Restaurant Dining Ventilation Calculator
Outdoor air CFM for a restaurant dining room.
Enter your values
Enter the seated occupants you are working with.
Enter the dining area in sq ft.
Results update instantly as you type — no submit needed. Your values are remembered on this device, and the shareable link reopens the calculator with exactly these numbers.
- Outdoor air required
- 960 CFM
- Per person rate
- 12 CFM
- Total supply at 1.2 CFM/sq ft
- 2,400 CFM
Quick answer
Restaurant dining rooms typically need about 7.5 CFM per person plus 0.18 CFM per square foot of outdoor air.
CFM = 7.5 x people + 0.18 x area
At a glance
| What it does | Outdoor air CFM for a restaurant dining room. |
|---|---|
| Category | HVAC & Airflow |
| Inputs needed | Seated occupants, Dining area |
| Main output | Outdoor air required |
| Formula | CFM = 7.5 x people + 0.18 x area |
| Cost | Free — no sign-up, no download |
How to use the Restaurant Dining Ventilation Calculator
- 1Count peak seated occupancy for the dining room.
- 2Enter the dining floor area, excluding the kitchen.
- 3Combine with makeup air sized separately for the kitchen hood system.
Inputs explained
- Seated occupants
- Enter the seated occupants you are working with.
- Dining area(sq ft)
- Enter the dining area in sq ft.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Seated occupants80
- Dining area2000 sq ft
Results
- Outdoor air required960 CFM
- Per person rate12 CFM
- Total supply at 1.2 CFM/sq ft2,400 CFM
Frequently asked questions
Does this include the kitchen?
No — kitchens are sized separately by hood exhaust and matched makeup air.
Bar area?
Bars often need a slightly higher per-person rate due to denser seating and smoke/odour control.
What do I need to enter into the Restaurant Dining Ventilation Calculator?
Just 2 values: seated occupants, dining area. Every field starts with a realistic example, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result update instantly.
How does the Restaurant Dining Ventilation Calculator work out the answer?
Restaurant dining rooms typically need about 7.5 CFM per person plus 0.18 CFM per square foot of outdoor air. It applies the formula CFM = 7.5 x people + 0.18 x area and shows the working so you can check each step by hand.
Is the Restaurant Dining Ventilation Calculator free, and do I need an account?
It is completely free with no sign-up, no download and no usage limit. Everything is calculated in your browser, so the numbers you type never leave your device.
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.