01
The Instructions Sheet
Four things to read first, eight steps and what the planner does not do.
Restaurant Kitchen Layout Planner in Excel, Checked Against FSSAI Schedule 4 (2026)
A kitchen layout is decided once and lived with for years. This free Excel plans twelve zones against what FSSAI's Schedule 4 asks for, checks that food moves one way from the delivery door to the pass, and adds up your own equipment to see whether it fits the floor. For dine-in, QSR, cafe and cloud kitchens. Updated November 2026.
- Twelve zones, each marked for what Schedule 4 asks
- Your equipment and working space against your floor area
- Twenty layout checks, from drain direction to a separate non-veg area
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Petpooja presents
Kitchen Layout Planner
For dine-in, QSR, cafe and cloud kitchens
12
Zones planned against Schedule 4 · Excel
2026
What's Inside
Seven sheets from a floor area to a plan you can hand over
02
The Plan
Six answers about your kitchen, then twelve zones plus two you can name: whether each is needed, the area you give it, the area its equipment needs, and its order along the food flow.
03
The Equipment Sheet
Up to 60 items with zone, quantity, width, depth and working space in front, turned into square feet.
04
The Layout Checks
Twenty Schedule 4 points, each with what the rule says, answered Yes, No or Not applicable.
05
The Checks Below the Plan
A zone with no space, equipment that will not fit, a floor that is too small, or food that moves backwards.
06
The Example
A made-up 60-cover dine-in kitchen in Pune on 600 sq ft, with one layout check answered No to show a flag.
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Why This Matters
What FSSAI asks of a kitchen layout
Most layout advice is about speed. Schedule 4 of FSSAI's licensing regulations adds the part a licence depends on. Part II, which binds every licensed food business, asks for a layout that keeps food preparation away from goods receiving as far as possible, and for floor drains that flow opposite to the direction of food preparation. Our post on why a good kitchen layout matters covers the speed side.
Part V adds the food service rules on top: a chimney suited to the kitchen before you start trading if you cook or fry, a separate preparation area and utensils for raw meat, poultry and seafood, and a separate place for washing pots. Each of those needs floor space, so it belongs in the plan, not in a fix after the inspection.
The other half is space. We give no square feet per cover figure, because we could not find one we could verify. The planner adds up the back-of-house equipment you will actually install, and the space to work it, and compares that with your floor.
If you have not chosen the equipment yet, start with our cloud kitchen equipment planner or the one for your format, and copy the list into the Equipment sheet.
Sample Preview
What each sheet gives you
Here's a preview of what you'll get inside, sheet by sheet, in the order they open.
Instructions: Four things to read first, the sheets, eight steps and what the planner does not do.
Plan: Kitchen name, format, licence or registration, non-veg, cooking or frying, floor area; then twelve zones, plus two you can name, with needed, separate area, area given, equipment space, short by and order along the flow.
Equipment: Item, zone, quantity, width, depth, working space in front, footprint and footprint with working space, in square feet.
Layout Checks: Twenty Schedule 4 points, the Part each comes from, what it says, and your answer.
Example Plan, Equipment and Checks: A 60-cover dine-in kitchen in Pune on 600 sq ft: 446 sq ft given to zones, 362.4 sq ft needed by its equipment, one check answered No.
... all 7 sheets in one Excel file, with the formulas locked and the input
cells in yellow.
Key Stats
Three numbers behind every layout
12 zones
From goods receiving to the chemical store, each marked for what Schedule 4 asks.
Source: Schedule 4, Parts II and V, FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011, read 03-Nov-202620 checks
Layout points from Schedule 4, from drain direction to screens on every opening.
Source: Schedule 4, Parts II and V, read 03-Nov-20260 rules of thumb
No square feet per cover and no standard aisle width: the space comes from your own equipment.
Source: no Indian figure we could verify
Common Mistakes
7 Layout Mistakes Restaurant Kitchens Make
01
Planning by square feet per cover
A figure from someone else's kitchen fits someone else's menu. Size from your equipment and the space to use it; our cafe equipment planner shows how to build that list.
02
Letting food move backwards
Receiving, stores, preparation, cooking, the pass. A route where cooked food crosses raw food or waste is the layout fault that is hardest to fix later. Our kitchen layout tips show the common shapes.
03
Draining towards the preparation area
Schedule 4 Part II asks for drains that flow opposite to the direction of food preparation. Set the floor slope before the tiles go down.
04
No separate area for raw meat
Part V asks for a separate preparation area and separate utensils for raw meat, poultry and seafood. On a small floor that can be, in our reading, a dedicated table and sink, but it has to be planned.
05
A toilet door opening into the kitchen
Part II asks that toilets and changing rooms do not open directly into food areas. It is a wall and a door, and far cheaper to plan than to move.
06
Forgetting the chimney until fit-out
Part V asks for a chimney with suction suited to the kitchen, installed before you start, wherever you cook or fry. It shapes the ceiling and the cooking line.
07
Cleaning chemicals on the dry store rack
Part II asks for chemicals to be stored separately. Give them a cabinet of their own, away from food.
Comparison
A Sketch vs This Planner
| Aspect | A sketch on paper | With this planner |
|---|---|---|
| Space | A square feet per cover guess | Your equipment and its working space, added up |
| FSSAI points | Found at inspection | Twenty Schedule 4 checks before fit-out |
| Food flow | Decided by where the doors happen to be | Zones numbered and checked to move forward |
| Non-veg preparation | Shared with veg | Its own zone when you serve non-veg |
| Licence or registration | Same advice for both | Asked for, or good practice, by tier |
| Handing over to a designer | A sketch and a list | Zone areas, equipment sizes and the checks |
Swipe the table sideways to see the full comparison.
A kitchen plan that fits the floor and the rules
Download the free restaurant kitchen layout planner and check your plan before fit-out.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does FSSAI say about a restaurant kitchen layout?
Schedule 4 Part II asks for a layout that keeps food preparation away from goods receiving as far as possible, drains that flow opposite to the direction of food preparation, screened openings, and toilets that do not open into food areas. Part V adds the food service rules, such as a separate area for raw meat and a chimney where you cook or fry. This page is general guidance, not legal advice.
How much space does a restaurant kitchen need?
It depends on your menu and equipment, which is why the planner adds up your own equipment and its working space rather than using a square feet per cover figure. Our guide to creating a profitable restaurant layout covers the split with the dining area.
Does a cloud kitchen need the same layout rules?
A cloud kitchen is a place where cooked food is prepared for sale, which Schedule 4 Part V covers, so on a licence the same Part II and Part V points apply. Our post on the types of cloud kitchen space helps you choose the premises.
Do these rules apply if I only have FSSAI registration?
Part II and Part V are written for licensed food businesses; a registration follows the lighter Part I. The planner marks the points as good practice on a registration. Our guide on getting an FSSAI licence for a restaurant explains which you need.
Does this planner replace an architect or kitchen designer?
No. It checks space and Schedule 4 layout points. Gas, fire safety, drainage, electrical and ventilation design need qualified professionals and your local approvals. Take the planner's zone areas and checks to them as your brief.
About Petpooja
Petpooja is India's leading SME business software suite, trusted by 1,50,000+ businesses across restaurants, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and more. From billing and payroll to task management and procurement Petpooja helps Indian businesses run better, every day.
From the layout to the ticket at each station
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