Mapua University

School of Architecture, Industrial Design and the Built Environment

Research 2: Space Requirements of a Steakhouse

In Partial Fulfillment for:

AR143-1: Architectural Design 3
Creative Designs in Architectural Interiors

Submitted to:
Prof. John Carlo Rebadavia

Submitted by:
Banela, Ray Matthew S.

29 February 2020
INTRODUCTION

A restaurant concept is the overall idea or theme that defines the restaurant. Concepts
include the your menu's design, service style, dining room decor, and — of course — the style of
food. Many restaurants are conceived based on a chef’s personal experiences or interests.
Heritage, local ingredients, traditions, or family are all common sources of inspiration for
restaurant concepts. The overall process of restaurant design, remodeling, planning, etc. is often
referred to as the discipline of restaurant concept development. An application of these concepts
may be in a form of a restaurant which specializes in serving beef steak – a steakhouse. In this
paper, the researcher will discuss the spaces, and equipment for a steakhouse.

CONTENT

Figure 1: Floor Plan

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Required Spaces of a Steakhouse

1.1 Dining Area

The dining area of a restaurant is the soul of the place. The customer spends 98% of the
time in this area. While designing the dining room layout, your primary aim should be that your
customers be comfortable in the seating area and enjoy their food. Interiors in the dining area
have to be designed depending on the concept and the theme of your restaurant. In this case,
steakhouses usually consider an up class rustic theme. according to Total Food Service (2013)
for specific spaces is 60% area for the Dining Room while 40% of the area for the kitchen,
cooking, storage, preparation, etc.

The seating plan of the proposed restaurant will depend on what type of restaurant it is.
According to Total Food Service (2013) restaurants with banquet seating may use as little as 10
square feet per person, while fine dining may require 20 square feet per person, and most
restaurants and coffee shops with 15 square feet per person. This is considering the space needed
for traffic aisles, wait stations, cashier, etc.
Duyne (2019) suggests for restaurants to have the following allocation for guests:
 Fine Dining: 18-20 square feet
 Full-Service Restaurant Dining: 12-15 square feet
 Counter Service: 18-20 square feet
 Fast Food: 11-14 square feet
 Banquet: 10-11 square feet

1.2 Kitchen
According to The Restaurant Times (n.d.), One of the most important components of
your Restaurant Design and Floor Plan is your Kitchen Area. Factors to consider in designing the
kitchen include:
Specific kitchen working zones- Specific kitchen working zones should be defined in the
kitchen floor plan. Namely, pre-preparation area, food assembly and packing, and washing area.

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 Designated spaces– The kitchen and food storage areas include designated spaces for
cooking equipment, food preparation, and dishwashing, as well as cold and dry food storage.
The moving area in the kitchen– The layout shall be made in such a way that allows the
kitchen staff to move in quickly, swiftly and efficiently. Providing enough space is critical to
avoid accidents as well.
Proper ventilation– Ensure adequate ventilation in your restaurant kitchen as it is
necessary for the health of your restaurant staff and also reduces the chances of the various items
being prepared in the kitchen waft to the dining area.

1.3 Pantry Area

A pantry is a room or a ready to serve the area where beverages, food, and sometimes dishes and
others as decided by the head chef.

1.4 Staff Personal Area

A staff toilet is necessary for any restaurant. A small area can also be created for staff where they
could change their uniforms and keep their personal belongings or things they would need for
their use.

1.5 Restroom

Restaurants of any size are regulated by a variety of local, state and federal laws dealing with
health and safety for customers and employees. A critical component of restaurant design is
providing restrooms for customers and employees, and for both men and women in each
category. This includes the physical facilities and signage, as well as provision for handicapped
or wheelchair access. As a general rule, the minimum requirement for restroom facilities is one
toilet or water closet for every 30 women and every 60 men. (Haring, 2019) Therefore, in a
restaurant, it is enough to have at least one toilet/water closet for each gender.

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Typical Steakhouse Kitchen Equipments

According to Go Food Service (2020), these are the typical equipment needed or found in
a steakhouse:

Figure 2: Broiler

2.1 Broilers

To get a great tasting steak, you'll need some good broilers. Broilers help the steak to
retain its juices and tenderness while cooking it to perfection. Broilers also leave food with a
distinctive taste similar to an outdoor barbeque.

Overfired broilers heat food from an upper heat source. They produce less smoke and
flame but are great for heating thick cuts of meat.

