Health Ministry announces restaurant sector reform, eases requirements

ByDR. ITAY GALJULY 22, 2026 22:29The Health Ministry on Monday launched a sweeping reform that eliminates numerous construction and infrastructure requirements imposed for years on restaurants, cafes, kiosks, hotels, banquet halls, and event venues.The changes will allow businesses to operate in smaller spaces, eliminate the requirement for a storage room and employee changing room in many cases, and permit the use of restroom facilities located outside the business.The ministry stressed that the reforms focus primarily on building and planning requirements, while oversight of food safety and public health standards will continue unchanged.Health Minister Haim Katz signed the regulations, which took effect immediately. According to the ministry, the move represents one of the most significant regulatory changes introduced in recent years for Israel's food service sector, which includes approximately 23,500 licensed businesses generating more than NIS 50 billion in annual revenue.For years, regulation was based on a long list of uniform requirements, including minimum floor space for kitchens, dining areas, and storage rooms; fixed distances between different sections of a business; ceiling heights; construction materials; wall colors; employee changing rooms; and the number of restroom facilities.Israeli Minister and Likud member Haim Katz arrives for a meeting of the Likud Secretariat Committee at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament in Jerusalem, June 28, 2026. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)These standards were often applied even to small businesses selling coffee, sandwiches or ready-made pastries, despite their operations being fundamentally different from those of restaurants that prepare raw meat, fish and other uncooked food.The reform dramatically reduces minimum space requirements. The minimum size required for a kiosk will fall from 35 square meters to 8 square meters, the requirement for a cafe will drop from 45 square meters to 8 square meters, and the minimum size for a restaurant will decrease from 55 square meters to 12 square meters. Minimum space requirements for dining and service areas will be eliminated, and the link between the number of seats and kitchen size will be significantly reduced.Updates allow for more efficient use of space, more tablesAccording to the Health Ministry, the changes could allow existing restaurants to add more tables by repurposing operational space previously required under the regulations, while new businesses will be able to rent smaller, less expensive properties. The ministry expects the reform to reduce construction, rental, municipal tax and maintenance costs while allowing more efficient use of business space.The reform also creates a new category known as "micro food service." A kiosk serving hot beverages and ready-to-eat food requiring no preparation beyond heating or slicing will be exempt from minimum floor space requirements and from additional space allocations based on seating capacity. The exemption is intended for businesses whose primary activity is selling coffee, sandwiches, pastries and other ready-made products.Another significant change concerns storage requirements. Until now, storage rooms were required to be adjacent to the kitchen or located within 25 meters of it. Under the new regulations, not every business will be required to maintain a dedicated storage room, and where operationally appropriate, alternative storage solutions within the premises will be permitted.Where an external storage facility is used, the maximum permitted distance from the kitchen will increase to 100 meters, and minimum size requirements will be abolished.The requirement to provide a separate employee changing room will also be eliminated. The ministry estimates that removing this obligation could free an average of about four square meters in each business, allowing the space to be used for operations, storage or additional customer seating.At the same time, minimum ceiling height requirements will be removed, potentially allowing food businesses to open in older buildings whose ceilings previously failed to meet regulatory standards.Requirements relating to restroom facilities will also be eased. The required number of toilets, sinks and urinals will be reduced, and businesses will be allowed to rely on restroom facilities located outside the premises, provided they are within 50 meters.The change is particularly relevant to restaurants and cafes operating in shopping malls and commercial centers that share public restrooms.Additional changes affect the design and appearance of food establishments. Businesses will have greater flexibility to use mezzanine levels and a wider range of construction materials.The prohibition on sliding doors and windows will be removed, and operators will no longer be required to use light-colored tiles or obtain individual approval for alternative durable materials. Likewise, the rule requiring one-third of the kitchen area to be dedicated to dishwashing will be replaced by a general requirement to provide an appropriate dishwashing section without prescribing its size.The regulations also eliminate the requirement that all food service employees wear light-colored clothing and that kitchen staff wear white aprons. Mandatory signage next to waste containers will no longer be required, nor will businesses be obligated to maintain a supply of ice cubes for cooling drinking water. Pest control documentation may now be stored digitally, eliminating the need to keep printed copies on site.Internal spacing requirements have also been revised. The rule requiring service counters to be located at least 1.5 meters from the entrance has been abolished, while the required separation from grilling, cooking and baking areas has been reduced from 2.5 meters to 2 meters. Equipment, shelving and supplies may also be placed closer to floors and walls, provided adequate cleaning and ventilation remain possible.Sanitation standards not expected to be compromised despite changesAccording to the Health Ministry, the easing of these requirements is not expected to compromise sanitation standards, since food safety depends primarily on proper work procedures, maintaining the required separation between raw and ready-to-eat food, cleanliness, refrigeration and employee training.Businesses handling and cooking raw food will still be required to maintain appropriate separation between work areas, but establishments that do not carry out such activities will no longer be required to create unnecessary separate sections.In the initial stage, the ministry's inspection system will remain unchanged, although inspectors will place less emphasis on construction elements that are not directly related to public health risks.The ministry stressed that enforcement against businesses endangering public health will remain stringent and effective, and that no concessions will be made on food safety.The reform represents the first stage in shifting from a regulatory framework focused on the physical structure of businesses to one based on risk management. In the future, the Health Ministry plans to place greater emphasis on the professional knowledge and training of food handlers, tailor oversight programs to individual businesses, digitize inspection processes, and introduce greater public transparency.Follow us on Google