Kitchen Planning Guide, Guideline 5, Walkway Clearance For Seating Area

Guideline 5

In a seating area, 36" of clearance should be allowed from the counter/table edge to any wall/obstruction behind it if no traffic will pass behind a seated diner. (Fig. 1) If there is a walkway behind the seating area, 65" of clearance, total, including the walkway, should be allowed between the seating area and any wall or obstruction. (Fig. 2)

Guidelines used by permission from the National Kitchen & Bath Association