SPACE DETERMINANTS AND

UTILIZATION
Ergonomics Facilities Planning for the Hospitality
Industry

Prepared by:
Dr. Elpedia M. Marte- Lago
At the end of this chapter, the
students should be able to:
1. Define space and terms such as front
of the house and back of the house;

2. Enumerate factors to consider in

allocating space for the lodging and
foodservice operations:

3. Compute values for total size of a

foodservice and lodging facility using
rules of thumb

4. Determine the space allocated for a

guestroom; and

5. Identify other space determinants

 Activate Prior Knowledge
Critical Thinking Question(s)

What are the

factors to be
considered in
allocating
space?
▪ The hospitality industry includes a
wide range of businesses such as
hotels, resorts, restaurants, and
bars, that provide accommodation,
food and beverage services to
customers.

▪ Ergonomics facilities is a key

aspect of designing and managing
such facilities as it involves
optimizing the use of space to
ensure the comfort, safety, and well-
being of customers and employees.

▪ One important factor to consider in

ergonomics facilities planning is the
use of space determinants, which
are factors that affect the layout and
design of the facility.
Factors to be considered in allocating
space
1. The size and shape of the
space.

2. The number of customers

and employees.

3. The type of services

offered and;

4. The equipment and

furniture used.
▪ For example, a hotel room may have a
different space determinants than a
restaurants. Hotel rooms it may need to
accommodate a bed, a desk, and a
bathroom, while the latter may require
tables, chairs, and a kitchen.

▪ When designing facilities in the

hospitality industry, it is important to
consider the utilization of spaces as
well. This involves ensuring that the
available space is used efficiently and
effectively to meet the needs of the
customers and employees.

▪ In a restaurant may need to optimize

the placement of tables and chairs to
maximize the number of customers it
can accommodate, while still allowing
for comfortable seating and movement.
Definition of Space
▪ Space is the total area
needed for the lodging or
foodservice facility being
planned for construction.

▪ Space planning considers the

exterior or the space outside
the floor area of the building
that usually includes the
parking lot, walk, and
driveways.

▪ The interior space of the floor

area of the building has an
orientation known as Front of
the House and Back of the
House.
▪ For a lodging, the front of the house,
includes all the areas the guest will
come into contact that of which
includes lobby, corridors, elevators,
guestrooms, restaurant, bars,
meeting room and restrooms.

▪ On the other hand, back of the house

comprises the support areas such as
housekeeping, laundry, utilities, and
maintenance, kitchen, waste
disposal, receiving of supplies and
storage, administrative control, and
personnel facilities.
▪ Front of the house of a
foodservice facility includes
the entryway, foyer, dining
area including waiter
stations, beverage service
areas, and restrooms.

▪ Back of the house

comprise the receiving area,
dry and cold storage, hot and
cold preparation areas,
serving and plating area,
bakery, pots and pans,
dishwashing area, waste
disposal, and staff facilities
like locker rooms and office
space.
Space Considerations
The total area of the property needed for the lodging and
foodservice facility has been roughly determined already by
the findings in the feasibility study conducted previously,
which includes the following:

1. Type and size of operation

2. Estimated number of guests
3. Supplies and Materials
4. Processing Methods
5. Equipment Requirements
6. Number of employees required
7. Structural features of the building
8. Allowance for expansion
9. Storage Space for materials
10. Suitable Space for traffic and
movement
11. Other activities that the operation
will be involved like marketing,
computer technology, and the like.
 TOTAL FOODSERVICE FACILITY SIZE
Estimated Total Facility Space for Foodservice
Facilities
Source: Foodservice Facilities Planning
Type of Area per seat in Area per seat
Operation fr2- frequency in m2
range
Table Service 24-42 2.23-2.97
Counter Service 18-24 1.67-2.23
Booth Service 20-28 1.86-2.60
Cafeteria 22-30 2.04-2.79
Service
To evaluate whether the size of the facility is appropriate for the
operation, the designer could visit existing operations, then compare
and make the necessary adjustments. This method will prevent
overestimating or underestimating the total facility size.
 Dining Room Sizing By Seat
Count
▪ A rough estimate of the dining
room space is to allow 15
square feet per seat. This rule
of thumb when used includes
aisles and waiter stations, but
generally excludes the
entryway and entry room.

▪ The proper size of the dining

room can be also calculated by
using the values presented in
the next slide.
 Space Allowance Per Seat for Various
Types of Foodservice Operations

TYPE OF FOODSERVICE ALLOWANCE PER SEAT

OPERATION
In sq.m In sq. ft.

