Quick Hits

🍔 Quick Hit: New Restaurants — The Grand Finale of Part IV

NEC Article 120 — “Load Calcs Won't Kill You” 🔌⚡

Episode 37 — 120.88 Optional Method for New Restaurants

🍽️ PART IV ENDS WITH A RESTAURANT

We've covered optional calculation methods for:

🏠 Single dwelling units

🏚️ Existing dwelling units

🏢 Multifamily buildings

🏘️ Two-unit buildings

🏫 Schools

📊 Existing installations using recorded demand

Now Article 120's Part IV optional methods reach their final stop:

120.88 — New Restaurants

And this one has an interesting split.

🏗️ WHO CAN USE 120.88?

Section 120.88 provides an optional method for a new restaurant where the feeder serves the entire restaurant load.

Instead of using the standard Part III calculation method, the applicable Table 120.88 method can be used.

But, as always with an optional method:

CHECK THE SCOPE FIRST.

Don't automatically apply the table to every restaurant installation.

⚡ THE RESTAURANT HOUSEKEEPING RULES

Using the optional restaurant method doesn't eliminate the other applicable NEC requirements.

🛡️ SERVICE CONDUCTORS

Service-conductor overload protection remains subject to the applicable requirements, including 230.90 and 240.4.

🔌 FEEDER CONDUCTORS

The feeder conductors don't have to be larger than the service conductors under the applicable rule.

⚪ NEUTRAL LOAD

The neutral calculation can still be determined under:

120.61

So the optional restaurant method changes the applicable load calculation method — it doesn't erase the rest of the electrical requirements.

🍳 TWO TYPES OF RESTAURANTS

This is the big feature of Table 120.88.

The table separates restaurants into two categories:

🔥 ALL-ELECTRIC RESTAURANT

The restaurant's applicable equipment is electrically supplied.

🍽️ NOT-ALL-ELECTRIC RESTAURANT

The restaurant has applicable loads that aren't entirely electric.

And the two categories don't receive the same demand factors.

📊 WHY THE SPLIT?

The table recognizes differences in how the restaurant's connected load is expected to operate.

That's why you can't simply memorize:

“Restaurants get X%.”

Instead, you first need to determine:

Which restaurant category applies?

Then:

Which connected-load range applies?

Then:

Which calculation from Table 120.88 applies?

🧮 TABLE 120.88 — THE FIRST TIER

For a total connected load of:

0–200 kVA

🔥 ALL-ELECTRIC

80%

🍽️ NOT-ALL-ELECTRIC

100%

That's a major difference.

At this first tier, an all-electric restaurant receives a demand factor while the not-all-electric restaurant is calculated at the full 100%.

📈 201–325 kVA

The next tier changes from a simple percentage into a formula.

🔥 ALL-ELECTRIC

10% of the amount over 200 kVA

+ 160.0 kVA

🍽️ NOT-ALL-ELECTRIC

50% of the amount over 200 kVA

+ 200.0 kVA

So once the connected load passes 200 kVA, you aren't simply multiplying the entire load by one percentage.

The calculation uses the amount above the threshold plus the applicable base value.

🧠 THE PATTERN

This is another example of an NEC calculation that uses tiers.

Think:

0–200 kVA

⬇️

Different factor depending on restaurant type

⬇️

201–325 kVA

⬇️

Percentage applied to the amount over 200 kVA

⬇️

Higher ranges

Additional Table 120.88 formulas apply.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: DON'T GUESS THE MISSING TABLE DATA

The source material available for this Quick Hit has a portion of Table 120.88's closing note cut off.

The text ends with an instruction to:

multiply the total connected load by [missing multiplier]

Because that multiplier isn't available in the source material, it should NOT be guessed.

That's exactly the kind of detail that can turn an otherwise useful code-study resource into bad information.

Until the complete table/note is available:

Use the verified portions only.

🧮 WORKED EXAMPLE

A not-all-electric restaurant has a total connected load of:

150 kVA

That's within the:

0–200 kVA

range.

For a not-all-electric restaurant, the applicable demand percentage is:

100%

Therefore:

150 kVA × 100% = 150 kVA

🎯 REVIEW QUESTION

Per Table 120.88, a not-all-electric restaurant has a total connected load of 150 kVA.

What demand percentage applies?

A) 80%

B) 100%

C) 50%

D) 10%

👇 Comment your answer!

✅ ANSWER

B) 100%

A not-all-electric restaurant with a total connected load in the 0–200 kVA range uses the 100% demand factor from the applicable portion of Table 120.88.

🧠 QUICK MEMORY CARD

120.88

🍔 NEW RESTAURANT

⬇️

🏗️ Feeder serves the whole load

⬇️

📊 Optional Table 120.88

⬇️

FIRST QUESTION:

All-electric or not-all-electric?

⬇️

THEN:

Determine the applicable connected-load tier.

⬇️

REMEMBER:

0–200 kVA

🔥 All-electric → 80%

🍽️ Not-all-electric → 100%

🏁 PART IV COMPLETE!

With 120.88, we've reached the end of the optional calculation methods covered in Part IV of this series.

PART IV RECAP

120.80 — Optional calculation methods introduced

120.82 — Single dwelling units

120.83 — Existing dwelling units

120.84 — Multifamily dwelling units

120.85 — Two dwelling units

120.86 — Schools

120.87 — Existing installations using recorded demand

120.88 — New restaurants

🌾 NEXT: PART V

Article 120 doesn't stop here.

We're now moving into:

PART V — FARM LOAD CALCULATIONS

The next section takes us into agricultural installations and introduces another set of specialized load-calculation rules.

From houses and restaurants...

to farms. 🌾⚡

🔗 KEEP LEARNING

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🧭 ARTICLE 120 NAVIGATION

← Episode 36 — Using REAL Data Instead of Math

→ Episode 38 — Part V: Farm Load Calculations

← Back to Article 120 Quick Hits

📚 ARTICLE 120 — PART IV

Episode 25: Welcome to Part IV — Optional Calculations

Episode 26: Who Even Gets to Use This Shortcut?

Episode 27: Bucket #1 — General Loads

Episode 28: Bucket #2 — Heating & AC (Part 1)

Episode 29: Bucket #2 — Heating & AC (Part 2)

Episode 30: Bucket #3 — EVSE + Putting It All Together

Episode 31: Existing Dwelling Units

Episode 32: Multifamily Buildings

Episode 33: Multifamily Demand Factor Table

Episode 34: Two-Unit Buildings

Episode 35: Schools

Episode 36: Existing Installations Using Recorded Demand

Episode 37: New Restaurants ← PART IV FINALE

🌾 ARTICLE 120 — PART V

Episode 38: Farm Load Calculations — Coming Next

⚠️ EDUCATIONAL NOTICE

This Quick Hit is an educational explanation based on the author's understanding of the NEC. It is not a substitute for the official NEC, applicable local amendments, manufacturer instructions, or the determination of the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).

Always verify the requirements applicable to your specific installation.

The National Electrical Code® and NEC® are registered trademarks of NFPA. JoshTheSparky.com is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by NFPA.