, the customer will tend to eat what he wants at the place closest to his home. But what if there happens to be a hamburger two dollars cheaper at a restaurant just two streets away? In the end, glory or bankruptcy will be result of decisions taken and not the luck factor. The best CEO, best management and best strategy will ride a single restaurant chain to victory. Each success can even result in a mentally draining process; but it will also bring high doses of euphoria. We even tremble just thinking that our empire began with the simple hiring of a girl for the recruitment area…

Alternatively, we can open a stand in a market…

If the previous description seemed too complex or threatening to you, maybe it’s worth taking a look at another proposal related to food. In Lisbon Market (2021), We take on the role of entrepreneurs looking to make the most profit possible in the bustling Lisbon market.. The game is based on basic actions, such as opening a stall (tomatoes, fish, meat, grapes or flowers), setting up a restaurant (there are wine bars, sushi and hamburger establishments, tea houses, pizzerias) or bringing customers to the market entries. In this typical game of strategic placement of parts, the main challenge lies in creating a set of businesses capable of generating synergies, thus obtaining the maximum return for each client. ), Lisbon market still requires tactical decisions of some depth. But perhaps the main appeal is the setting, so well known by Lisbon residents and now by tourists, and that the game has the co-signature of a very famous Portuguese board game designer: Vital Lacerda. It will be a name we will certainly talk about again. Read more: If The Sims Economy Is Unrealistic, Fans Deal With It Paulo M. Morais grew up playing street football and listening to proverbs told by his grandmothers. He graduated in Social Communication and specialized in the areas of cinema, videogames and gastronomy. He is the author of novels and non-fiction books. He collects board games and continues to watch many movies. He likes to cook, look at the sea, read. The information contained in the article is not binding and does not invalidate the full reading of documents that support the matter in question.