Dead Plate follows Rody Lamoree, a waiter who takes a one-week job at the French bistro La Gueule de Saturne because he wants to earn enough money to reconnect with his ex-girlfriend, Manon. The restaurant is run by chef Vincent Charbonneau, whose behavior becomes increasingly disturbing as the week continues. Between shifts, Rody experiences nightmares, explores the restaurant, and learns more about Vincent. Later routes reveal that Vincent is connected to Manon’s disappearance and has prepared a horrifying plan involving both her and Rody.

Working at the Restaurant

Each workday functions as a level. Rody must seat customers, wait for them to choose from the daily menu, collect their meal tickets, send orders to the kitchen, deliver finished dishes, take payment, clear tables, and empty the trash when necessary. Customers have limited patience, so slow service can cause them to leave. The player must also earn the required amount of money before the shift ends.

Items and Daily Progress

Money earned above the required amount can be spent on equipment between shifts. Important activities and upgrades include:

·         Skates that increase movement speed;

·         Cologne that increases customer patience;

·         a Watch that provides more shift time;

·         a larger Trash Can;

·         a Tip Jar that increases tips;

·         Matches that are required for one of the later endings;

·         optional conversations and environmental interactions that unlock story events.

Dead Plate lasts seven working days, with an optional tutorial before the first proper shift. After work, Rody returns to his apartment, where he can purchase items, save, and end the day. Exploration becomes increasingly important because specific conversations and actions on Days 3, 4, 5, and 6 can unlock Vincent’s dinner invitation and additional routes.

Endings and How to Play

The game has four endings. Completing all seven shifts normally leads to Table for One, while the other outcomes require particular interactions, the dinner-party event, exploration of the freezer, and certain equipped items. One route includes an escape puzzle and a chase with timed inputs. Reaching every ending therefore requires more than mastering restaurant service: players must examine rooms, speak with Vincent when opportunities appear, purchase useful items, and revisit the final days with different choices.