Snacking through the Big Apple: Food carts in NYC - Street Food
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- Snacking through the Big Apple: Food carts in NYC - Street Food
Exploring the cultural diversity exemplified throughout the vibrant street food scene in New York City.
Known as the Big Apple, New York City is home to about nine million people [≈ population of Honduras, nation] and hosts an additional 40 million visitors every year, which makes for a lot of stomachs to feed.
Quick snacks, above all the hot dog, are as synonymous with New York as yellow cabs and skyscrapers and reflect the city's eclectic ethnic mix.
Yet few people realise that many of the city's thousands of street vendors - including Brooklyn's famed 'Falafel King' - face a daily struggle that belies the city's wealthy and glamourous image.
As the first signs of Manhattan's morning hustle and bustle surface, the city's street vendors have already been at work for many hours. Storage garages are busy with the sound of these business owners cleaning and gleaming, stocking and getting things in order for their long days ahead.
Although there are many vendors native to NYC, there is a significant number of immigrant owners - many of whom have run their businesses for decades.
Their food carts symbolise a lot more than a quick and convenient snack for the hundreds of thousands that pound the pavements of the city. They are a chance to live life on their own terms, often after escaping political turmoil or significant economic instability in their homelands.
But the challenge is far from ideal. Obstacles to a successful business range from finding the perfect selling spot - in spite of an unspoken brotherhood between the vendors that can and has led to rivalries - and adhering to legislation surrounding health and safety, to liquidity and endless working hours.
On the other side of the river, street vendors in Brooklyn and Queens face an even tougher uphill battle. Catering to a rougher demographic, and often without the means - both financial and otherwise - food cart owners, many of whom are new to the US, tend to find themselves operating illegally and, at times, even dangerously.
Follow this episode of Street Food to get a glimpse into the good, the bad and the delicious of New York's vendors.
Editor's note: This film was first broadcast on Al Jazeera English in 2008.
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As a native New Yorker the street carts are part of fabric that makes the city great. The smells (chestnuts during Christmas), the flavors (lamb over rice) and the opportunity for immigrants to start their lives. The city takes advantage of everyone but especially steer vendors. $1000 tickets are outrages. Tickets for being 9 feet instead of 10 feet from the curb is abuse. This is a money grab of pure profit for the city.
Churchill Coins
Abusing the lower class, hard working people. It's a terrible abuse.
@@dublinsfaircity bland?!?! Tf u good?
As also a native this is shouldn’t be surprising
I know im randomly asking but does anybody know of a way to get back into an instagram account..?
I stupidly lost the account password. I appreciate any tips you can offer me.
@Asher Aidan Instablaster =)
Owner guy: "this is the hardest job in the city"
Worker guy: "this is easy work"
Lol.
YES!!! I thought the same thing! Have a great day,my friend. Big balls.
* ½ lb. burger dusted with housemaded southwestern spice rub, fresh jalapeños, lettuce, pepper jack cheese, housemade salsa, chipotle mayo, & pickles
@@whyruscared3993 + two fried big balls.
I think he meant work that's easy to find. His English wasn't the best.
Try working from the ground up :)
Wow, a lawyer that cares for others, that's fantastic. Thought I'd find Bigfoot first.
What a naive statement 🙈😂
Lawyer doesn’t care. He cares for money made from solving the issue
Obama's a lawyer
Yeah he's getting paid. He just found a niche that no other lawyer was exploiting. When he's doing everything probono then he cares.
As a Scandinavian, the street food vendors are the most attracting thing about New York. It’s culture, people and affordable delicious food created by hardworking people for the average person or tourist. It’s awesome, but they really should get the affirmations they deserve from the city itself.
That guy Farez is going places. I'd watch a food network show just for that guy's energy
I used to know a few guys that do this. It's a very hard job and many of them owe $100K+ in fines. They don't keep all of the money, instead it is split between the owner and the operator of the cart. The permits can be really expensive and could go hundreds of thousands of dollars. I was told the spots in front of the Museum of Natural history are close to a million dollars.
The hotdog guy.. what a proud father he must be to have his kids attend Ivy league schools.
i thought this was going to be about checking out different food carts actually eating food and maybe pointing out some hidden gems... it was not.
I thought the same thing. But it was still an interesting report.
no joke, I read "Snacking through the Big Apple" and figured the same, now I'm 15 mins in
dannycrankovich your comment is so conflicting. You sound like you appreciate different foods, but you don't respect the cultures that are responsible for them.
