So, I'm at the part where I'm supposed to fix the van to escape, and I've just talked to Hoti and Moti, and now I'm supposed to re-arrange the lunch menu to help create a diversion. For some reason though, the game does not recognize when I click to place a meal in the hoti/moti spot. I can take the menu item out of their spot, and re-arrange everything else, but it will not let me place anything back in the spot for hoti/moti. I even have to kill the game from the task manager, because the game will not let me leave the lunch menu (presumably since the one spot doesn't have a lunch entry in it).

I've attached a screenshot of the area in case the text description is unclear. And no, I'm not trying to place their meal off to the side, I just moved the mouse over there to make it clear which spot would not let me place a meal there.

If it helps at all, I'm running Windows 7 64 bit. I was originally running Java version 1.6.0_25-b06, but I still encounter the bug after updating to version 1.7.0_09-b05.

I have the exact same problem and I also have Windows 7 64 bit.

EDIT: I tried compatibility mode with Windows XP and it worked for me!

Unfortunately the compatibility modes didn't fix it for me, and I found out that the bug also seems to affect beeman's menu entry as well.

Thankfully, I was able to work around the issue by picking up any meal except for beeman's or hoti&moti's first, as the others would properly allow me to place a meal back down in their spot.

I had this problem too and installing java and .net updates did not help. I passed the problematic point by switching to the German version of the game where it worked fine. I have Windows XP SP3 and DirectX 9.0c.

Interesting - has anyone tried entering then leaving the screen in the English version? It worked for me on Vista 32bit, perhaps we can try collating everyones experience so future players can find solutions easily.

Here is another workaround that seems to work: In the German version you can put any label at any spot and rearrange the menu without a problem. In the English version you must pick up the label at the top and put it on the spot/label just below it. Then repeat it (always switching label with spot below) until you are at the lowest spot and then put the label from it to the top spot again. If you choose a different rearranging order, then the bug will probably occur and you will not be able to leave the lunch menu and game.

That worked for me too.

Changed the first meal and left the screen, then went back and changed the second.

This approach worked for me as well but it took 5 or 6 attempts to get past even this way.

This is a bug that really needs fixed as I can't recommend this otherwise excellent game to anyone because of this one
very serious bug.

Had the same issue. I switched to Deutch, rearranged, saved and went back to English and loaded. It worked at last!

Daedalic should spend some time fixing this though, I love their work but such insidents (a bug existing in the english version but not the german, wtf?) show amateurishnes, which I don't want to believe is the norm for the company. Please guys, hunt the bugs and fix them!

To be fair, this "game" was really just something put together by one bloke to support his university dissertation and then polished up a bit before release. Thankfully subsequent releases have improved the bugs but I just wish they would chose a translator who understands how to convert humour from German grammar to English properly - this one messed up so much!

Latest patch to Java and to game have helped but does cause sound issues and occasional crashes when exiting the lift - do not use items when you know you are near an exit!

Urrrgh... got stuck at the same place with Beeman's lunch tag and lost my save. I can't believe Daedalic hasn't patched this.

This game has caused me too much suffering. This was the last straw. I'm done.

There is a solution for the problem: restart the game but choose German language. Rearrange everything accordingly, save your game, quit, restart it in English. It works.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

Video about another workaround: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLGiuVAYdoM
Plus write to Daedalic/GOG that this is not proper solution and they should care about customers who pay for games.