Restaurant Property Viewing and Fit-Out Checklist Dubai

Test the menu, seats and kitchen relationship

Start with the menu, service style, expected covers, trading hours, delivery share and peak production. These decisions shape cooking equipment, preparation, storage, washing, pass, collection and dining capacity. A generic kitchen plan cannot confirm property suitability.

Map staff, ingredients, clean items, dirty returns, waste, delivery riders and customers. Check whether the unit can support these flows without unsafe crossings, congested doors or an unrealistic loss of dining area.

Confirm extraction, fresh air and cooling strategy

Identify whether a suitable kitchen-extract route and discharge location exist and what the landlord permits. Review shaft capacity, duct dimensions, cleaning access, odour control, noise and fire requirements. A long or restricted route can materially change cost and ceiling coordination.

Extracted air must be replaced, and the dining area still needs comfortable cooling and ventilation. Kitchen heat, open cooking, glazing, occupancy and operating hours affect demand. Existing grilles or fans do not confirm that the system suits the new menu.

Review power, gas, water and drainage

Prepare an early equipment schedule and estimate electrical demand. Confirm available power and whether an upgrade appears feasible. Where gas is proposed, clarify whether it is permitted and how supply, detection, ventilation and safety interfaces would be managed.

Locate incoming water, drainage, grease-management and waste provisions. Floor levels and route lengths affect falls and equipment placement. Core drilling, pumps or external modifications may require additional review and permission.

Check deliveries, waste and operating constraints

Walk the delivery route from vehicle to storage. Check loading times, lift size, door widths, trolley movement, cold-chain requirements and interaction with customers or other tenants. Repeat the exercise for waste, used oil and cleaning supplies.

Ask about permitted trading and work hours, outdoor seating, signage, music, deliveries, odour, grease, pest control and neighbour sensitivity. Operational restrictions can affect the business model even when the fit-out is technically possible.

Clarify the approval and handover route

Collect the landlord manual, existing approved drawings, previous use information and current service records. Confirm which design stages need landlord, developer or authority review and which specialist submissions may apply to the kitchen, fire strategy, signage or external equipment.

Build the opening plan backward from the target date, including design, approvals, equipment decisions, long-lead procurement, construction, testing, cleaning, staff setup and the applicable operational approvals. Avoid committing to an opening date based only on construction duration.

Frequently asked questions