[OSM-talk] What is amenity=food_outlets in map features?

[Greg Troxel]

  Someone added amenity=food_outlets to the map features and even after 
  reading the comment "An area with several food outlets" I'm quite unsure 
  what this could be.

  Is this a collection of several amenity=fast_food or a kind of 
  vending_machine or ...?

In the US we have a thing called "food court".  There is a central
common seating area, and around the edge there are places selling food,
typically fast food type.  Each has a counter that would almost join the
next one's counter - think of a mcdonald's where only the counter part
and behind of the restaurant exists.  There may also be some
kiosk/stands that are self-contained in the middle.  These are typically
places you don't want to go and don't want to buy food at, but are
convenient.  They are found in shopping malls, airports and some train
stations.

There are also areas in airports with multiple restaurants near each
other and individual seating.  To be a food court (in my view), there
has to be a shared seating area among the restaurtants, with the
restaurants not having seating.

From the US point of view I would tag the entire common area
'amenity=food_court', and tag some of the individual restaurants
'amenity=fast_food'.  Some of the places sell coffee and pastries and
are more properly amenity=cafe.  The public can't go in the individual
restaurants in a food court.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Union_station_dc_food_court.jpg

http://pdphoto.org/PictureDetail.php?pg=8061

http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/qoHkEmKspps3ZCwor3xLug?select=TNc3qREb5TJ_tr1AicIatg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/flaneur/409846061/in/set-72157594581857903/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_t_in_dc/2085996881/in/pool-canon-eos-450d
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