A burger joint lives and dies on its line: flat top or char-broiler, fryers, a cold station and a fast handoff to the window. It is a classic grease-producing kitchen, so the hood and fire suppression drive the whole layout.
Want this as a step-by-step plan? The free Commercial Kitchen Opening Playbook has a burger joint package with checklists, a cook line builder, a floor planner and a daily open routine. It is free from STL Food Service Equipment.
Start with the menu, not the equipment
Smash burgers on a flat top, charbroiled burgers, or both? Fries cut in-house or frozen? Shakes? Each choice adds or removes equipment. Count your burgers per hour at peak to size the griddle and the fryers. The order that saves the most money is menu, space, codes, equipment: your menu decides your equipment, your space decides what fits, and the codes decide what is allowed.
Burger Restaurant equipment, station by station
Grill
- Flat top griddle and/or char-broiler sized to burgers per hour
- Refrigerated chef base under the grill for patties
- Bun toaster or toasting space
Fry
- Fryers sized to your fry and onion ring volume
- Fry dump station with a heat lamp
- Oil filtration plan
Cold and garnish
- Refrigerated sandwich prep table for lettuce, tomato, onion and sauces
- Reach-in or walk-in for backups
- Shake machine or blender station if you serve shakes
Every kitchen also needs the basics most health departments look for: a dedicated handwash sink, a 3-compartment sink, a mop or utility sink, commercial equipment listed for food service (look for NSF/ANSI or an equivalent listing) and enough refrigeration to keep cold food at 41 F or below.
Hood, fire and health code basics
Griddles, char-broilers and fryers almost always need a Type I hood with fire suppression. Your hood length decides how much equipment fits on the line, so lay out the line under the hood before you buy anything.
Before you sign a lease or buy equipment, call your local health department’s plan reviewer. Most require a plan review with your menu, floor plan and equipment spec sheets before you build. If you are in the St. Louis area, our Health Code Cheat Sheets cover the City of St. Louis, St. Charles, East St. Louis, Jefferson, Franklin and Lincoln counties in Missouri, Madison, Monroe, Clinton and Jersey counties in Illinois, plus the Missouri, Illinois and FDA food codes, in plain English.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Buying more line equipment than the hood can cover
- Not enough refrigeration under the line
- A fry station too far from the grill and window
- Forgetting a grease interceptor in the plumbing plan
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a hood for a flat top griddle?
In most commercial kitchens, yes. Griddles, fryers and char-broilers usually need a Type I hood with fire suppression.
Flat top or char-broiler?
A flat top does smash burgers, breakfast and onions. A char-broiler gives grill marks and a flame-grilled flavor. Many burger kitchens run both if the hood is long enough.
Plan it step by step for free
Pick the burger joint package in the Commercial Kitchen Opening Playbook and work through menu, space, codes and equipment in order. When you are ready to equip your kitchen, STL Food Service Equipment can help you find the right new or used equipment for your menu and budget.
This guide is general information, not professional, legal or code advice. Always confirm requirements with your health department, building and fire officials, and licensed trades.
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