If you’re planning to open your own restaurant, jazr platform offers guidance on the municipal requirements for restaurants that you need to follow to ensure the success of your project. The municipal requirements cover restaurant design, required space, ventilation, safety, and other aspects that guarantee high-quality service for customers. In this article, we provide everything you need to know about the most important municipal requirements for restaurants and how to successfully implement them to ensure a smooth experience and a strong start for your project.
First, let’s identify the types of restaurants:
Standalone Fast-Food Restaurants:
These restaurants prepare and serve fast food inside an independent building, offering dine-in and drive-through services on a separate land plot.
Restaurants in Mixed-Use Buildings:
Located in buildings that house other commercial activities, these restaurants offer dine-in and takeaway services.
Restaurants within Malls and Shopping Centers:
Includes kiosks and restaurants within commercial centers and complexes, offering a variety of meals.
Kitchens:
Designated areas solely for cooking without on-site dining.
Food Trucks:
A truck or trailer equipped to prepare and serve food and beverages directly from the vehicle.
Cloud Kitchens:
Commercial establishments that market and sell their food exclusively online, without offering dine-in services, and provide a designated area for order pick-up.
Municipal Requirements for Restaurants by Location:
- The restaurant must be located on a commercial street, within shopping centers, or in designated sites on approved layouts.
- The restaurant should be at least 25 meters away from gas stations and 30 meters from fuel stations.
- The minimum area for a restaurant should be 65 square meters.
- For restaurants serving traditional Mandi meat, the area should be at least 100 square meters (65 meters for dining space + 35 meters for Mandi preparation).
Municipal Requirements for Restaurant Elements:
- The preparation and washing room must be at least 9 square meters, separated from the kitchen.
- The kitchen should be at least 15 square meters, with good ventilation, separated from the dining area.
- The dining area must be at least 30 square meters if food is served indoors. It should be furnished with suitable tables and may be divided by partitions up to 1.5 meters high or by Arab-style seating.
- Bathrooms and handwashing sinks should be provided in numbers appropriate for capacity, with one toilet and sink per 1-10 people. Minimum bathroom space is 1.2 square meters, with both Arabic and Western-style toilets as needed. Family-friendly restaurants must provide women’s restrooms.
- A storage room with an area of at least 9 square meters is required.
Ventilation Requirements:
- Preparation, washing rooms, and bathrooms require ventilation at a rate of at least 15 times per hour.
- Kitchens need ventilation at a rate of at least 35 times per hour, with an exhaust fan directly above them.
- Storage rooms require ventilation at a rate of at least 6 times per hour.
Electrical Requirements:
- Use insulated cables and wires of appropriate types and gauges, housed in conduits, and ensure grounding of all circuits.
- Ground the building foundations, and ensure that all electrical equipment such as heaters, ovens, and air conditioners meet global standards.
- Heating devices with a capacity exceeding 1000 kW should be installed within non-combustible enclosures.
- Non-explosive lamps should be installed in protective covers, and hanging lamps are prohibited.
Municipal Requirements for Restaurants:
- Hiring unauthorized workers or those in mismatched professions is prohibited.
- Approval from the municipality is required before changing the business type or modifying the space.
- Safety and security measures in accordance with Civil Defense instructions must be in place, with approval from the General Directorate of Civil Defense for businesses at fire risk.
Licensing Requirements for Foreign Investors:
- To open a restaurant in Saudi Arabia, a foreign investor must have a Saudi partner or sponsor and obtain a license from the Ministry of Investment before acquiring a commercial registration.
- Partnering with a Saudi investor offers quicker access to local market insights and faster processing, including compliance with municipal restaurant requirements.
Parking Requirements for Restaurants:
Standalone Restaurants:
One parking space for every 25 square meters of built area.
Standalone Fast-Food Restaurants:
One parking space for every 50 square meters of built area.
Restaurants within Malls and Shopping Centers:
Parking provided within the shopping center’s designated area.
Restaurants in Mixed-Use Buildings:
One parking space for every 25 square meters, with a minimum of one parking space required.
