Dead Plate

Dead Plate is an indie game that combines simulation and psychological horror, putting you in the shoes of a waiter in a fancy 1950s restaurant. It starts out as a familiar management game, but as you progress, the atmosphere becomes more sinister, suggesting that this restaurant is anything but ordinary.

Dead Plate Story

You start your workday at 5am for training. A cold manager greets you and insists that this is your dream job, which you should be grateful for. Your resume is full of previous serving jobs, but instead of being appreciated, you are reminded of your “instability” as you constantly change jobs.

One by one, customers enter, yet they are unable to express their preferences. They just sit down, flip through a menu, and order in the exact order: appetizer, main course, side dish, and dessert. Everything is tightly controlled, from the kitchen to the service, making you feel like you're just a small link in a harsh machine.

How to play Dead Plate

• Welcome guests, and arrange tables properly.
• Take orders, bring the ticket to the kitchen, and wait for the dishes to be prepared.
• Serve guests in the correct order.
• Clear the tables and take the trash to the back of the restaurant.

It sounds simple, but in reality it's quite stressful: clicking is difficult to do, customers can lose patience, the trash cans fill up quickly, and you're always the only one responsible for everything.

Unusual atmosphere

What makes Dead Plate different is the feeling of insecurity that permeates every detail. The restaurant is fancy, the guests are dressed politely, but every action is stereotyped to the point of being awkward. The manager is always monitoring, emphasizing professionalism instead of acknowledging your efforts. These signs all warn that normalcy is just a shell hiding something terrible.

Dead Plate starts out as a familiar waiter simulation, but as you play, you realize it’s a cleverly packaged psychological horror experience. The 1950s restaurant serves more than just meals; it also hides a dark truth waiting to be revealed. If you like new games, check out Cleaner.