Ingredients are the food stock behind your Restaurant Tycoon 3 kitchen. They sit in your Fridge, feed dishes and drinks, and turn a normal menu into something that actually pays instead of politely existing.
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farmable
Farmable ingredients
These ingredients can be grown through Farming as well as bought through their listed stores. Planting them is slower than shopping, but it gives you a way to build stock without spending cash every time.
Onion
Onion is a farmable Farm ingredient with a short 15 minute crop cycle and high listed food and drink demand.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Farm
- price
- 20 Cash
- Total Required
- 88
- Growth Time
- 15 Minutes
- Amount Grown
- x3
Flour
Flour is the Ingredients-table row tied to the Wheat farming crop, with a 25 minute grow time and one of the highest listed demand totals.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Bakery
- price
- 20 Cash
- Total Required
- 118
- Growth Time
- 25 Minutes
- Amount Grown
- x5
Sugar
Sugar maps to the Sugarcane crop in the Farming table and has the highest listed total requirement in the Ingredients table.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Bakery, Supermarket
- price
- 20 Cash (Bakery); 30 Cash (Supermarket)
- Total Required
- 168
- Growth Time
- 45 Minutes
- Amount Grown
- x6
Tomato
Tomato can be bought from the Farm or grown in one hour, producing x8 per harvest.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Farm
- price
- 25 Cash
- Total Required
- 50
- Growth Time
- 1 Hour
- Amount Grown
- x8
Pepper
Pepper is a Farm ingredient that can also be grown in one hour for x6, with a lower listed recipe demand than most staples.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Farm
- price
- 40 Cash
- Total Required
- 17
- Growth Time
- 1 Hour
- Amount Grown
- x6
Potato
Potato is a farmable Farm ingredient with a 1 hour 15 minute grow time and a high listed total requirement.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Farm
- price
- 20 Cash
- Total Required
- 71
- Growth Time
- 1 Hour 15 Minutes
- Amount Grown
- x6
Carrot
Carrot is a Farm ingredient with a 1 hour 30 minute crop route and x7 per harvest.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Farm
- price
- 25 Cash
- Total Required
- 45
- Growth Time
- 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Amount Grown
- x7
Banana
Banana is sold at the Supermarket and can be grown through the Banana Tree crop, which takes 1 hour 40 minutes for x3.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Supermarket
- price
- 40 Cash
- Total Required
- 22
- Growth Time
- 1 Hour 40 Minutes
- Amount Grown
- x3
Berries
Berries can be bought from Farm or Supermarket and grown as a Berry Bush crop for x8 after two hours.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Farm, Supermarket
- price
- 80 Cash
- Total Required
- 51
- Growth Time
- 2 Hours
- Amount Grown
- x8
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a Farm ingredient and a two hour crop, but its listed food and drink requirement is low compared with other farmable staples.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Farm
- price
- 40 Cash
- Total Required
- 8
- Growth Time
- 2 Hours
- Amount Grown
- x3
Lettuce
Lettuce is a Farm ingredient with a longer 2 hour 30 minute crop timer and x7 per harvest.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Farm
- price
- 30 Cash
- Total Required
- 26
- Growth Time
- 2 Hours 30 Minutes
- Amount Grown
- x7
Apple
Apple is the longest farmable crop route in the Farming table, taking three hours as an Apple Tree for x7.
- Farmable
- Yes
- Stores
- Farm, Supermarket
- price
- 120 Cash
- Total Required
- 38
- Growth Time
- 3 Hours
- Amount Grown
- x7
| Image | Name | Description | Farmable | Stores | price | Total Required | Growth Time | Amount Grown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onion | Onion is a farmable Farm ingredient with a short 15 minute crop cycle and high listed food and drink demand. | Yes | Farm | 20 Cash | 88 | 15 Minutes | x3 | |
| Flour | Flour is the Ingredients-table row tied to the Wheat farming crop, with a 25 minute grow time and one of the highest listed demand totals. | Yes | Bakery | 20 Cash | 118 | 25 Minutes | x5 | |
| Sugar | Sugar maps to the Sugarcane crop in the Farming table and has the highest listed total requirement in the Ingredients table. | Yes | Bakery, Supermarket | 20 Cash (Bakery); 30 Cash (Supermarket) | 168 | 45 Minutes | x6 | |
| Tomato | Tomato can be bought from the Farm or grown in one hour, producing x8 per harvest. | Yes | Farm | 25 Cash | 50 | 1 Hour | x8 | |
| Pepper | Pepper is a Farm ingredient that can also be grown in one hour for x6, with a lower listed recipe demand than most staples. | Yes | Farm | 40 Cash | 17 | 1 Hour | x6 | |
| Potato | Potato is a farmable Farm ingredient with a 1 hour 15 minute grow time and a high listed total requirement. | Yes | Farm | 20 Cash | 71 | 1 Hour 15 Minutes | x6 | |
