Setting up an office kitchen is not just about buying a fridge, adding a microwave, and calling it a day. If you want a kitchen that’s actually functional, tidy, and convenient for everyone, there is a lot of planning that has to go into it, and above all, there’s a logical order to follow.
This guide walks you through each step so you know exactly what to do, what to buy, and how to organize everything.
1. Evaluate Your Space and Needs
Before buying a single appliance for any office kitchen, you must ask yourself two very important questions:
- How much space do you have? More people mean you need a larger fridge (or fridges), a bigger microwave, and more counter space.
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How many people are you serving? Will they cook or simply reheat food?
Reheating requires minimal space, but prepping meals requires more. - Will you have room for seating, or is it a grab-and-go kitchen?
The answers to these two questions form the foundation on which you will decide on everything else, from the design and layout to the sizes of appliances to the supplies you’ll need for an office kitchen.
How Much Space Does an Average Office Kitchen Need?
When it comes to office kitchen size, there is no one-size-fits-all rule. In most cases, the amount of space you get is fixed, and you can always be creative and make efficient use of every inch.
However, here is an estimate of office kitchen space requirements based on the number of people.
- Very small offices (1–5 people): about 30–50 sq ft
- Small offices (6–15 people): 50–100 sq ft
- Medium offices (16–40 people): 100–150 sq ft
- Large offices (40+ people): 150–250+ sq ft
Take note that these are not official building codes: just practical estimates based on common office kitchen setups.
Once you understand your space and usage needs, you’re ready for the next step.
2. Choose an Office Kitchen Design That Matches Your Space
There are many kitchen designs and layouts, but not all of them apply to an office kitchen. Fortunately, office kitchens generally follow a few popular layout styles. Choosing the right one for your space will make your kitchen more efficient and easier to use.
Popular Office Kitchen Designs
- Galley Kitchen Design: The most popular office kitchen design. It consists of two parallel counters and is great for narrow rooms. Also extremely efficient.
- L-Shaped Kitchen Design: The counters are placed along two perpendicular walls. An L-shaped office design is great if you have corner space.
- U-Shaped Kitchen Design: It mainly consists of counters on three sides of the wall. It is best if you are working with a medium-to-large office kitchen space.
- Single-Wall Kitchen: This is the best office kitchen design if you are working with a very tight space. Everything is lined up on one wall.
- Island Add-On (for large offices): If you have a large office kitchen space, the island Add-on office design is the best. The kitchen is basically a standalone island for extra prep or storage.
Again, the galley kitchen design is the most common in offices: it is compact, efficient, and suitable for narrow break rooms. Consider other options if it is not practical in your case, but start from here.
How to Know Which Office Kitchen Design Fits Your Space
You choose the best office design for your space based on a careful evaluation of the following factors:
- The width of the room: If it is narrow, go for a galley of single wall design.
- The corners available: L-shaped works best if you have a convenient corner
- Overall size of the space: If your office kitchen space is large enough, you can go for U-shaped or island additions.
- The number of appliances: If you need multiple appliances, avoid single-wall layouts.
3. Get the Right Office Kitchen Supplies and Appliances
Now that you know your space and design, it’s time to gather what you need. Office kitchen supplies are grouped into three categories: appliances, storage equipment, and basic cookware/utensils.
A. Office Kitchen Food Preparation and Storage Appliances
The essential appliances for most office kitchens are refrigerators, microwaves, coffee makers or an electric kettle, a toaster/toaster oven, and a dishwasher.
- For an office kitchen, go for a commercial refrigerator, preferably a commercial solid-door reach-in refrigerator. Choose the right size based on your staff count.
- You might need more than one microwave. Consider one per 8–12 employees.
- You may also need a water dispenser. It's optional but appreciated.
- A dishwasher may only be useful if the office kitchen is serving more than 20 people. If not, consider a sizeable sink.
Consider the best commercial reach-in refrigerators from Wilprep.
Tips for Choosing Food Supplies for an Office Kitchen
- Match the sizes of each equipment to staff usage.
- Prioritize energy-efficient appliances. Look for UL certification, or ETL listings
- Choose easy-to-clean finishes like stainless steel.
- For a high-traffic office, choose commercial-grade microwaves: they last longer.
B. Storage Equipment for Office Kitchens
An office kitchen needs storage for food, dishes, cleaning supplies, and utensils. Here are some of the most important storage items to get for any office kitchen:
- Wall cabinets: For dishes, snacks, and mugs.
- Base cabinets: For pots, trash bags, and cleaning supplies.
