Groundspeak Portal

I see a variety of restaurant types under Food & Drink, but conspicuous in its absence is the local snack bar. The one selling burgers, dogs, fries, deep fried whatever (clams, etc.). Maybe a local specialty or two, maybe hard/soft ice cream, maybe some recreation like a playground.

Thus, I propose adding a "Snack Bars" category, and would form a Group to manage it.

Comments?

Anyone willing to be an officer?

Matt

What is a snack bar? When I think of snack bars, I think of something in a high school or country club.

Depending how it is defined almost every large commercial office building has one thus I would say they are over prevalent.

I was thinking more of the freestanding roadside variety, such as this one in northern Vermont.  Here, you can eat inside (order at a counter), or order at the walkup window and eat in your car or sit at one of the picnic tables scattered around the property. This one has a small miniature golf course out back.

The french fries and burgers are fresh (not frozen), but just about everything else is breaded/frozen/deep fried, about the only vegetable they serve is cole slaw. If you're not there for the food, you're there for the ice cream, and will quite likely run into someone you know.

They could also be mobile, but "permanently" positioned for a season. There's one in a converted bus which has been stationed next to a park in Burlington for nearly fifty years.

In warmer climes, they might be open year round, but up here, they're seasonal.

I think in this case it is more of a regional name rather than really a specific type of place. Other places would have other names for a very similar place and a snack bar would means something entirely different than what you are thinking.

I'd call that a burger joint.

Yeah, we don't call that a "snack bar" here.

Locally a "Snack Bar" is found at an arena or movie theatre.  There are also "snack bars" at the beach or in a park, that offers many pop/soda and chips/candy, maybe a hot dog or popcorn at the most.

A counter operation only.

This reminds me of when I suggested "Chip Wagons" and nearly everyone had no idea what I was talking about LOL.

I think I'd need a more clear definition.

BQ

the blue quasar:

Yeah, we don't call that a "snack bar" here.

Locally a "Snack Bar" is found at an arena or movie theatre.  There are also "snack bars" at the beach or in a park, that offers many pop/soda and chips/candy, maybe a hot dog or popcorn at the most.

A counter operation only.

This reminds me of when I suggested "Chip Wagons" and nearly everyone had no idea what I was talking about LOL.

I think I'd need a more clear definition.

BQ

Isnt a chip wagon like a fish and chip van? Anyway back to the topic. What if it was a category for Indie burger places?

the blue quasar:

Yeah, we don't call that a "snack bar" here.

Locally a "Snack Bar" is found at an arena or movie theatre.  There are also "snack bars" at the beach or in a park, that offers many pop/soda and chips/candy, maybe a hot dog or popcorn at the most.

A counter operation only.

This reminds me of when I suggested "Chip Wagons" and nearly everyone had no idea what I was talking about LOL.

I think I'd need a more clear definition.

BQ

When the OP posted the photo, the first thing I thought of was the BQ "Chip Wagons"

saopaulo1:

I'd call that a burger joint.

OK, if "Snack Bar" is perceived as more of a regional term, I could go for something like  "Independent Burger Joints." This one does serve burgers, which is probably the most popular group of items on the menu.

Which brings me back to the original question: is anyone interested in setting up a Group and Category to cover this type of operation? Officers and mission statement needed, then a category definition.

These may help you with creating a category.  If I may be so bold, consider also naming it "Independent Hamburger Restaurants"

http://www.waymarking.com/cat/search.aspx?f=1&cst=7&kw=independent&gid=5

Or more specifically, this might be a good template to work from http://www.waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=f38314aa-8b83-4ad1-998e-d82901408cbb&gid=5 where all three officers are really cool.

BQ

the blue quasar:

Or more specifically, this might be a good template to work from http://www.waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=f38314aa-8b83-4ad1-998e-d82901408cbb&gid=5 where all three officers are really cool.

BQ

Which, I see, includes you.

Do I take that to mean you would be willing to participate in this new category?