Conveyor broilers cook food from the bottom and top as they move through the broiler
on a belt. This allows them to cook without much effort or attendance to the time. Food simply
passes through the belt and cooks as it moves through.

Each of these broilers comes in different sizes to accommodate different food types and
needs. Larger broilers are beneficial for cooking meat, whereas smaller broilers are great at
browning food and melting cheese. Depending on your menu, food selection, and cuts of meat
you may need a variety of broiler to perfect the tastes of each item.

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 Figure 3: Char Grill

2.2 Char Grill

Chargrills, also referred to as "charbroilers," allow a chef to perfectly cook a mouth-

watering steak. A chargrill is similar to an outdoor grill, but function at a higher capacity with
more control.

Chargrills are great for searing meat and cooking items fast. A restaurant chargrill is also
big enough to cook many food items at once. The chargrill is what gives a steak a classic lined
look where the grill grates branded the meat.

Chargrills gas heat source can also be adjusted much like a cooktop. Chargrills have an open
flame which heats the grill grates to your desired temperature. Above chargrills, you will also
need an exhaust to remove smoke from the kitchen area.

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 Figure 4: Deep Fryer

2.3 Deep Fryer

Steakhouses and fried foods go hand-in-hand. When customers go to a steakhouse, not

only do they expect a perfectly cooked steak, but also fried foods to complete the meal. Fried
foods such as shrimp, french fries, and onion rings all complement steak items. Deep fryers can
also cook meat items which help to retain their juices.

Deep fryers cook items by submerging them in oil. The heated oil cooks the items from
all sides and does so quickly. As it cooks, it browns the outside of the food while retaining the
moisture and softness of the inside.

For your steakhouse business, you will need a large fryer that can hold a large amount of
oil. Normally, a deep fryer can produce double the amount of fries in pounds as the oil it holds.
For example, if a deep fryer can hold 30 pounds of oil then ideally it can produce 60 pounds of
fries per hour.

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 Figure 5: Mixer

2.4 Mixers

If you plan on handing out bread before the meal, then you'll need a mixer. Mixers are
great for preparing baked goods such as bread, pies, and cakes. Mixers can also help with
whipping up large quantities of mashed potatoes!

There are two types of mixers you may need, planetary and spiral mixers. Spiral mixers
are great for mixing dense doughs. Planetary mixers are made to mix less dense items such as
mashed potatoes and batters.

For your steakhouse, you'll need to determine what size mixers will work best. Some
spiral mixers can mix up to 600 pounds of dough at once while some planetary mixers can
handle upwards of 200 quarts.

Figure 6: Oven

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2.5 Ovens

If your menu requires items such as bread, pies, or baked potatoes, then you'll need an
oven. Many ranges come equipped with an oven as well, but not all. And since your range will
be specifically tailored to cooking meat you may need to purchase a separate oven for baked
goods.

2.6 Prep and Storage Space

In your steakhouse kitchen, you will need prep and storage space to handle cooking
operations smoothly. Food preparation counters are a must in your kitchen. Food prep counters
for restaurants are normally stainless steel because this material is resistant to bacteria and harsh
cleaning chemicals. On these surfaces, you'll also need wooden or plastic cutting boards.

For storage, a high-performing commercial freezer is needed and refrigerator as well as

shelving to store non-perishable items. Kitchen storage such as selves and racks can also help to
keep your kitchen and food prep spaces clutter-free. The cleaner and more organized your
kitchen is the more smooth your operation will be.

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REFERENCES

Go Food Service. (2020). Good Grillin': Essential Restaurant Equipment You Need in
Your Steakhouse. https://www.gofoodservice.com/blog/good-grillin-essential-restaurant-
equipment-you-need-in-your-steakhouse

The Restaurant Times. (n.d.). Restaurant Layout And Design Guidelines To Create A
Great Restaurant Layout. Retrieved from https://www.posist.com/restaurant-
times/resources/restaurant-design-guidelines-to-achieve-the-optimum-utilisation-of-floor-area-
in-restaurants.html

Total Food Service. (2013). How to Create a Restaurant Floor Plan. Retrieved from
https://totalfood.com/how-to-create-a-restaurant-floor-plan/?
fbclid=IwAR0lG_krvk9JCnjAmITXfpIr0vgqONV0_X05y_6sbRdYI7kxRMSZTTe2h90

Robson, S. (2009). . Retrieved from

https://scholarship.sha.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1142&context=articles

Haring, B. (2019). Restroom Requirements for Restaurants. Retrieved from

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/restroom-requirements-restaurants-41132.html

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