- A Pantry cabinet: For bulk items (coffee, sugar, tea, snacks).
- Under-sink storage organizers: For cleaning chemicals.
- Countertop storage: For staff to put their mug trees, utensil holders, knife blocks, etc.
Choose storage equipment based on your available wall space, how much you want visible (vs out of sight), and the number of users.
C. Basic Cookware and Utensils
Most office kitchens don’t need full cookware like pots or pans unless employees genuinely cook, which is very rare. So, when buying cookware and utensils for an office kitchen, always stick to the essentials:
Most common office cookware and utensils:
- Plates and bowls. Choose ceramic plates and bowls. Reusable plastics tend to get stained
- Bowls, mugs, and glasses.
- Forks, knives, and spoons
- At least one cutting board
- A medium-quality knife
- Tongs, Spatula
- A couple of microwave-safe containers
- Storage containers for leftovers
How Many of Each Item?
Use this ratio when buying cookware and utensils for an office kitchen:
- Dinnerware: 1.5× the number of employees
- Cutlery: 2× the number of employees
- Mugs: 1 per employee
- Storage containers: 6–12 total
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Cleaning supplies: restock weekly or biweekly
If your office has 10 people, for example, aim for 15 plates, 20 sets of cutlery, and 10 mugs. These should suffice to prevent shortages during busy lunch hours.
4. Set Up a Clean, Efficient Layout
Always set up an office kitchen, or any other kitchen, in a way that prioritizes flow. Now that everything is purchased, arrange your kitchen so it’s easy to use and easy to keep clean.
People should also be able to move without colliding.
- Place the fridge near the entrance to reduce traffic jams.
- Keep the microwave on a stable, eye-level counter.
- Dedicate a clear food prep zone (at least 2–3 ft of counter space).
- Keep coffee supplies together to create a “coffee station.”
- Position trash/recycling bins near the exit or sink.
- Make sure the sink has room on both sides for drying and washing.
The easier your layout is to navigate, the cleaner your office kitchen stays.
5. Stock the Essentials
Once the layout is in place, it’s time to fill your office kitchen with the basics, and this usually includes the essential consumables:
- Coffee and tea
- Sugar and creamer
- Snacks
- Paper towels
- Dish soap and Sponges
- Trash bags
- Napkins
- Plastic wrap or foil
- Disposable plates/cups (optional)
How to Decide How Much to Buy
Use your staff count as your guide:
- Coffee: 1–2 lbs per 10 employees per week
- Tea: 20–40 bags per week
- Paper towels: 2–4 rolls per week for a 10–15-person office
- Trash bags: 1–2 bags per day for small offices
You can start with more conservative amounts, then adjust based on how much the staff actually consumes or uses.
6. Use Office Kitchen Signs to Maintain Good Etiquette
The purpose of office kitchen signs is to communicate expectations concerning cleanliness, orderliness, and etiquette clearly and prevent misunderstandings.
A well-set-up office kitchen can quickly turn chaotic if people aren’t on the same page about cleanliness.
Most Important Office Kitchen Signs
- “Please Clean Up After Yourself.”
- “Label Your Food.”
- “Please Keep the Fridge Organized.”
- “Wipe Down Surfaces After Use.”
- “Empty Trash When Full.”
- “Do Not Leave Dishes in the Sink.”
Using simple, direct signs like these can prevent up to about 90% of office kitchen problems.
Office Kitchen Supplies List
| Food/Preparation Supplies | Storage Supplies | Utensils+Cooking Supplies | Essential Supplies |
| commercial refrigerator | Wall cabinets | Plates and bowls | Coffee and tea |
| Microwave(s) | Base cabinets | Bowls, mugs, and glasses | Sugar and creamer |
| A Pantry cabinet | Forks, knives, and spoons | Snacks | |
| Under-sink storage organizers | cutting board | Paper towels | |
| Countertop with storage space | Knife set | Dish soap and Sponges | |
|
Tongs, Spatula |
Trash bags | ||
| microwave-safe containers | Napkins | ||
| Storage containers | Plastic wrap or foil | ||
| Disposable plates/cups |
Final Thoughts on Setting Up Your Office Kitchen
Setting up an office kitchen isn’t complicated when you have a logical plan. Start by understanding your space and staff needs, choose the right layout, buy the essential equipment, set up an efficient flow, stock the basics, and use signage to maintain etiquette.
When done right, your office kitchen becomes more than a break room: it becomes a productivity booster and a small but meaningful perk that everyone appreciates.
For your office kitchen space, you might also be interested in our compilation of 5 commercial refrigerators you can afford.