| Carrot | Carrot is a Farm ingredient with a 1 hour 30 minute crop route and x7 per harvest. | Yes | Farm | 25 Cash | 45 | 1 Hour 30 Minutes | x7 | |
| Banana | Banana is sold at the Supermarket and can be grown through the Banana Tree crop, which takes 1 hour 40 minutes for x3. | Yes | Supermarket | 40 Cash | 22 | 1 Hour 40 Minutes | x3 | |
| Berries | Berries can be bought from Farm or Supermarket and grown as a Berry Bush crop for x8 after two hours. | Yes | Farm, Supermarket | 80 Cash | 51 | 2 Hours | x8 | |
| Pumpkin | Pumpkin is a Farm ingredient and a two hour crop, but its listed food and drink requirement is low compared with other farmable staples. | Yes | Farm | 40 Cash | 8 | 2 Hours | x3 | |
| Lettuce | Lettuce is a Farm ingredient with a longer 2 hour 30 minute crop timer and x7 per harvest. | Yes | Farm | 30 Cash | 26 | 2 Hours 30 Minutes | x7 | |
| Apple | Apple is the longest farmable crop route in the Farming table, taking three hours as an Apple Tree for x7. | Yes | Farm, Supermarket | 120 Cash | 38 | 3 Hours | x7 |
farmable
Shop-only staples
These ingredients come from shops rather than crop timers. Watch the listed store and price, especially when the same ingredient appears in more than one place.
Milk
Milk is bought from Farm or Supermarket and has a high listed food and drink requirement.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Farm, Supermarket
- price
- 45 Cash (Farm); 70 Cash (Supermarket)
- Total Required
- 76
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
Egg
Egg is a Bakery or Supermarket staple with one of the larger listed food and drink totals.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Bakery, Supermarket
- price
- 20 Cash (Bakery); 30 Cash (Supermarket)
- Total Required
- 69
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
Cheese
Cheese is available from Farm or Supermarket, with different listed prices depending on the shop.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Farm, Supermarket
- price
- 40 Cash (Farm); 60 Cash (Supermarket)
- Total Required
- 50
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
Bread
Bread is sold by Bakery and Supermarket, with the Bakery price listed lower in the source table.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Bakery, Supermarket
- price
- 25 Cash (Bakery); 40 Cash (Supermarket)
- Total Required
- 47
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
Ice
Ice is a Supermarket ingredient with a mid-range listed demand total.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Supermarket
- price
- 25 Cash
- Total Required
- 39
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
Chocolate
Chocolate is a Supermarket-only ingredient with a listed price of 90 Cash.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Supermarket
- price
- 90 Cash
- Total Required
- 36
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
Pasta
Pasta is a Supermarket ingredient with the same listed total requirement as Chocolate.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Supermarket
- price
- 25 Cash
- Total Required
- 36
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
Mushroom
Mushroom is bought from Farm or Campsite and has a lower listed food and drink total.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Farm, Campsite
- price
- 25 Cash
- Total Required
- 18
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
| Image | Name | Description | Farmable | Stores | price | Total Required | Growth Time | Amount Grown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | Milk is bought from Farm or Supermarket and has a high listed food and drink requirement. | No | Farm, Supermarket | 45 Cash (Farm); 70 Cash (Supermarket) | 76 | - | - | |
| Egg | Egg is a Bakery or Supermarket staple with one of the larger listed food and drink totals. | No | Bakery, Supermarket | 20 Cash (Bakery); 30 Cash (Supermarket) | 69 | - | - | |
| Cheese | Cheese is available from Farm or Supermarket, with different listed prices depending on the shop. | No | Farm, Supermarket | 40 Cash (Farm); 60 Cash (Supermarket) | 50 | - | - | |
| Bread | Bread is sold by Bakery and Supermarket, with the Bakery price listed lower in the source table. | No | Bakery, Supermarket | 25 Cash (Bakery); 40 Cash (Supermarket) | 47 | - | - | |
| Ice | Ice is a Supermarket ingredient with a mid-range listed demand total. | No | Supermarket | 25 Cash | 39 | - | - | |
| Chocolate | Chocolate is a Supermarket-only ingredient with a listed price of 90 Cash. | No | Supermarket | 90 Cash | 36 | - | - | |
| Pasta | Pasta is a Supermarket ingredient with the same listed total requirement as Chocolate. | No | Supermarket | 25 Cash | 36 | - | - | |
| Mushroom | Mushroom is bought from Farm or Campsite and has a lower listed food and drink total. | No | Farm, Campsite | 25 Cash | 18 | - | - |
farmable
Meat and fish
These are specialist ingredients from the Butcher or Fishmonger. Plan them like shopping stops instead of background farming, because the crop route is not the answer here.
