                                  Spectrum 16K or 48K

                                         AUTO
                                         CHEF

                                     CCS SOFTWARE


The object of Auto Chef is to trade profitably so that the company accumulates
sufficient capital (25 million) to take-over T.H.F.! From information supplied you have
to decide on which type of outlet to operate, the price of the menu, whether to enter into
loan contracts or purchase consignments of food or wines and the level of advertising,
wages and dividends. Decisions also have to take into account differing levels of
inflation each year. You are warned that if results and dividends are
insufficient to satisfy the shareholders, you will be made to resign!
There are three levels of difficulty.


                                    COPYRIGHT 1982

Copies of this recording may only be made for the sole use of the purchaser unless
written permission is obtained.

          CASES COMPUTER SIMULATIONS, 14 Langton Way, London SE3 7TL













Printed by ACI Tel: 0233 22318

                                   INSTRUCTIONS

1. OBJECT OF THE GAME
   You are the M.D. of a group which operates a chain of restaurants. The group starts
   with 1 million capital. The objective is to increase the net assets of the company to
   25 million and take-over* THF in the shortest possible time. Be warned however,
   your progress will be assessed by the shareholders and if you are not making
   satisfactory progress, you will be forced to resign. Results of decisions are seen in
   the form of the Trading Account, Profit & Loss Account and Balance Sheet.

2. INFORMATION AVAILABLE
   a. Bar chart showing results of a market survey of customer's eating habits.
   b. Histogram of cost indecies.
   c. Trading Profit & Loss Account.
   d. Balance Sheet.

3. Business decisions required
   You have to decide on:
   a. Type of catering establishments to operate.
   b. How much rent to tender for leases/franchise.
   c. How much to charge for each meal.
   d. Whether to purchase bulk consignments of food and wine.
   e. The level of advertising.
   f. Staff remuneration policy.
   g. Whether to enter into loans or repay them.
   h. Percentage dividend declared.

4. Problems encountered
   a. Increase in the rental market.
   b. Loss of customer due to too high a menu price.
   c. Strikes, fires, unhygienic premises.

5. HINTS ON PLAY
   a. You will need to decide which chain of catering establishments you wish to
   operate. Look for high customer demand and large number of units.
   b. There is a greater gross profit percentage on restaurants and cafeterias than on
   fast food restaurants or take-away premises. Maximum number of restaurants and
   cafeteria units is 9.
   c. If your bid is not successful then you will have to increase your bid by more than
   10% (say 15%) to be successful.
   d. All costs increase each year because of inflation. A histogram illustrates rates of
   increase.
   e. Menu prices may be increased. However, the ability of the market to withstand
   increased prices depends on the 'meals bought index'. The higher this is, the
   higher the menu price the market will stand. If too high a price is required, sales will
   be lost through lack of customers.
   f. It is usually desirable to purchase bulk consignments of food and wine as these
   are obtained at a 10% to 20% discount.
   g. High level of advertising may result in sales increasing by 10% or 20%. Player
   must seek optimum level each year.
   h. Reductions in level of wages are permanent, however a strike results in 20% of
   sales being lost.
   i. Dividends less than 15% will usually result in shareholders proposing a 'vote of
   no confidence'.
   j. There is a bonus issue of shares every 5 years which increases the requirement
   for dividends.
   k. Fixtures and fittings increase each year according to the value of leases (rents)
   entered into.
   l. Cost Ratios to sales are as follows:

                                                                         Other
                                 Food          Wine        Wages       Expenses
   Fast Food                      55                        30             4
   Cafeterias                     35            5           30            10
   Restaurants                    15           10           35            10

   m. Load "AUTOCHEF".
                                        *T.H.F. is the trademark of Trust House Forte.

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Re-edited David Walford's work with "16K or 48K" version by Frode Tenneb, 20090105.