Locations are the map stops that keep Restaurant Tycoon 3 from being only a kitchen with legs. Some sell ingredients, some point you toward services, and some are scenery for now, which is still useful to know before you sprint across the map with a plan.
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Ingredient shops
These locations matter when you are stocking the restaurant. Some are milestone-gated, and Farm also connects shopping to crop planting.
Bakery
Bakery is a milestone-gated ingredient shop near the plaza. Visit it after Baking level 3 to buy Baker stock for food boosts.
- Type
- Ingredient shop
- Map position
- Near the plaza.
- Purpose
- A shop location that houses the Baker, who sells ingredients.
- Services/items
- Baker ingredient stock.
- Unlock
- Baking level 3.
- Related systems
- Ingredients, Baking milestone.
Fishmonger
Fishmonger is the plaza ingredient shop opposite the Butcher. It unlocks through Frying level 3 and gives you another shop for boosted food planning.
- Type
- Ingredient shop
- Map position
- In the plaza, opposite the Butcher.
- Purpose
- A shop location that houses the Fishmonger Worker, who sells ingredients.
- Services/items
- Fishmonger ingredient stock.
- Unlock
- Frying level 3.
- Related systems
- Ingredients, Frying milestone, Plaza.
Butcher
Butcher is the plaza ingredient shop opposite the Fishmonger. It opens at Chopping level 3 and is also the location tied to the Burger Stand.
- Type
- Ingredient shop
- Map position
- At the plaza, opposite the Fishmonger.
- Purpose
- A shop location that houses the Butcher NPC, who sells ingredients.
- Services/items
- Butcher ingredient stock and a Burger Stand.
- Unlock
- Chopping level 3.
- Related systems
- Ingredients, Chopping milestone, Burger Stand, Plaza.
Supermarket
Supermarket is the plaza ingredient shop beside the Leaderboards. It unlocks at Management level 3 and expands the shop route for ingredient buying.
- Type
- Ingredient shop
- Map position
- In the plaza, to the right of the Leaderboards.
- Purpose
- A shop location that houses the Supermarket Worker, who sells ingredients.
- Services/items
- Supermarket ingredient stock.
- Unlock
- Management level 3.
- Related systems
- Ingredients, Management milestone, Plaza.
Farm
Farm is the back-map ingredient and crop location. It unlocks at Gardening level 3, sells Farmer stock, and connects directly to planting crops.
- Type
- Ingredient shop
- Map position
- Near the forest at the back of the map.
- Purpose
- A shop and farming location where the Farmer sells ingredients and farm plots.
- Services/items
- Farmer ingredient stock, farm plots, crop planting, and Instant Grow developer product access.
- Unlock
- Gardening level 3.
- Related systems
- Ingredients, Gardening milestone, Farming.
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Special shops and services
These spots handle side systems rather than ingredient buying. EKEA is for Furniture Pack items, Event History Machine offers past-event unlocks, Leaderboards show stat rankings, and Chef Luigi Statue points to Rush Hour information. The Ice Cream Parlor is another special stop where you can unlock the Ice Cream Stand.
EKEA
EKEA is the furniture-pack shop near the plaza. Use it for current Furniture Pack Build Mode items rather than normal ingredient shopping.
- Type
- Furniture shop
- Map position
- Near the plaza.
- Purpose
- A unique shop that sells Build Mode items from the current Furniture Pack instead of food-boosting ingredients.
- Services/items
- Current Furniture Pack Build Mode items.
- Unlock
- -
- Related systems
- Build Mode, Furniture Packs, Plaza.
Event History Machine
Event History Machine sits in the plaza by the Leaderboards. It is for unlocking items from past events.
- Type
- Event service
- Map position
- In the plaza, by the Leaderboards.
- Purpose
- A machine for viewing previous events and unlocking event items.
- Services/items
- Two weekly offers that can be food or furniture.
