One of my first assignments at PlayFirst was to design a sequel to Diner Dash. I centered the story around the waitress Flo as she helps four local chefs earn enough money to fight the corporate giant Mr. Big, stopping him from bulldozing them to make room for his mega-mall.
I introduced new characters and game mechanics that became staples to the brand. The Bookworms who hate sitting near anyone noisy. The noisy Cellphone Guys. The Family with a baby that cries if you don't bring a highchair. The mop for cleaning up spills. And the addition of a dessert course! Yum!
I also introduced the ability for players to customize the decor in the restaurants, and to choose functional upgrades that help keep customers happy. Design decisions like these, beyond shaping the evolution of Diner Dash, ended up shaping the entire genre of "time management" games. They set a standard that countless games used as a model.