Originally Posted by
CheddarLimbo
I'm going to make some assumptions:
First, let's assume there is a base line consistent "value" for each product embedded in the game's programming, and this value determines the amount of various rewards you are given when the item is redeemed in game.
On truck orders, you get a combination of XP and coins. However, you can get two orders for the same item but with different yields in coins and XP. That underlying "value" is in the programming, though, so if one order has higher coins, and lower XP, the other will have lower coins and higher XP, to balance it out. So choosing the right order to redeem matters depending on which resource you want to collect.
Boat orders add an additional currency, the Boat Points. It's not unreasonable to assume that the reward for an item on a boat will split the value between coins, XP and Boat points, meaning there is a chance you'll get less XP on average. I haven't really checked to see if the rewards are consistent from one boat to another for the same product.
In the Town, you have rewards of coins and XP and Town Reputation. So, again assuming there is a base line "value" for an item, it's possible that the game considers the Town Reputation to be part of the value, meaning a reward in town will yield less XP or coins than an identical order on a truck.
Things are even further complicated by the fact that the reward you get in Town is modified depending on what building it is purchased in. A single ice cream cone in the Diner will yield a different value than an Ice Cream Cone in the Beach Cafe because they take different amounts of time to process at the locations.
But in town you ALSO get rewarded per visitor with a valuable (?) item drop. Is that item's value also factored into the programming?
Also worth noting is that I've done enough truck orders to know that they see-saw up and down with coins vs XP. It's possible the same thing happens on boat and town orders, I just haven't paid as much attention. So how much XP you get from cashing in a particular item could vary from order to order as well as redemption method.
For my part, I am ignoring boats unless there is a 2x voucher event, and I am filling visitor requests until I max out my town reputation. After that, I'll just be doing truck orders only, and will be targeting those orders that give me 750+ XP and trashing the rest.
Any further scrutiny beyond that is not worth the time to consider, in my opinion. Given how many items there are, and the various redemption methods, it's just way too much to try to analyze while I play.