A typical coffee shop needs at least three kinds of sink: a hand sink at the bar, a three compartment sink for washing equipment, and a mop sink. Many health departments also expect a dump sink at the espresso station, and a food prep sink if you wash fruit or vegetables.
Shop the equipment in this article: hand sinks, compartment sinks and Underbar sinks. Freight is included on every order.
What the Food Code requires
The 2022 FDA Food Code treats a coffee shop like any other food establishment. Three sections drive the basic sink list.
- Hand sink. Section 5-203.11 requires at least one handwashing sink and enough for convenient use by employees. Section 5-204.11 puts them where staff prepare food, dispense food and wash utensils, and in or immediately adjacent to toilet rooms. For most shops that means one behind the bar, plus the restroom.
- Three compartment sink. Section 4-301.12 requires a sink with at least three compartments for manually washing, rinsing and sanitizing, with bowls large enough to immerse your largest item. It allows the regulatory authority to approve alternatives, but some local offices require the three compartment sink even when you have a dishwasher.
- Mop sink. Section 5-203.13 requires at least one service sink or curbed cleaning facility with a floor drain for mop water.
Dump sinks and prep sinks depend on where you are
The Food Code does not name a dump sink. The need comes from section 5-205.11, which says a hand sink may not be used for anything except handwashing. Baristas pour out milk, espresso shots and leftover drinks all day, and that liquid cannot go into the hand sink. Some health departments, including Clark County, Washington, require a dump sink for espresso stations and bars. Others, such as Spokane’s health district, recommend one. Either way it has to be a separate bowl from the hand sink.
A prep sink depends on the menu. If you only pull shots and steam milk, many jurisdictions will not ask for one. If you wash fruit for smoothies or produce for sandwiches, a local office may require a dedicated prep sink with an indirect drain. Harrison County, Indiana, for example, tells coffee shops a prep sink is optional unless they use fruits or vegetables.
Your local health department has the final say on which sinks your shop needs, so confirm the list with your inspector or plan reviewer before you buy.
Common inspection problems
- Drinks, ice or milk dumped into the hand sink.
- Pitchers, portafilters or rags left in the hand sink bowl.
- One hand sink in the back room and none behind the bar. The Food Code gives no distance, but several jurisdictions use 25 feet, and inspectors commonly want a sink the barista can reach without leaving the bar.
- A three compartment sink too small to submerge the largest brew basket, blender jar or airpot.
- No splash protection between the hand sink and the espresso machine, cups or lids.
- Ice bins and plumbed equipment drained without the indirect connection the local plumbing rules call for.
- Fruit washed in the three compartment sink where the local code requires a separate prep sink.
What to buy
Sketch the bar first, then place each sink where the work happens.
- Wall mounted hand sinks for the bar, with side splashes if it sits next to cups or the machine.
- Three bowl compartment sinks sized to your largest piece of equipment, with drainboards if your jurisdiction asks for them.
- Underbar sinks make a practical dump sink or pitcher rinse station under the counter.
- Floor mounted or free standing mop sinks for the back of house.
- Prep sinks if your menu includes fresh fruit or produce.
Express KitchQuip’s own stainless steel sinks are NSF certified, and freight to the 48 contiguous states is included in the price. No sink can guarantee an inspection result. Get your layout and plumbing plan approved first, then order to match it.