Oh this is hilarious! On a serious note, I am wondering about the origins of this phenomenon. I'm guessing:

- cupidity leads to stupidity - subdividing pre-existing well-designed spaces,

- "design" by landlords or in general people who have no interest in cooking,

- designed for people who haven't cooked and are not going to cook and so can't imagine the lack of flow,

- driven by the desire of renters for ever larger appliances which will rarely be used,

- driven by the need for counter space to store that espresso machine, french press, cold brew thingy and a Juicero, and oh, a toaster for making avocado toast!

As for "bathtub in the kitchen" mentioned by a respondent, that is not unreasonable, a 100 years ago before heaters that is where the hot water was, and people only bathed once a week, whether they needed it or not ;-). But now, is it for people who don't bathe or people who don't cook?