Hi, this is probably a stupid question but, when a sim visits a business that they work at what happens? Does the game generate a random townie or are they just missing? I want to start a new neighbourhood where a lot of my sims work for other sims and was wondering about this situation, especially if, for example, they're the chef at a restaurant but they want to go there for food. Who would cook the food? Maybe I'm being obtuse here

Thanks in advance!

I think this is a rather good question. Honnestly, I must have send sims to their work place in the past, and I do not remember what happens then. lol
But you surely can, and my guess would be that the game will generate a Chef for you. Anyway, one will be generated if you do not assign a sim of your own, hire one etc...when you visite a lot. same for clerks.
It is something to test out indeed!
Unfortunately, in my newly created Hood, I have yet to make any business, but I will eventually, so I will test this. You might get results before I do though.

Same here, I haven't even started my new neighbourhood so thought I'd see if anyone here knew the answer! I would have thought the game generates one but you never know. Thanks for your help

There does not actually have to be a chef at a restaurant, only that stove and waiters, I believe, so a chef may not be generated.

Oh, really? Even if it's a restaurant owned by a sim? In that case though what would happen with cashiers because you definitely need those?

Nothing. It acts as though they are going to work. The staff won't appear unless you call them in, and you can't interact with the business in a normal way, only as a manager.

Okay, so a sim employee can't visit their workplace and buy things etc then? That's a shame

ETA: Just checking that you know I mean the playable employee not business owner?

Owned businesses do not generate any NPC's, so that chef if he arrives at the place he works, there will be no chef.

Okay thanks, so I guess I'll just use the 'control this sim' mod to make a different employee be chef, server etc then. I can hire extra employees too and it won't be a problem, as I don't actually play the businesses I just have them there for my playables to visit. Thanks for your help!

Oh right. Actually I have done that too. The sim who was assigned that job last is in that place. The employee who is visiting won't be replaced, though, so their post is empty and useless. And the manager never appears in an assigned position, but they will be there, just walking around.

If you had a set up like this:

Adam owns a store and is the manager. He sometimes operates a second till to give Bill a break.

Bill works on the till.

Clare restocks.

Dave is in Sales.

If Adam visits, the store is not functional, it's in "work mode".

If Bill visits, he can look around but there will be no cashier.

If Clare or Dave visit, they can look around and buy things as any customer would and Bill will ring up the purchases for them.

Is that clear?

@simsfreq

That is exactly how it works, indeed.

Crystal clear, thanks! I could use 'control this sim' to direct one of the staff working if I need them to perform a duty that my playable sim would normally do. Thanks again!

I don't believe so because the lot is in visitor mode, not manager mode.

It is a fact! If you visit the lot as a customer (even though the sim in question works there), you can not operate the cash register. So I agree with @simsfreq, here.

It was an educated guess

But sometimes you can have a sim "work" on community lots - they can tend bars and be a barista, it doesn't have to be a university subhood. I think I might have seen a sim be able to take over an NPC cashier's role for money as well, but I can't be certain because I might be getting mixed up with owned businesses.

I knew about having your sim fill in for a barista, but I didn't know that they could also replace the bartender. On the other hand, there is also good money to be made having your sim fill in for the DJ. Just visit any locale where there is a DJ booth, click said booth, and select "Be the DJ" or something to that effect.

I often send my journalist down to the town hall which has a media office, while he is employed there I can also go with him and have him write articles.