Cafeteria: Commercial 1.49- 1.67 16-18

Cafeteria: College and Industrial 1.11-1.39 12-15
Cafeteria: School Lunchroom .84-1.11 9-12
Counter Service 1.67-1.86 18-20
Table Service: College 1.11-1.39 12-15
Residence
Table Service :Hotel, Club, 1.39- 1.67 15-18
Restaurant
Table Service: Minimum 1.02-1.3 11-14
Table Service: Banquet Minimum .93-1.02 10-11
 Converter of
Square Foot to Square Meter
 Entry Areas- Restaurant
The need for this space will depend upon the type of food service operation planned.

1. Quick Service Restaurant

▪ It is well known fact that in a quick service restaurant facility, the
space provided for an entryway should be wide enough to
accommodate customer’s activity, serving of food, and bussing of
food.
 Entry Areas- Restaurant
The need for this space will depend upon the type of food service operation planned.

2. Fine Dining Restaurant

▪ The Fine Dining Restaurant would have a foyer, a small waiting area where the
guests wait before they are to be seated in the dining room. As a general rule
of thumb for restaurants having a table service operation, 3 square feet of
entry space for each seat in the dining room of an ordinary restaurant is
recommended. However, for an upscale fine dining restaurant, 5 or 6 square
feet per seat would be congruent for an impressive entrance to the dining
area.
Restrooms or Comfort Rooms
DINING NUMBER OF NUMBER OF NO. OF WASH
ROOM CLOSETS URINAL HAND BASIN
CAPACITY
MALE FEMALE MALE FEMALE

1-49 1 1 1 1 1
PERSONS
50-60 2 2 1 1 1
PERSONS
61- 120 PERSONS
2 2 2 2 2
Note: Add
For every additional
one water closet for disabled
1 1 1 1 1
persons
60 people

▪ The seating capacity of the foodservice facility will determine the

size of the restroom.
▪ Katsigris and Thomas (USA) suggests that a 50 seat restaurant
should allocate a 35-40 sqauare feet area for a toilet and wash
basin.
FOODSERVICE FACILITY: Back of the
House
A. Amount of Space needed for the Kitchen
▪ One common approach is to calculate the dining area firsts, and then
deduct the value obtained from the total facility area. The difference
will be the kitchen area.

To illustrate this procedure, a computational example is given

below.

Problem: JPGBuenaventura is designing for a foodservice facility having

a total area of 500 sq. meter. He allotted 60% for the dining room, What
would be the allocation for the kitchen?

Solution:
1. 500 square meter X .60 = 300 sqm. (space allotted for dining
room
2. 500 square meter – 300 sqm. = 200 sqm. (allotted for kitchen
area)
B. The total kitchen area is then divided into different
areas following recommended percentage space
allocations.
Recommended Percentage for Space
Allocation for Kitchen Areas

FUNCTIONAL AREAS %
Assembly Receiving Storage 15
Pre- Preparation Hot 10
Preparation and Cold 20
cutting
Waiter’s Station Preparation; Service 15
Sanitation Ware-Washing 15
Waste Disposal 10
Office and lockers and 15
Comfort Room
TOTAL 100
 Sample Computation for a
200 sq. m. Kitchen Area

Total Kitchen % Allocation Approximate Functional Unit

Area Area
200 X 0.15 30 Receiving Unit
200 X 0.10 20 Pre- Preparation
200 X 0.20 40 Cold Preparation
200 X 0.10 20 Hot Preparation
200 X 0.15 30 Waiter Station
200 X 0.15 30 Ware- Washing
Station
200 X 0.15 30 Office Locker
Total 100 200

To evaluate whether the size of the facility is appropriate for the operation,
the designer could visit existing operations, then compare and make
necessary adjustments. This method will prevent overestimating or
underestimating the total facility size.
West, Wood, Harger, and Shugart suggest the
following considerations to address that particular
need to come up with an adequate space to
operate efficiently.
1. Number of meal produced is the main
determinant of space requirement in the kitchen.

2. Type of Meal, simple meals would require less

equipment and fewer staff.

3. Equipment- increase in the performance and

capacities allowing fewer units of equipment to
be used.

4. Convenience foods- saves work and space;

finishing kitchens are reduced in area up to 2/3
of a conventional kitchen.

