Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Street Food Vendor Tells All, Sort Of
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published May 13, 2011
Modified May 13, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
photo from Flickr user photographynatalia
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published May 13, 2011
Modified May 13, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Have you ever wondered what really goes behind the scenes at your favorite shawarma cart? Well, MSNBC has you covered with a "confessional" interview with a vendor who asked to remain anonymous. But after reading through the not-so-candid Q & A, we're not so sure about some of his claims. Let's review:
- Since customers can "see and smell our whole operation," the carts are supposedly kept squeaky-clean: "We just suds them up and hose them down every night," Sikder says. But how can they wash the carts down when they're busy sleeping in them?
- Next, the cart man tackles the tricky topic of bathroom breaks with a relatively laid-back attitude: "Sometimes, if I couldn't wait any longer, I'd take the cash from the cart, run as fast as I could to the nearest restroom, and then run as fast as I could right back...only once did some crazy kids take off with my whole cart." If only the disgruntled mob of vendors who protested for their bathroom rights could be as easygoing!
- Finally, the vendor discusses his attitude toward customer service, saying "It's not my job to be right. It's my job to make [the customer] happy—and to make them come back. I need a steady line. Nobody trusts a cart without customers lined up," he explains, which might actually be true, although you always run the risk of being stabbed for trying to cut the line.
We know it's hard out there for a street vendor. So go on and vote for the Most Heroic Vendor at this year's Vendy Awards—who knows, you might even get a free hotdog out of it next time you hit the street.
Tagged
hard knock life
street food
street meat
street vendor
vendy awards
Jamie Feldmar
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .