are kiosks eligible?

Here in Europe, no matter if a kiosk is modern or survived "the test of time", its always a great place to start an exploration (if i am lost, sometimes i go to a kiosk since most of them are run by locals) and also they serve food or are 100% just bar/coffe shop.

But...

all my kiosks have been rejected, no matter if modern or with old arquitecture.

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Comments

  • LukeAllStars-INGLukeAllStars-ING Posts: 4,625 Ambassador

    The onliest criteria they might accept kiosks is the "local hotspot " one.

  • flatmatt-PGOflatmatt-PGO Posts: 2,137 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2021

    I don't see what criteria the types of kiosks you've described could meet. Your exploration arguments seems quite weak; you could go into any retail business and ask for directions or information as long as the employees live locally (which I would think is almost all of them).

    If the kiosk is historic or has unique architecture, you will need to demonstrate that by providing evidence with your submission. Simply being old does not make something historic/architecturally unique, however.

    A kiosk could fit in the exploration criteria under "unusual or unique local shops," but it would have to be truly notable, and again, that doesn't sound like what you're describing (and if that is the case, you would need to provide evidence). And unlike "popular restaurants/favorite coffee shops," kiosks by definition probably wouldn't be "a great place to be social with others" since you get your stuff and take it somewhere else.

  • NoelleXandria-PGONoelleXandria-PGO Posts: 50 ✭✭

    When I travel in Europe, kiosks are definitely more important than they are in the US. Ducking into a local shop to try to get info from a local would be pretty rude since there's you're likely presuming they speak a lot of English and that they have the time to give you a bunch of information. In the US, where we are so vehicle-dependent and most tourists speak English and Americans love to act superior and talk up the merits of the town stop sign when there's nothing else to talk about, visitor kiosks aren't a big deal. You usually need info that you'd get at a kiosk to find the kiosks.

    But in Europe, especially in areas that are very reliant on public mass transit and there's a good chance you're somewhere where people aren't going to speak your languages (there are so many official languages in Europe), kiosks are very important. You do come by them on foot as they're specifically set up in areas with a lot of foot traffic, especially tourist foot traffic, and all the kiosks I've been to have info in several languages, and have been invaluable. Those are also places where you're more likely to run into people who speak your language.

    Here's an example you won't likely ever find in the US: Last time I was in Paris (one year ago today, I was there...and I was pickpocketed...thief got my new iPhone, hundreds in cash, and my debit cards, all of them, and I was there with my child...), there were transit strikes. If I didn't know the area and the system as well as I do, I'd have been screwed, but I know the system well enough to know the work-arounds. Since it was my daughter's first trip there, I showed her kiosks, and at one, we encountered another mother and daughter from the US who were scared to **** since they didn't know their way around even without the schedules being jacked up. I could see the distress on their faces, so stopped to talk to them. They couldn't find anything else, but they were able to find a kiosk and get some information on the schedules, and hoped they'd find someone there who spoke some English to help. At least, what they were supposed to be. We had a bit of a chat, I directed them to a few websites with English versions since they didn't know enough French to use the French sites, and was able to help them figure out enough to get around. Without a kiosk as a meeting place, that wouldn't have happened.

    While a kiosk in the US is no big deal, in Europe, where things are very different, they are hugely important. I probably wouldn't know that if hadn't traveled as much as I do...did, pre-world-lockdowns. It's a cultural difference that needs to be acknowledged, especially since it can actually be a safety issue as well. That mother and daughter couldn't find their hotel. The bus they needed wasn't running. It could have been very bad for them. But being at a kiosk helped.

  • WheelTrekker-INGWheelTrekker-ING Posts: 3,387 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I really don't know what type of kiosks you're talking about. It seems that you talk about some shops, so it would be better if you show us your full nomination to provide you better advice.

  • flatmatt-PGOflatmatt-PGO Posts: 2,137 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yes, "kiosk" isn't very specific. From what was described, it sounded like a newspaper stand or a food vendor. If it's a dedicated tourist information stand, that could be different.

  • TheFarix-PGOTheFarix-PGO Posts: 5,063 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Most kiosks I've seen are nothing more then glorified vending machines, so they wouldn't be eligible.

  • Uvecheri-PGOUvecheri-PGO Posts: 3 ✭✭

    A kiosk, at least in my country are: an open summerhouse or pavilion, as listed in the Merriam Webster dictionary. So at least when you say kiosk here, that's what you mean. So, maybe that's what you mean?


  • sogNinjaman-INGsogNinjaman-ING Posts: 3,313 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Now, if I were looking at this I would call it a Bandstand, or possibly a Gazebo at a push. A Kiosk is a small stall or hut selling newspapers, sweets and cigarettes. The joys of Google Translate and local useage.

  • In norway a "kiosk" is a place that sells food, both homemade and typical fast food, newspapers, ice-cream, milkshakes, coffe, soda, candy, and often have package claim. F.eks "Mix" is a chain of kiosk's here, they have local food, but also a lot of typical hot dogs and burgers, and of course secret recepies for the dressing. Almost everyone of them have seating for their customers, some both inside and outside. A lot of our teens meet there, buy some ice-cream or a shake and sit after school. In a kiosk you can sit whitout everyone buing something, if one has used money, they are all good. In a café everone must buy something, so kiosk is more popular for studens.

    A lot of kiosks here would meet the criteria in my opinion.

  • 0X00FF00-ING0X00FF00-ING Posts: 769 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'd say that this is a case of "language doesn't always mean what language normally means".

    From the dictionary definitions, a kiosk is a generally gazebo-like structure. But some of those are vastly more eligible than others.

    For example, that giant structure posted by @Uvecheri-PGO above? That would absolutely qualify under all the same things as any other gazebo-like structure, as a place to gather and hold events and such.

    But a small self-contained shack as one finds in a mall? While "generic business" is (thankfully) no longer a rejection reason, any such businesses STILL have to qualify under the rest of the guidelines. And nope, a little hut selling sunglasses or phone cases is almost certainly a rejection.

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