Backburner Restart Guide

Why You Might Need a Restart

Restarting your progress in Backburner can be a strategic decision. Whether you want to try a different approach to building your food truck business, correct early mistakes, or simply experience the early game again with your newfound knowledge, a clean slate can be refreshing. Unlike many simulation games, Backburner's Early Access state means that some players also restart due to major updates that change core mechanics.

Before you proceed, understand that restarting will erase all your current data: unlocked recipes, upgraded equipment, accumulated currency, and story progress. There is no cloud save or backup system currently confirmed by Jankyhand Games, so the process is permanent.

How to Manually Restart Your Game

The most straightforward method to restart Backburner involves locating and deleting your save files. Since the game is in Early Access, the save location may change with future updates, but currently it follows a standard pattern.

1. Close Backburner completely

   Ensure the game is not running in the background. Check your system tray or task manager to confirm the process is fully terminated.

2. Navigate to the save folder

   Open File Explorer and paste this path: %appdata%\Backburner\Saved\SaveGames. Press Enter to jump directly to the folder.

3. Delete all save files

   Select all files inside the SaveGames folder (Ctrl+A) and delete them. These files contain your game progress, including your truck upgrades and unlocked recipes.

4. Launch the game

   Start Backburner again. The game will detect no save data and prompt you to begin a new game. Your journey will start from the very beginning.

Using Steam to Reset Achievements and Cloud Data

If you also want to reset your Steam achievements or cloud sync data, a simple file deletion may not be enough. Steam tracks achievements server-side, and they cannot be removed through local file manipulation.

For a complete restart that includes clearing cloud saves:

1. Open your Steam Library and right-click Backburner.
2. Select Properties > General and disable Steam Cloud synchronization.
3. Follow the manual save deletion steps above.
4. Re-enable Steam Cloud only after launching the game and confirming the new save works.

Common Restart Issues and Fixes

Some players encounter problems when trying to restart Backburner. Here are solutions to the most frequent issues.

Game still loads old progress after deleting files. This usually happens because Steam Cloud restored the deleted files. Ensure cloud sync is disabled before deleting, and check that no backup copies exist in a separate folder.

Save folder is missing. If the folder does not exist, launch the game once to generate it, then close the game and try again. Alternatively, search your entire drive for files containing "Backburner" in the name.

Game crashes after restart. A fresh save sometimes triggers bugs in Early Access builds. Verify your game files through Steam (right-click Backburner > Properties > Local Files > Verify integrity of game files) to ensure no corrupted data remains.

Tips for a Successful New Start

Once you have restarted, use your previous experience to build a stronger foundation. Focus on early upgrades that increase cooking speed and customer satisfaction. Avoid spending currency on cosmetic items until your truck is profitable.

• Prioritize the first stove upgrade
• Unlock the 'Simple Soup' recipe early for steady income
• Save 500 currency before expanding your menu
• Explore the open world for free ingredients
• Avoid hiring staff until you have three recipes unlocked

Remember that Backburner rewards patience. Your second playthrough will be significantly smoother because you understand the pacing and which upgrades offer the best return on investment.