- Unlock
- -
- Related systems
- Event History, Food, Furniture, Diamonds, Plaza.
Leaderboards
Leaderboards are the plaza ranking boards for major stats such as Cash, Days, and Customers.
- Type
- Ranking boards
- Map position
- In the plaza, to the left of the Supermarket.
- Purpose
- Boards that show the best-ranked players for specific Restaurant Tycoon 3 stats.
- Services/items
- Cash, Days, and Customers leaderboard displays; Likes is a removed previous leaderboard.
- Unlock
- -
- Related systems
- Cash, Days, Customers, Plaza.
Chef Luigi Statue
Chef Luigi Statue is a service landmark opposite the Playground. Use it to check information about the next Rush Hour.
- Type
- Service landmark
- Map position
- Opposite the Playground.
- Purpose
- A Chef Luigi sculpture that can be used to learn more information about the next Rush Hour.
- Services/items
- Next Rush Hour information.
- Unlock
- -
- Related systems
- Rush Hour, Chef Luigi, Playground.
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Map hubs and restaurant areas
These locations help you understand the shape of the map. Plaza is the main shop hub, Pier sits nearby, and Restaurant covers the player-run plots.
Plaza
Plaza is the front-map hub for most ingredient shopping. It anchors the Supermarket, Butcher, Fishmonger, and nearby service landmarks.
- Type
- Map hub
- Map position
- Next to the Pier, at the front of the map.
- Purpose
- The main hub that houses the Supermarket, Butcher, Fishmonger, and a fountain.
- Services/items
- Access to most ingredient shops except the Farm and Bakery.
- Unlock
- -
- Related systems
- Supermarket, Butcher, Fishmonger, Pier, ingredients.
Pier
Pier is a front-map hub beside the plaza. The Ice Cream Parlor there gives you another way to unlock the Ice Cream Stand.
- Type
- Map hub
- Map position
- Next to the plaza, at the front of the map.
- Purpose
- A small hub with the Ice Cream Parlor, where players can unlock the Ice Cream Stand, and some boats.
- Services/items
- Ice Cream Parlor access and Ice Cream Stand unlock.
- Unlock
- -
- Related systems
- Plaza, Ice Cream Parlor.
Restaurant
Restaurant covers the player-run plots. The page says there are eight restaurant plots, and each player runs one restaurant at a time.
- Type
- Restaurant plot
- Map position
- Restaurant plots around the map.
- Purpose
- Player-owned restaurant plots; each player runs one restaurant at a time during gameplay.
- Services/items
- Restaurant saves, starting layout choice, cuisine choice, restaurant naming, info signs, and Build Mode customization.
- Unlock
- Available when joining and choosing a restaurant plot.
- Related systems
- Build Mode, restaurant saves, restaurant info signs, gifts, likes, reports.
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Scenic and unused landmarks
Houses, Lighthouse, and Playground are landmarks around the map. The Ice Cream Parlor sits on the Pier and also lets you unlock the Ice Cream Stand.
Campsite
Campsite is a back-map landmark next to the Farm. Harvest its mushrooms for food boosts.
- Type
- Resource landmark
- Map position
- Next to the Farm, at the back of the map.
- Purpose
- A minor location with harvestable mushrooms.
- Services/items
- Mushrooms used to boost food.
- Unlock
- -
- Related systems
- Farm, ingredients, food boosts.
Houses
Houses are scenery buildings scattered around the map, often near the plaza. They have no gameplay purpose and no interiors.
- Type
- Scenic landmark
- Map position
- Scattered around the map, typically around the plaza.
- Purpose
- Decorative map buildings with no gameplay purpose yet.
- Services/items
- No services or interiors.
- Unlock
- -
- Related systems
- Plaza, map scenery.
Ice Cream Parlor
Visit the Ice Cream Parlor on the Pier to unlock the Ice Cream Stand, or unlock it in Build Mode at Serving level 6.