M

Sure.  I see no conflict supporting Hamburgers when I'm already supporting Hot Dogs. (and Subway + Dairy Queen + A&W )... no wonder my doctor called me "borderling obese"

 

BQ 

I would distiguish between a hamburger place and a diner (since diners are already covered)

"Independent Hamburger Restaurants" works for me.

We need more members (one more officer) for the "Foodies" group before we can create a category, and we can get to work on a definition.

saopaulo1:

I would distiguish between a hamburger place and a diner (since diners are already covered)

I really see no difference between a diner and a hamburger place.

These could all go in the diner category.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see why these places can't already go into the Independent Diners category. There is nothing in their posting instructions that would exclude a snackbar, greasy spoon or whatever you want to call them. They just need to be independant. Look through the category and you will find many such places.

I would call this place a hamburger restaurant and not a diner.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slice/13627330/

saopaulo1:

I would call this place a hamburger restaurant and not a diner.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slice/13627330/

Call it what you may, that's fine. My point is if you go to the Independent Diner category and read the requirements for posting a waymark and then look through the accepted waymarks listed, there is no exclusion to what you would call a "hamburger restaurant" diner is just a word used in the category title. Now if the types of places you are referring to were turned down by the group officers because they are not considered to be "diners", then I could see the need for a separate category.

I fear that this is one of those categories that needs to be handled in another category such as the diner category. We are getting in my opinion into an area of over saturation of categories. In hind site ( I know it is 20\20) my opinion that the categories like Burger King, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Etc. should have been lumped into something like Fast Food Places. If we continue to parse like places into separate categories we are soon going to have thousands of closely related places in separate categories. My thought is that these soon become unmanageable. Just one man's opinion..I guess it all depends upon what  the goal is.. lots of categories or fewer quality categories and boy is that subjective call !!!!

sprinterman:

We are getting in my opinion into an area of over saturation of categories. In hind site ( I know it is 20\20) my opinion that the categories like Burger King, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Etc. should have been lumped into something like Fast Food Places. If we continue to parse like places into separate categories we are soon going to have thousands of closely related places in separate categories.

I disagree. To say that McDonalds and Taco Bell are a like because they're both fast food, is like saying New York Historical Markers and Texas Historical Markers are a like.If we had stuck everything together it'd be a giant hodgepodge category of anything fast food. Currently we have two crosses categories and a superlatives and a highest point category. All for dont hurt anyone and doesnt make the game any worse.

saopaulo1:

sprinterman:

We are getting in my opinion into an area of over saturation of categories. In hind site ( I know it is 20\20) my opinion that the categories like Burger King, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Etc. should have been lumped into something like Fast Food Places. If we continue to parse like places into separate categories we are soon going to have thousands of closely related places in separate categories.

I disagree. To say that McDonalds and Taco Bell are a like because they're both fast food, is like saying New York Historical Markers and Texas Historical Markers are a like.If we had stuck everything together it'd be a giant hodgepodge category of anything fast food. Currently we have two crosses categories and a superlatives and a highest point category. All for dont hurt anyone and doesnt make the game any worse.

 

Ditto the man from the land of Brazilian Beer Babes!

I can see restaurants that serve different and distinct types of food having their own category.  McDonalds and Taco Bell are different. But what is being debated here? The type of food served or what you would consider a diner vs a burger joint? That is harder to define, can anyone tell me the difference in the two? They typically have the same menus fries, burgers and yes some even serve tacos. Now a stand on the other hand, to me, has no indoor seating or at most has a covered area for outdoor seating. That would be a difference in design. But even at that I'm sure you can find places that call themselves stands that do have indoor seating. So why can't burger joints be placed under diners, what makes them deserving of their own category and so distinct as to not cause confusion between the two? 

saopaulo1:

I would distiguish between a hamburger place and a diner (since diners are already covered)

Yes, because when I went to post a near-legendary independent hamburger restaurant near me, there was no category.  I asked in the Independent Diners forum and it was suggested that it would be accepted....and it was.

Here it is: Kincaid's