The kitchen Work Triangle takes into consideration the three areas in a kitchen that is the most essential in the work process: the sink, the stove, and the refrigerator. To visualize the Work Triangle, a line is drawn from the center of the kitchen sink to the center of the stove top, continuing to the center of the refrigerator and traces back to the sink.

As with any “formula” in space planning, the objective is efficiency. All major work stations must be near the cook without cramping up the space. Consider the following guidelines:

• The sum of the Work Triangle’s sides must not be more than 26 feet or roughly 8 meters, while each side should be within 1.2 meters and 2.8 meters each.
• The sink should be placed in between the preparation area, the stove, or the refrigerator.
• The triangle must not be intercepted by major traffic patterns such as entrances and exits.

While the above guidelines are for ideal food truck conditions, it is important to note that these guidelines assume that there is only one person cooking. There can be more than three work spaces depending on the food items sold, and a work triangle isn’t always applicable nor practical. Consider the size and the preparation of your food and beverage whilst using the standard work triangle only as a point of reference.