- Type
- Special shop
- Map position
- On the Pier.
- Purpose
- An ice cream shop on the Pier where players can unlock the Ice Cream Stand.
- Services/items
- Ice Cream Stand unlock.
- Unlock
- -
- Related systems
- Pier, Serving milestone, ice-cream stand.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse is a scenic building next to the Pier. It has no gameplay purpose yet.
- Type
- Scenic landmark
- Map position
- Next to the Pier.
- Purpose
- A red-and-white lighthouse building with no gameplay purpose yet.
- Services/items
- No services.
- Unlock
- -
- Related systems
- Pier, map scenery.
Playground
Playground is opposite the Chef Luigi Statue. It is a play area, but players cannot ride the equipment, so it has no gameplay purpose.
- Type
- Unused landmark
- Map position
- Opposite the Chef Luigi Statue.
- Purpose
- An outdoor play area. Its equipment cannot be ridden, so it has no gameplay purpose yet.
- Services/items
- No services.
- Unlock
- -
- Related systems
- Chef Luigi Statue, map scenery.
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Developer and history areas
Testing Baseplate is history and developer-test context. It is not part of the normal restaurant route.
Testing Baseplate
Testing Baseplate is developer and history context rather than a normal travel stop. You can see it through /freecam from shop interiors.
- Type
- Developer test area
- Map position
- By the shop interiors, far away from the main map.
- Purpose
- A changing developer test map you can see with /freecam from shop interiors.
- Services/items
- Historical test content, unused builds, Rig NPC, and developer testing context.
- Unlock
- Not a normal gameplay destination.
- Related systems
- Alpha map history, beta map history, shop interiors, testing.
The most useful route starts with the ingredient shops. Bakery, Fishmonger, Butcher, Supermarket, and Farm all connect to the ingredient system, but they do not all open the same way. If a shop has a milestone requirement, treat it as part of your progress route instead of a random building to check whenever your restaurant feels hungry.
Farm is the odd one in a good way. It ties ingredient buying to farming plots and crops, so it matters when you want longer-term stock instead of another quick shopping stop. Campsite also has a resource use because mushrooms can be harvested there for food boosts.
Special service spots are worth learning because they answer different questions. EKEA is for Furniture Pack Build Mode items, Event History Machine is for past-event unlocks, Leaderboards show stat rankings, and Chef Luigi Statue points to Rush Hour information. None of those are normal ingredient shops, so do not plan them like pantry stops.
Plaza is the main orientation point. It connects several useful stops at the front of the map. The Pier sits beside it, and the Ice Cream Parlor there is another route to unlock the Ice Cream Stand. Restaurant refers to player-owned plots around the map. If you get turned around, heading back toward the plaza is the polite version of admitting the map won.
Some landmarks are mostly for navigation and scenery. Houses, Lighthouse, and Playground mark different parts of the map. The Ice Cream Parlor is a useful stop on the Pier, where you can unlock the Ice Cream Stand.
Testing Baseplate belongs in a different mental bucket. It is developer and history context, visible through freecam from shop interiors, not a normal destination for restaurant progress.
FAQ
Which Restaurant Tycoon 3 locations should I learn first?
Learn the plaza shops and Farm first. They connect directly to ingredient buying, farming, and the food-boosting loop that affects your restaurant.
Why are some shops locked?
Several ingredient shops open through milestone progress. If a shop is locked, work on the matching cooking or management milestone before treating it as part of your normal route.
What does EKEA do?
EKEA sells Build Mode items from the current Furniture Pack. It is a furniture stop, not an ingredient shop.
Does every location have a gameplay use?
No. Some locations are landmarks or scenery. The Ice Cream Parlor is a useful exception: visit it to unlock the Ice Cream Stand.
Is Testing Baseplate a normal place to visit?
No. Testing Baseplate is developer and history context, visible through freecam from shop interiors. It is not a normal progression stop.