Fish
Fish is bought from the Fishmonger and has the highest listed total among the meat and fish group.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Fishmonger
- price
- 50 Cash
- Total Required
- 82
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
Chicken
Chicken is a Butcher ingredient with a high listed food and drink requirement.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Butcher
- price
- 35 Cash
- Total Required
- 77
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
Beef
Beef is a Butcher ingredient with a high listed requirement and a 65 Cash source price.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Butcher
- price
- 65 Cash
- Total Required
- 75
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
Pork
Pork is a Butcher ingredient with a mid-range listed total requirement.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Butcher
- price
- 45 Cash
- Total Required
- 46
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
Lamb
Lamb is a Butcher ingredient with a 75 Cash listed price and lower total requirement than the other meat entries.
- Farmable
- No
- Stores
- Butcher
- price
- 75 Cash
- Total Required
- 24
- Growth Time
- -
- Amount Grown
- -
| Image | Name | Description | Farmable | Stores | price | Total Required | Growth Time | Amount Grown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish | Fish is bought from the Fishmonger and has the highest listed total among the meat and fish group. | No | Fishmonger | 50 Cash | 82 | - | - | |
| Chicken | Chicken is a Butcher ingredient with a high listed food and drink requirement. | No | Butcher | 35 Cash | 77 | - | - | |
| Beef | Beef is a Butcher ingredient with a high listed requirement and a 65 Cash source price. | No | Butcher | 65 Cash | 75 | - | - | |
| Pork | Pork is a Butcher ingredient with a mid-range listed total requirement. | No | Butcher | 45 Cash | 46 | - | - | |
| Lamb | Lamb is a Butcher ingredient with a 75 Cash listed price and lower total requirement than the other meat entries. | No | Butcher | 75 Cash | 24 | - | - |
Ingredients matter because they sit between cooking and profit. You buy them from shops around the map, store them in a Fridge, then spend them through dishes, drinks, and food stands. Running out mid-service feels tiny until the orders keep coming and your kitchen starts doing the quiet panic dance.
Farming saves cash, buying saves time
Farmable ingredients are the long-game route. You plant crops at the Farm, wait for them to grow, and collect the harvest into your ingredient stock. Crops can keep growing while you are offline, so planting before you leave is a clean habit. Future you gets the food. Present you gets to stop pretending patience is not a stat.
Buying is faster when you need ingredients right now. Shops such as the Farm, Bakery, Supermarket, Butcher, Fishmonger, and Campsite cover different parts of the ingredient pool. The trade-off is simple: cash goes down, service keeps moving.
Some shop prices change by location. If an ingredient appears in more than one store, compare the listed price before spending. A cheaper Bakery or Farm option can matter when you are stocking up for a big restaurant day.
Stock and storage are the real rhythm
A Fridge is required before ingredient buying really works, because it stores what you purchase from shops. Treat it like the restaurant's pantry. If the pantry is empty, the menu is just decoration with confidence.
The Farm and Bakery can rotate their stock on a timer, so do not plan every run around one shop always showing the same thing. If a needed ingredient is missing, farm what you can, check another store, or come back after the market changes.
How to decide what to chase first
Use farmable ingredients for steady background stock. Onion, Flour, Sugar, Tomato, and the other crop-linked ingredients are good candidates to keep growing because they can build up over time without another cash spend.
Use shop-only staples when the recipe demand is high or the farm route does not exist. Milk, Egg, Cheese, Bread, Ice, Chocolate, Pasta, and Mushroom are still important, but you handle them through store checks instead of crop timers.
Meat and fish are specialist buys. Fishmonger and Butcher ingredients are not crop projects, so they work best as planned shopping trips. Grab them when the menu needs them, then get back to serving before the customers remember they can judge you.
FAQ
What do ingredients do in Restaurant Tycoon 3?
Ingredients are stored in your Fridge and used by dishes, drinks, and food stands. They help your restaurant serve menu items that can earn more money.
Do I need a Fridge before buying ingredients?
Yes. The Fridge stores ingredients bought from shops around the map. Without storage, stocking up is not really the plan.
Is farming better than buying ingredients?
Farming is better when you can wait and want to save cash. Buying is better when your restaurant needs an ingredient right away and the shop has it in stock.
Do crops keep growing when I leave the game?
The Farming source says crops grow offline. Planting before you stop playing is a good way to come back to useful stock.
Why do some ingredients have more than one price?
Some ingredients are sold in more than one store. When the source lists different prices by store, the cheaper route is usually the better buy if that shop has the ingredient available.
Why are Flour and Sugar marked as farmable?
The Ingredients table uses Flour and Sugar as the public ingredient names, while the Farming table lists Wheat and Sugarcane as crops. They are matched here because those crop routes feed the same ingredient system.
