Planning a Restaurant Bar – How Much Space Do You Need?
October 30, 2024
When planning a restaurant bar, how large should it be
secrets
how to calculate the area
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BAR DESIGN TIP:
The local fire marshal makes the final determination of stated occupant loads.

PLANNING BUILDINGS FOR PROSPECTIVE RESTAURANT/BARS
planning new restaurant bars
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- Back-of-the-house generally accounts for 30 – 40% of the total building area. _x000D_
- 60 – 70% of a given building’s space is designated as front-of-the-house, which is the area intended for customers. The 10% variance is normally the result of the complexity of the menu. _x000D_
- Sports bars tend to require less kitchen space, whereas fine dining requires more. Also note in this example that the bar and bar dining areas account for nearly 43% of the front-of-the-house area as well as 60% of the total occupant load. Conversely, the non-bar dining accounts for 27% of the front-of-the-house area and 40% of the occupant load. The remaining front-of-the-house space (30%) is dedicated to common areas, as shown in the following tables: _x000D_
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Table 1. Front-Of-The-House Occupancy Analysis |
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Room | Area | % of Total |
Bar Area | ||
·Bar (seated) | 29 | 18.5 |
· Bar Dining | 65 | 41.4 |
Sub-Total | 94 | 59.9 |
Non-Bar Areas | ||
·Reception | 06 | 3.8 |
·Dining Room | 45 | 28.7 |
·VIP Room | 12 | 7.6 |
Sub-Total | 63 | 40.1 |
Total | 157 | 100.0 |
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Table 2. Front-Of-The-House Area Analysis |
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Room | Area | % of Total |
Bar Dining | ||
·Bar (seated) | 410 | 12.7 |
Bar (tables) | 983 | 30.4 |
Sub-Total | 1,393 | 43.1 |
·Non-Bar Dining | ||
·Dining Room | 681 | 21.0 |
·VIP Room | 183 | 5.7 |
Sub-Total | 864 | 26.7 |
Common Areas | ||
·Reception | 106 | 3.3 |
·Men’s Restroom | 140 | 4.3 |
·Women’s Restroom | 146 | 4.5 |
·Hallways | 423 | 13.1 |
·Vestibule | 164 | 5.0 |
Sub-Total | 979 | 30.2 |
Total | 3,236 | 100.0 |
SAMPLE CALCULATION FOR PLANNING A RESTAURANT BAR
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- 3,236 sq.ft./157 occupants = 20.6 sq.ft./occupant _x000D_
- 100 occupants x 20.6 sq.ft./occupant – 2,060 sq.ft. _x000D_
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- 2,060 sq.ft./.7 = 2,944 sq.ft. _x000D_
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- 2,944 sq.ft. – 2,060 sq.ft. = 884 sq.ft. _x000D_
DESIGNING TO YOUR CUSTOMERS
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