The kitchen is the rule that trips up almost every new player. Once it clicks, it changes how you play.
Video: Rules to Remember at the Pickleball Kitchen, with USA Pickleball referee Maddie Toren (YouTube)
What is the kitchen?
The kitchen is the non-volley zone: the area 7 feet (about 2.1m) from the net on each side, including its lines.
The rule
You can't volley (hit the ball in the air) while you're in the kitchen or touching its line.
That's it. You can stand in the kitchen any time, and you can step in to hit a ball that has bounced.
| Situation | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Standing in the kitchen | Yes |
| Hitting a ball that bounced in the kitchen | Yes |
| Volleying with a foot on the kitchen line | No |
| Volleying outside, then momentum carries you in | No |
Common kitchen faults
- Momentum: you volley outside the kitchen, then your momentum carries you in. That's still a fault.
- Touching the line: even a toe on the kitchen line while volleying counts.
- Something you're wearing or holding: if your paddle or hat falls into the kitchen as part of a volley, it's a fault.
Why the kitchen matters
The kitchen stops players camping at the net and smashing everything. It's why pickleball rewards touch and placement, not just power, and why soft shots like the dink are so important.
Tips
- Stand with your toes just behind the kitchen line.
- After a volley near the line, pause and get balanced before moving.
- If the ball bounces in the kitchen, step in, play it and step back out.
Quick answers
Can you go in the kitchen in pickleball?
Yes. You just can't volley from it.
Why is it called the kitchen?
No one knows for sure, but the name stuck. The official term is the non-volley zone.
