If you’ve spent any time in the driver’s seat of a simulation racer lately, you know that Polyphony Digital loves to do things their own way. When Kazunori Yamauchi first introduced the world to the Gran Turismo 7 menu books, he wasn't just giving us a quest log. He was trying to force us into a digital history class. Some people loved the curated museum vibe. Others? They just wanted to buy a used Supra and start tuning without being told what to do.
Basically, the Cafe is the heart of the game, whether you like it or not.
You start with a humble compact car. From there, Luca—the soft-spoken owner of the GT Cafe—hands you a series of tasks. These aren't just "win this race" objectives. They are collections. You're hunting for specific cars, usually three at a time, to complete a "book." It feels a bit like a scavenger hunt on wheels. It’s a polarizing system because it fundamentally changes how a Gran Turismo game progresses compared to the old days of the PS1 and PS2 era.
How the Gran Turismo 7 Menu Books Actually Work
The structure is rigid. Very rigid. Honestly, if you were hoping for the non-linear freedom of Gran Turismo 4, you’re going to be a bit disappointed for the first twenty hours. Every one of the Gran Turismo 7 menu books acts as a locked gate. You can't access the high-end tuning parts, the used car dealership upgrades, or even specific tracks like the Nürburgring until you've checked off the requirements from Luca.
It’s a hand-holding exercise that lasts a long time.
You’ll find yourself jumping from "Japanese Small Cars" to "European Classic Compacts" and then suddenly into the world of American Muscle. The game uses these books to drip-feed you the history of automotive culture. When you finish a book, Luca often gives you a little slideshow. He talks about the engineering behind the Porsche 911 or why the Honda Civic became a cultural icon in the 90s. For some, this is the soul of the game. For others, it’s just a lot of clicking through text boxes to get to the next race.
The Mechanics of the Collection
Most books require you to finish in the top three of three specific races. You don't necessarily have to win. Just podium. Once you have the three cars in your garage, you head back to the Cafe. The reward? Usually a Roulette Ticket.
Now, let's talk about those tickets. They are... frustrating. Most of the time, you’ll see a massive pile of gold bars, a high-end engine, and a small stack of 5,000 credits. We all know where that spinning light is going to land. It’s almost always the 5,000 credits. It’s a bit of a running joke in the community.
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Beyond the Basics: The Extra Menus and Post-Game
Once you hit Menu Book 39, the "main" story is over. You get the credits rolling. You feel like a champion. But that’s actually where the real game starts for the hardcore players. Polyphony has been adding "Extra Menus" since launch. These are different. They don't unlock tracks; they reward the completionists.
Instead of racing for cars, these Extra Menus require you to already own them. Or buy them. For example, if you collect three specific generations of the Nissan Skyline GT-R, you might get a six-star engine ticket. These are much harder to complete because they often require cars that only appear in the Legend Cars dealership. And those cars? They aren't cheap. You might be looking at 10 million to 20 million credits for a single vehicle if it’s something like a McLaren F1 or a Ferrari 250 GTO.
The economy of the Gran Turismo 7 menu books is a sticking point. Early on, the game gives you everything you need. It’s a smooth ride. But once you hit the Extra Menus, the grind becomes real. You’ll find yourself repeating the 30-minute race at Le Mans or the 1-hour race at Spa just to fund your collection habit. It’s a loop that rewards patience, or as some critics suggest, encourages microtransactions. But honestly, if you just enjoy the act of driving, the credits eventually pile up.
Why People Get Frustrated with the Cafe System
The biggest gripe? It feels like a tutorial that never ends.
In older games, you’d earn a few thousand credits, buy a junker, and then decide for yourself: do I want to race in the Sunday Cup or save up for a turbocharger? In GT7, the menu books dictate your path. You must do the Japanese FF Challenge. You must collect the Mustangs. If you want to be a professional drifter or a GT3 specialist, you still have to slog through the entry-level hatchback races first.
- Linearity: You can't skip ahead.
- Locked Features: Features like "Sport Mode" (online racing) and "Scapes" (photo mode) are tied to early book progression.
- The "Luca" Factor: The dialogue can feel a bit dry after the fiftieth time you've visited the Cafe.
But there’s a flip side. For a newcomer to the series, the Gran Turismo 7 menu books provide a much-needed map. The world of car culture is massive. It’s intimidating. By forcing players to experience different drive trains—FF, FR, 4WD, MR—the game teaches you how to drive without you even realizing it. You learn that a Porsche 911 handles very differently from a front-heavy Ford Mustang. You learn about weight transfer. You learn why aero matters.
