Business

Overview

The v0.5.0 update let Zois open and run their own businesses. Choose a business type, hire employees, set hours, stock your shelves, and build a customer base. A single household can own multiple businesses across different industries or run a franchise with several locations.

Business ownership sits alongside traditional careers and freelance work as a way to earn Meow. Unlike careers, there is no promotion ladder. Revenue depends on customer traffic, satisfaction, and what you sell.

Getting started

Acquiring a property

Open the Edit City window and look for lots labeled "Business Property" in their description. Purchase one of these lots. This is the physical space where the business will operate. The v0.5.3 update added 12 additional business lot presets across all three districts: 5 for Dowon, 6 for Bliss Bay, and 1 for Cahaya.

Registering the business

Once you own a property, register it as a business through one of two methods:

1. Open the Business App on the smartphone (press P).

2. Click the property in the Edit City window and select "Register Business".

Business settings

After registration, configure the business through the Business Settings window:

• Name - give your business a name.

• Business Hours - set operating days and hours in the Business Hours tab.

• Player Settings - configure customer activities and target clientele by age group.

• Recipes - choose which items you will sell in the Recipe tab.

• Business Type - select a preset template or use custom settings.

Business types

Seven preset templates are available, each automatically configuring the management environment and customer activities for that business type:

• Bakery - sell baked goods using the Baking skill. Stock items by clicking the fridge and selecting "Fill Order" then "Bake."

• Cafe - serve coffee drinks using the Coffee Craft skill. Click the coffee machine and "Fill Order" to serve drinks.

• Restaurant - serve cooked meals using the Cooking skill. Stock food through the fridge's "Fill Order" option.

• Club - a nightlife venue that earns through entrance fees. Customers socialize and use activities you set up.

• Lounge - similar to clubs but with a more relaxed atmosphere. Entrance fee model.

• Fitness Center - customers pay to use gym equipment and attend lectures. Can be very profitable.

• Internet Cafe - customers pay to use computers and gaming setups.

An eighth option, User-Defined Settings, lets you configure everything manually rather than using a preset.

Setting up a kiosk

Customers do not buy items at the counter directly. They order through a kiosk. In Edit Property mode, search for "kiosk" and place it in your business. Under Business Settings > Player Settings, make sure "Order" is listed as a customer activity. This is what allows Zois to actually purchase your items.

You can also place a market stand (found under Social Events > Business in Build Mode) for displaying items. For drinks, place a Drink Dispenser (added in the v0.5.4 hotfix).

Day-to-day operations

Running a business involves producing items and keeping customers happy. The daily loop looks like this:

1. Prepare stock: click the fridge and select "Fill Order" for food or baked goods, or click the coffee machine for drinks.

2. Customers arrive automatically during business hours and stay for a set duration.

3. Customers order through the kiosk, collect items, and consume them.

4. Thought bubbles show real-time customer reactions. Pay attention to complaints.

5. At the end of each business day, customer reviews provide detailed feedback.

You can also directly ask customers for feedback or gather tips. The v0.5.3 update added food portioning, allowing large food items to be split into individual servings for display.

Employees

Hire staff through the "Manage Employees" section in Business Settings. Employees can be assigned to production tasks (cooking, baking, making coffee) or customer service roles. Set their work schedules and manage payroll.

Businesses with higher value attract more customers, which lets you hire more employees and expand operations.

Customers and satisfaction

Customer satisfaction determines business growth. It is measured by several factors:

• Relationship with the business owner

• Furniture quality in the business

• Pricing (are prices reasonable for what you sell?)

• How often customers can use business activity services

• Employee responsiveness

• Overall service quality

Satisfaction shows up in real-time through customer thought bubbles and through daily customer reviews at the close of each business day.

Business value

Business value increases as customer satisfaction improves. Higher value attracts more customers and allows for more employees. But it also raises expectations: customers at high-value businesses demand better service, better furniture, and more competitive pricing.

Franchise management

A single household can own and operate multiple businesses. You can run several locations in the same industry or diversify across different business types. Businesses are managed independently from the property they sit on, so they can be relocated to other lots.

When a household changes through marriage or separation, businesses can be transferred to the household's eldest member.

Restrictions

City Travel is blocked while your household is involved in any business activity. This includes owning a business property, having a registered business, or being employed by a business. To travel between cities, you must sell all businesses and business properties or resign from business employment.

Profitability tips

• Fitness Centers with lectures are reportedly the most profitable, earning 18,000-23,000 Meow daily. They avoid crafting costs entirely since customers pay for gym access and lectures.

• Group meal recipes sell for roughly 10 times their crafting cost. Making expensive group meals with a high Cooking or Baking skill is the most profitable approach for food businesses.

• Active management generates about 3 times more income than leaving the business unattended. Visiting regularly keeps customer flow high and maintains your reputation.

• Star ratings matter. Higher ratings attract more customers and charge higher prices.

• Higher Cooking, Baking, and Coffee Craft skill levels unlock more expensive items that generate better margins.