How It Works
Flip four cards. Write the results on an index card. That card is your job. The group brings their own world and tone to the table. The cards are just prompts.
Each flip uses rank only. Find your rank on the table, write down the result. The urgency flip determines how many exploration flips you get later. When all four flips are written down, put the index card in the middle of the table. It stays there for the whole session.
Flip 1: Client
Your diner has landed in a new world. The kitchen’s warm. The lights are on. The door opens and someone walks in. Maybe they heard about you. Maybe they just saw the lights and felt drawn in. Maybe they had no idea what they needed until they saw your kitchen. What matters is they’re here, and they need something only you can make. Your client is…
| Rank | Client |
|---|---|
| A | High standards, zero patience. They know exactly what they want and they’re not interested in excuses. Their tapping fingers say everything. |
| 2 | Just crossed something off their bucket list. Fresh off a win and riding high. They came to celebrate something they thought was impossible. |
| 3 | Asks questions nobody else thinks to ask. The kind of person who sees around corners. They’ll ask why you did it that way and actually want to know. |
| 4 | Juggling three things at once, barely. Running on coffee and spite. This meal is the only thing on their schedule that actually matters. |
| 5 | Speaks in metaphors you have to puzzle out. Their words circle around what they really mean. You’ll spend the session figuring out what they actually need. |
| 6 | Needs comfort, badly. Something’s gone wrong or they’re bracing for it. They came looking for something warm and familiar. |
| 7 | A group that’s been through a lot together. They finish each other’s sentences and share the same tired smile. Whatever happens, they face it as one. |
| 8 | Convinced this won’t work, but trying. They don’t believe you can do it, but they showed up anyway. Half your job is proving them wrong. |
| 9 | First time having something like this. Wide eyes and barely contained excitement. They want to get it right, and they’re terrified of messing it up. |
| 10 | Remembers when things were better, will mention it. They’ve got stories and they’re not shy about sharing them. The old way was better, and they’ll tell you how. |
| J | Holding something close they can’t quite say. There’s something they need but can’t ask for directly. You’ll have to read between the lines. |
| Q | Has a system for everything, written down. Three binders, color-coded tabs, notes in the margins. They came prepared and they came to be impressed. |
| K | Will fall apart if this doesn’t go right. Everything is riding on this. The stakes aren’t just high. They’re personal. |