Free Restaurant CCTV Layout CCTV Design Tool
Restaurants are hostile environments for cameras — grease, steam, heat, and constant motion. This layout puts sealed cameras in the kitchen, overhead domes at the bar, and discreet dining-floor coverage that doesn't make guests uneasy.
4-12
Typical cameras
100-500 sqm
Typical area
Kitchen environment: grease, steam, heat
challenge
Recommended camera zones
| Zone | Camera type | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar / POS | Dome / Box | 1-3 | Overhead 4 MP dome — face-readable AND till-readable. The single most valuable camera in the building. |
| Kitchen / prep stations | Dome / Sealed | 1-3 | IP66 sealed bullets — one per major station (line, prep, dishwash). Plan annual cleaning. |
| Dining floor | Mini-Dome | 1-3 | Mini-domes at room corners — discreet, covering aisles and entry/exit, not individual tables. |
| Entrance and waiting area | Dome | 1-2 | Wide-angle dome at the apex of the entry — face-readable for arrivals. |
| Loading / delivery dock | Dome | 1-2 | One bullet covering deliveries — proves what arrived and at what time. |
Key challenges for
Kitchen environment: grease, steam, heat
Generic cameras die in 6–12 months in a working kitchen. Use sealed (IP66+) housings, smoke-rated covers, and budget annual lens cleaning. Plan one camera over each main work station.
Detail at the bar (cash + alcohol)
Bartender hands moving fast over till and bottles need 4 MP+ at 2.8–3.6 mm focal length, mounted overhead. Lower resolution misses the swap, the pour, the till skim.
Aesthetics: dining floor must look right
Bullets and big domes destroy ambience. Use mini-domes in pendant-light arrays or recessed in coffered ceilings, matched to the dining-room's design language.
Compliance: HACCP / kitchen audit trail
Some food-safety regimes (HACCP, EU 852/2004) want camera evidence of cold-chain handling. Plan a dedicated camera over the walk-in fridge entry and the prep station for audit-grade footage.
Pro tips for
Spend the budget on the bar/POS camera first — bar shrinkage funds the entire system in 6–9 months.
Don't point cameras AT diners. Cover aisles and entry points; tables are private.
Schedule kitchen-camera cleaning quarterly — grease films cut effective resolution by 50% in months.
Audio is generally a bad idea — most jurisdictions treat it as wiretapping, especially over diner conversations.
Use cameras with H.265 + smart codec — restaurants have very static frames overnight, and codec savings double effective retention.
Frequently asked questions
Can I record audio at the bar?
Almost never. Audio recording escalates the legal complexity dramatically — most jurisdictions treat it as wiretapping unless explicitly disclosed and consented. Disable audio across the system.
How many cameras for a 100-seat restaurant?
Typically 6–10: 1 bar/POS, 2–3 kitchen, 2–3 dining floor (corner discreet domes), 1 entrance, 1 dock door. Larger venues add 2–4 for additional dining rooms or banquet halls.
Will kitchen cameras survive long-term?
Only if they're sealed (IP66+) and serviced. Plan for quarterly lens cleaning and full housing replacement at 24–36 months. Generic indoor cameras don't survive a working kitchen.
Design your own layout in minutes
Drop cameras on a real map of your site, see real FOV cones, get a PDF site plan and BOM. Free forever, no credit card.