The Most Difficult Books to Watch Out For
Not all books are created equal. Most are a breeze, but a few will test your tuning skills and your patience.
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Book 36, for instance, focuses on World Touring Car 700. This is where the difficulty spikes. You aren't just racing against slow AI anymore. You’re dealing with fuel consumption and tire wear. If you go into these races with a car that’s too thirsty for fuel or too hard on its tires, you’ll lose, even if you’re the faster driver. It forces you to learn the strategy side of motorsport. You have to use the fuel map. You have to decide if a pit stop for Intermediate tires is worth it when the rain starts falling at the Fuji Speedway.
Then there are the "Championship" books. These require you to win an overall series of races. If you mess up the final race, you might have to restart the whole thing to get that gold trophy. It’s high stakes, at least compared to the low-pressure "collect three hatchbacks" tasks from the start of the game.
The Cultural Impact of the Menu Book Style
Yamauchi-san has often said that Gran Turismo is more than a game; it’s a tribute to the automobile. The menu books are the clearest expression of that vision. They treat cars like fine art.
When you finish a collection, you don't just get a "Quest Complete" notification. You get a moment of reflection. The game takes a beat to explain the significance of the 1960s Mini Cooper or the impact of the Group B rally era. It’s a slow-paced, almost meditative approach to gaming that contrasts sharply with the "explosions and dubstep" vibe of something like Forza Horizon.
Is it for everyone? No.
If you just want to jump in and crash into walls at 200 mph, the menu books will feel like homework. But if you're the kind of person who stays up late reading Wikipedia pages about the difference between a naturally aspirated engine and a twin-turbo setup, these books are pure gold. They validate your obsession.
Practical Steps for Mastering the Menus
If you're just starting out or feeling stuck, here is how you should actually approach the Gran Turismo 7 menu books to save yourself a lot of headache.
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First, don't spend all your credits on tuning early cars. The game is going to give you most of the cars you need for free. If a book asks you to collect three Japanese 90s sports cars, look at the race rewards. Usually, those three cars are the prizes for the three races listed in the book. If you buy them beforehand, you’ve just wasted credits that you’ll desperately need later for expensive upgrades or Legend Cars.
Second, pay attention to the PP (Performance Points) limits. If a race has a limit of 600 PP, try to get your car as close to 599.9 as possible. Use the "Power Restrictor" or "Ballast" tools in the tuning shop. These are cheaper than buying a whole new engine and allow you to squeeze a high-powered car into a lower-tier race.
Third, don't ignore the License Center. While the menu books are the "story," the licenses are the "training." If you're struggling to place top three in a menu book race, go back and do your National A or International B licenses. They teach you the racing line, braking points, and how to handle specific corners. Plus, getting all gold in a license category gives you a free car, which might just be the one you need for a future menu book.
Looking Forward: Will the Menu Books Evolve?
Since the game's release, Polyphony has shown they are committed to the Cafe format. Every major update usually brings one or two new Extra Menus. It seems this is the permanent architecture of GT7.
There's a lot of speculation in the community about whether Gran Turismo 8 will keep this system. Some hope for a return to the open-ended map of GT3, while others enjoy the directed nature of the books. Regardless of where you stand, the Gran Turismo 7 menu books have defined this era of the franchise. They transformed a racing game into a playable encyclopedia.
To get the most out of your time, stop treating the Cafe as a list of chores to be finished as fast as possible. Try to actually read what Luca and the guest "experts" (who are often real-world car designers) have to say. There is a wealth of knowledge tucked away in those text boxes. You might find a new appreciation for a car you previously thought was boring.
Your Next Moves in the GT Cafe
- Check the Used Car Lot daily: Some menu book requirements can be bypassed if you find the car for cheap in the rotating used stock.
- Save your Roulette Tickets: Some players swear that opening them in batches feels more rewarding, though the odds remain the same.
- Focus on the Circuit Experience: If you need credits to buy a car for an Extra Menu, completing the "Circuit Experience" for a track can net you up to 1,000,000 credits for all gold sectors. It’s the fastest legal way to get rich in the game.
- Don't Fear the Weather: For the later menu books, buy "Racing Rain" or "Intermediate" tires immediately. The dynamic weather system in GT7 is brutal, and being caught on slicks in a downpour is an instant loss.
The journey through the Cafe is long, and at times, it’s a bit of a grind. But finishing that final book and seeing your collection full of history’s greatest machines is a feeling few other racing games can replicate. Just be prepared to click through a lot of dialogue from Luca along the way.