From Garden Pavilions to Touchscreens: The Surprising History of Kiosks

 

The History and Origin of Kiosks

Many aspects of our lives changed—sometimes without us even realizing—during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the most significant shifts was the rise of contactless services.

Kiosks in Our Daily Lives

To reduce face-to-face interaction, many restaurants and cafes introduced machines that allowed customers to place their orders without speaking to a staff member. Some placed tablets at tables, while others installed kiosks near entrances or at one side of the store.

These kiosks didn’t just help prevent the spread of airborne illness. They also made tasks like staff management, cash handling, payments, and even accounting much easier.

Today’s kiosks are widely used to provide information or services without human assistance. In fact, even before the pandemic, kiosks had already been quietly integrated into our lives—the pandemic only accelerated their spread.

Let’s look at some examples. Fast food chains like McDonald’s and many other restaurants and cafes now use self-ordering kiosks. We also use unmanned ticket machines to buy train, subway, or movie tickets. At the airport, kiosks help passengers check in and choose seats.

In department stores, kiosks display maps and information to help customers find their way. ATMs—automated teller machines—are also a type of kiosk we use to withdraw money or update our bankbooks.

For business owners, kiosks reduce labor costs and offer 24/7 service. But there’s a downside too—wider kiosk use can lead to fewer job opportunities.

The Word “Kiosk” and Its Origins

When we think about a kiosk, a few things come to mind: it stands like a column, it’s smaller than a building, and it offers some kind of service. So where did this concept come from?

Etymology

The word “kiosk” comes from the Turkish word köşk, which in turn comes from the Persian kūshk, meaning a pavilion. Originally, it referred to small pavilions or garden structures found in Turkish parks or gardens. The concept reached Europe in the late 18th century, and by the 19th century, the word “kiosk” was used to describe small shops selling newspapers, cigarettes, or drinks.

Kiosks in Europe

By the 19th century, cities like Paris and London were filled with various types of kiosks: newspaper stands, ticket booths for shows, and multipurpose snack kiosks. These structures weren’t just for selling things—they also served as places where people exchanged news and socialized.

Paris Kosk(Jean Beraud),Public Domain

In the early 20th century, some kiosks even included public restrooms, as part of efforts to improve urban hygiene. Some of these kiosks were so artistically designed that they’re now preserved as historical architecture.

Copenhagen coffee kiosk. Image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Victorian Street Toilet, Vyse Street, Birmingham. Image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Kiosks in Korea

In that sense, the small booths commonly found at bus stops throughout Korea can also be considered kiosks. These compact structures often sell snacks, drinks, and lottery tickets, and many also offer convenient services like recharging T-money cards—Korea’s rechargeable public transportation card. Though simple in appearance, they are a familiar and useful part of everyday urban life in Korea.

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📌 Pavilion: A temporary or movable structure, often used for exhibitions or shelter. The word comes from the Latin papilio, meaning butterfly, likely referring to the light, open structure of its design.

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