CHAPTER 1 From Hot Dog Wagons to Bustaurants Today, a new generation of street food lovers are lining up at food trucks and food carts like never before. Little do they know that neither food trucks nor food carts are new to the streets of American cities. Like so many other popular trends, they are the latest version of a long-standing part of American and world culture. Yet the street food industry has never enjoyed so much publicity or notoriety. It is boom- ing—to the delight of some foodies and the chagrin of others, especially those who own restaurants that are not witnessing the same long lines as their mobile counterparts. But before taking a look at this burgeoning industry and giving you the low- down on how to get started, here’s a brief lesson in mobile food history. After all,
…show more content…
The History of Mobile Food
The concept of mobile food actually began centuries ago when carts brought food to armies at war in Europe and other parts of the world. Farmers also used carts to bring their foods to nearby towns, often stopping to sell goods along the way. In the United States in cities such as New York, immigrants who landed at
Ellis Island took jobs selling food from carts. In fact, street food vendors as far back as the 17th century helped New York City’s rapid growth, because foods were readily available to merchants, business owners, and inhabitants of the
The History of Mobile Food
The concept of mobile food actually began centuries ago when carts brought food to armies at war in Europe and other parts of the world. Farmers also used carts to bring their foods to nearby towns, often stopping to sell goods along the way. In the United States in cities such as New York, immigrants who landed at
Ellis Island took jobs selling food from carts. In fact, street food vendors as far back as the 17th century helped New York City’s rapid growth, because foods were readily available to merchants, business owners, and inhabitants of the