I think we are limited here by both our limited knowledge of the site, and the limitations of the language!
Let me describe a pizzaria that I was recently at; that might help put things into perspective.
This pizzaria had a kitchen and customer-service counter in what you would say was the same 'room,' but clearly different areas. That is, the food work was performed a significant distance away from the cash register. In a sense, you could say that the 'counter' was where one wall would have been.
Branching off of this counter - where the counter ran into a wall - was another counter where they had the various condiments and soda fountain. There was also a salad bar at the extreme end.
The 'customer service' counter only saw food after it was placed in a box, or on a plate. It was the place where customers placed their orders and were separated from their money. Cash register, card reader, menus, and elbow room. Even though the other side of this counter was directly accessible to the kitchen, from a code perspective I don't see a requirement for GFCI protection of the receptacles.
As for the other counter - the one with the salad bar and soda fountain - I'd that was a food preparation area, and GFCI's were required. Had there only been a soda fountain ... maybe not a requirement, but certainly no problem. I have set up several soda fountains and ice machines on GFCI's, without problems.
The condiments? Again, look at the use. If it's just a rack of envelopes, no. If there's space for the customer to assemble their masterpiece, yes.
