Locale

Locale Classification

The locale field is a meta-classification that provides a standardized, high-level categorization of the reporting location. This classification is derived from multiple data points including place types, feature tags, and business categorizations, providing a simplified yet comprehensive way to understand the type of establishment involved.

Available Locale Types

Food Service

  • Restaurant - Traditional sit-down or quick-service restaurants

  • Food Truck - Mobile food vendors and food trucks

  • Cafe - Coffee shops and casual dining establishments

  • Bakery - Specialized bread and pastry establishments

  • Bar - Drinking establishments and pubs

Retail & Shopping

  • Grocery - Supermarkets and grocery stores

  • Convenience - Convenience stores and mini-marts

  • Department Store - Large retail establishments

  • Pharmacy - Drug stores and pharmacies

  • Furniture Store - Furniture and home goods retailers

  • Gas Station - Service stations and associated convenience stores

Transportation & Travel

  • Airport - Air transportation facilities

  • Airline-Inflight - Food service during flights

  • Transit Station - Bus stations, train stations, and other transit hubs

  • Cruise - Cruise ships and associated facilities

Education & Healthcare

  • School-University - Educational institutions, including colleges

  • Hospital - Medical facilities and healthcare centers

  • Nursing Home - Long-term care and assisted living facilities

Entertainment & Leisure

  • Theater - Movie theaters and entertainment venues

  • Stadium - Sports venues and large event spaces

  • Casino - Gaming establishments

  • Amusement - Theme parks and entertainment centers

  • Tourist Attraction - Points of interest and tourist destinations

Service & Delivery

  • Meal Delivery - Food delivery services

  • Lodging - Hotels and accommodation services

Classification Logic

The locale type is determined through a hierarchical analysis of:

  1. Feature tags (fetags) - Specific business identifiers

  2. Place types (place_types) - Google Places API classifications

  3. Business categorization buckets (bucket01, bucket02) - Internal business classifications

This provides a consistent way to group similar establishments while maintaining specificity where needed. For example, a university cafeteria and a public school would both be classified as "School-University", while a restaurant in an airport would be classified based on its primary function as "Restaurant".

Usage Notes

  • A single establishment can only have one locale classification

  • Classification follows a precedence order (e.g., feature tags take priority over place types)

  • The classification system is designed to be mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive

  • New locale types may be added as needed to accommodate emerging business models

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