What Is the Average Size of a Commercial Kitchen? (2024)

The average size of a commercial kitchen is roughly 1,000 square feet, but determining the size of your kitchen based upon Front of House seating is a more effective metric.

March 20, 2019 2 minute read

When the time comes to start planning the layout of your commercial kitchen, the goal is always to create a space that not only encourages efficient operations in the Back of House (BoH), but also maximizes areas in the Front of House (FoH). Achieving this requires a delicate balance: a kitchen big enough for your staff to work safely and comfortably to serve your guests, but not so large that it wastes space otherwise put to better use for other purposes.

Finding that balance is not always a simple task, though.

A common reference point many restaurant owners use is the average size of other commercial kitchens. This can serve as a guide for some operations, but there are other metrics that may prove more useful.

According to a recent poll, which surveyed more than 700 restaurants in the United States, the average size of a commercial kitchen is 1,051 square feet.

When it comes to creating the layout of your kitchen, however, this may be more of a fun fact than a meaningful measurement that should guide such an important decision. That’s because this survey polled hundreds of restaurants, of all shapes and sizes. It should come as no surprise, then, that a 1,000-square-foot kitchen may work well for one operation, but be much too big or small for another.

So how do you get a more reliable sense of what kitchen size would work best for your restaurant?

A stronger metric is not to judge your kitchen by the average size of other kitchens, but by the number of guests you plan to serve at any given time. The rule of thumb for this is to allocate at least five square feet for every seat in your FoH.

So, for a restaurant serving 30 people at a time, 150 square feet should suit your needs. Designing a kitchen for a large hotel dining room serving up to 400 guests per sitting? You may want to ensure you have at least 2,000 square feet for the kitchen, or else your staff might not be able to meet demand.

Following this methodology, most foodservice businesses find they have enough room to carry out activities effectively, without taking up unnecessary space.

A rule of thumb is just that, though. It should not be used as the final word. Every operation is different and will have unique needs. Working with a kitchen design expert can help you determine exactly what size commercial kitchen is right for you.

The professionals at Sam Tell are happy to answer all your questions and design the perfect kitchen space for your business. Contact Us to learn more, today!

What Is the Average Size of a Commercial Kitchen? (2024)

FAQs

What Is the Average Size of a Commercial Kitchen? ›

The average size of a commercial kitchen is roughly 1,000 square feet, but determining the size of your kitchen based upon Front of House seating is a more effective metric.

What's the average size of a commercial kitchen? ›

A small commercial kitchen can range from 200 square feet to 1000 square feet. The average size commercial kitchen is 1051 square feet as reported by RestaurantOwner.com after polling over 700 business owners. The average size of a small kitchen is 25 percent to 30 percent of the total square feet of the facility.

How do you size a commercial kitchen? ›

Your kitchen should have approximately five square feet of space for every seat in the restaurant. So, if your dining room seats 60, your kitchen should be at least 300 square feet. If your kitchen is smaller, consider reconfiguring your space to make more workroom and less customer space.

What is the average size of a kitchen? ›

Overall, average kitchens in the U.S. are about 161 square feet in single-story homes and 174 square feet in multi-story homes. In homes under 1,500 square feet, the average kitchen is 103 square feet. In homes over 4,000 square feet, the average kitchen is 238 square feet.

How big should an office kitchen be? ›

Calculate Your Office Square Footage Requirements
DescriptionSizeDimensions USF
Kitchen/Break AreaSmall - 6 people10' x 12'
Kitchen/Break AreaLarge - 12 people15' x 20'
Coffee Bar AreaSmall4' x 6'
Computer/Server RoomSmall4' x 6'
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How much square footage is needed for a commercial kitchen? ›

So, for a restaurant serving 30 people at a time, 150 square feet should suit your needs. Designing a kitchen for a large hotel dining room serving up to 400 guests per sitting? You may want to ensure you have at least 2,000 square feet for the kitchen, or else your staff might not be able to meet demand.

What is the layout of a commercial kitchen? ›

Zoning Kitchen Layout & Design

This type of layout divides the kitchen into zones according to the type of dish being made. Each station is isolated from the others and often segregated according to the type of commercial kitchen equipment or meal preparation required for that specific type of dish.

What is the minimum size of a kitchen? ›

There is no one standard kitchen size in India as it can vary based on the size of the home, layout, and personal preferences. However, a minimum kitchen size of 8x10 feet is often recommended to ensure ample space for appliances, storage, and movement.

What is the minimum aisle width for a commercial kitchen? ›

The recommended width of aisles is at least 3 feet wider than the largest equipment to be utilized, or a minimum of 4 feet.

How many sinks do I need in a commercial kitchen? ›

Even the smallest restaurant requires at least two sinks, and many establishments need three. Large commercial kitchens may have several. You need at least one double sink for washing and rinsing equipment. You are required to have at least one more sink for washing hands.

What size is considered a big kitchen? ›

Kitchens can be categorized into small, mid-sized and large kitchens. As highlighted above, small kitchens measure 70 square feet or less whereas midsized kitchen measure 100 square feet. Large kitchens measure around 200 square feet and above and all these are just estimated averages.

How big is a medium sized kitchen? ›

Medium size kitchens are typically 100-200 square feet. They are the perfect size for everything you want; big enough to not feel cramped, and small enough to still feel cozy. Many of our designs transformed the kitchen into a place for family and friends to gather.

Is 10x10 a good size for a kitchen? ›

The standard kitchen size for the real estate and remodeling markets is 10x10. Most kitchens are not precisely 10x10, but typically fall somewhere closely above or below these dimensions. Use this size to estimate project cost and resale value during home improvements.

What is the size of a large kitchen in feet? ›

What Can Be Considered a Large Kitchen? On the other end of the spectrum, a large kitchen is one that measures around 720 square feet. You can most often find these in houses that are at least 4800 square feet total.

What is a good size for a restaurant? ›

Fine dining: 18 to 20 square feet per customer. Full-service dining: 12 to 15 square feet per customer. Counter service: 18 to 20 square feet per customer. Fast food dining: 11 to 14 square feet per person.

What are the 5 types of commercial kitchen layouts? ›

There are five commonly used in most commercial kitchens: assembly line, island, zone-style, galley and open kitchen. Each one has unique benefits depending on the style of restaurant you want to open, the type of food you are cooking and the amount of space your building allows for kitchen space.

How many seats in a 1000 sq ft restaurant? ›

Restaurant TypeSquare Feet to Allocate per PersonNumber of Seats per 1000 SQFT
Fine Dining20 SQFT50
Fast Casual / Counter Service20 SQFT50
Cafeteria16 SQFT60
Fast Food14 SQFT70
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Sep 1, 2023

How big is a 10x10 kitchen? ›

The 10x10 represents the square footage of a kitchen, 100 square feet in total—the size of most small to average kitchen layouts.

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