The foodservice operation is complicated by the diversity of functions to be

performed by the economic aspect of food as a perishable commodity as well
as its social and cultural aspects. These factors should be considered in
providing sufficient space for different foodservice settings like restaurant,
healthcare institutions, schools, and industrial facilities for these to operate
sufficiently.
 EXAMPLE OF AN ARCHIETECTURAL
PROGRAM FOR A 250 ROOM TOURIST
TYPE HOTEL
 Guestrooms
▪ Guestrooms should be 13’ wide (clear) by
18’ long (from bath wall to window
▪ Guestroom mix should be as follows:
1. Twins 5%
2. Studio Twins 10%
3. Doubles- Doubles 52%
4. Queen Doubles 25%
5. King Doubles 5%
6. Suite Parlors 2&
7. Suite Parlors w/ wet bars 1%
▪ Bathrooms should be 5” wide by 7.6” long
▪ Guestroom corridors should be 6’ wide
with a recessed section at each guestroom
door
▪ Each floor should have a minimum of one
linen room.
▪ Each floor should have an area to house
an ice machine and soft drink machine
 Public Spaces
▪ Lobby 3000 sq. t
▪ Front Office, Reservation, PBX,
Bellstand-700 sq. ft.
▪ Manager’s Office, Food and Beverage,
Reservations, Sales and Reception
Area- 800 sq. ft
▪ Public Restrooms are required by local
codes
▪ Dining Room 2250 sq. ft seating
capacity 150 people.
▪ Cocktail Lounge 1800 sq. ft. which will
seat 120 people
▪ Function Rooms 5000 sq. ft dividable
inclusive of storage
▪ A secondary room wit 1000 sq. ft.
seating 100 people, dividable into 2
sections of 50 people each
▪ Storage for secondary room of 50 sq.
ft.
 Kitchen
▪ The kitchen should be a
minimum of 5000 sq. ft. clear,
plus enough square footage
to house a walk- in
refrigerator and three days of
supply, approximately 300 sq.
ft. plus an office for the chef.

▪ The kitchen should be located

to provide easy access to the
Coffee Shop, Dining Room
and major banquet spaces.
Back of the House Areas
▪ Food and Beverage storeroom
should be a minimum 2000 sq. ft,
and have easy access to the
receiving dock and the kitchen
▪ Locker room space is required for
about 200 employees, (80 male
and 120 female) plus
toilet/shower facilities
(approximately 1350 sq. ft.)
▪ The employee lunchroom should
be large enough to handle about
50 people at one time, plus room
for cigarettes, coke , candy
machines, etc. (600 sq. ft.) and be
as near as possible to kitchen
Back of the House Areas
▪ An engineer’s office (approximately
100 sq. ft) and engineering and
maintenance shops (450 sq. ft.) are
required
▪ Receiving and trash should include
trash room (250 sq. ft.), garbage room
(200 sq. ft.), receiving dock (300. Ft.)
and purchasing/food and beverage
controller office (200 sq. ft.)
▪ General storeroom china, silver,
glassware, printed material, etc. should
be 1500 sq. ft
▪ One housekeeping area should be 1500
sq. ft. including an office for the
housekeeper of approximately 150 sq.
ft.
▪ A laundry (if non- iron linen is used
should be 1000 sq. ft)
Basic Functions Requiring Space in a Guestroom
and the Percentage Space Allocation

FUNCTION PERCENTAGE
ALLOCATION
Entry and Storage 15% to 20%
Living and Recreation 30% to 40%
Sleeping 20% to 40%
Bathing and Dressing 15% to 20%

The relationship of the functions and spaces must reflect the hotel
concept with each guestroom. This can be achieved through proper
planning and design by the Professional Planning and Development
Team.
REFERENCES:
Lolita O. Mendoza. Ergonomics and Facilities Planning for the Hospitality Industry. (2021)
RES TX 911.3.M27 .M46 2021

Gaudin Gianna. The Art of Event Planning: Pro Tips from an Industry Insider. (2019) GC GT
3405. G38 2019

Anderson, Alisha. The Lost Art of Hospitality: Making people feel welcome in your home.
(2018) TX 911. A58 2019

Maria Chatzistavrou. Fantastic Escapes: Architecture and Design for Stylish Stays. (2018) NK
2195.H6. F36 2018

John E. Edwards. Applied Facilities Management for the Hospitality Industry (2018) GC TX
911.3.M27. E38 2018

Buenaventura JP G., Gutierrez L. Operations Management in Tourism and Hospitality (2023).

MINDSHAPERS

Perdigon Grace P. Facilities Planning and Design for Lodging and Food Service Operations
(2004). Merriam Webster