You are forgetting one thing it's al Jazeera . Only crying for Islam
I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THE VLOGS AND STORIES OF THE NEW YORK VENDORS...I'M IN FOOD MYSELF,SO YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW ADDICTIVE THE STORIES ARE...LOVE AND BEST WISHES TO ALL MY HARD WORKING SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN THE BIG APPLE...MAY ALL YOUR FAMILIES DREAMS COME TRUE...LOVE AND RESPECT ALWAYS FROM DUBLIN IRELAND...
Back in the day these guys would make $100K easy on a hot dog cart and owned them. These days only a few guys own all the carts and then hire people to work them.
Hotdogs are aged in vintage water. Splendid!
I love street food
Bravo the lawyer who cares about the others
Your documentary was very well informed. As a foodie I never knew what those guys and girl go through. Well done!
Thanks dearest. The weak and ambitious do need advocates like you to represent us to the world. The rich and powerful are deliberately and repeatedly seeking to deny us our God given rights to a honest and decent livelihood in our own cities. They want it all for themselves driven by selfishness and greed.
"Because this is New York and if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere" So cheesy.
mobspeak its cheesy but it's true
yeap the way she says it tho. so cringy
Maybe years ago. Now people can't even afford rent unless you get roommates and live in a shoebox that cost $2500
mobspeak They have tons of customers. They cry for everything.
+mobspeak, it's true. But you'd have to live in NYC to really understand.
Restaurants are Just not happy that vendors on streets are selling food that tastes better and its cheaper! They are losing business to vendors haha.
It also could be they have to pay a lot more , they have to get licenses, pay rent or property tax, utilities , they usually have more on the menu so they have to have more food they have to buy. And because of that they can’t be as cheap as street venders. But that’s how the market works
I can assure you that these street vendors make more than 14k-20k but let me tell you this is a *tough* job
As a street vendor I support the rights and dreams of all my kindred spirits
City officials always look shady af. Just a money grab by the city
When I think of New York, one of the this I think about is street food venders they are a important part of what makes New York , New New York.
Shout out to King Falafel . Big GreenTruck
Most jobs are tough in one way or another. I had an office job and had to sit for 9.5 hours every day which compromised my health. And I didn't make enough money to send anyone to college. Got blamed for things I never do. Saw coworkers get fired for things they couldn't control since the execs needed someone to blame. When I lived in NYC, my friends and I would eat our way down Manhattan almost every weekend, and back then there wasn't as wide a variety of food. I miss that a lot, it's a "trademark" of NYC. Except for ice cream trucks, I don't think there were many street carts in Chicago when I was growing up. Los Angeles had local carts of taquitos only in the neighborhoods the vendor lived. Now there are trucks but in my city (none of the above) the trucks are only in very specific places so for me I'd have to travel just to get to a truck. Oddly, I watched a travel vid of a UA-camr who said to avoid the street food or you'll get sick. Yeah, and you'll miss some of the delicious parts of NYC. Had there never been street carts, I might not have ever tried a falafel or knish or whatever and my life would have a big hole in it. Trying food carts force you to try new things you can't get at home. I LOVE them all.
This film was first broadcast on Al Jazeera English in 2008.
Iced out Ali no wonder it looked a little dated
King falafel is awesome, guys working there always have a great attitude and funny, foods super tasty too. Nothing better then a schwarma gyro at 2am.
Best food yet
is this really made in 2016? looks like it was made 10years ago with the quality of it.
It was post in 2016 but the actual date was back in 2008. Just read in description.
Bravo to these vendors
This report reminds me of "Don't mess with the Zohan" 🙈😂
I wish our immigrants in Germany would start to show their food skills here. All we have is Döner. I guess german welfare is just too comfortable.
lol , there is more than Döner , Pizza , Curry Wurst , and if you are so smart why dont you start your own business idea ? you dont need to be a immigrant .
This was a really moving piece. And it made me hungy.
17:17 looks good also "The Halal Guys" were great when we went.
I wish there were food carts in Paris as well!
I saw another documentary from 15 years ago where a famous street vendor closed for a short period due to the tickets. He was an old man. His goal was to support his family nothing else. Luckily he persevered and was on Food Network. These carts are a fabric of NY
Was a very well done and interesting film. ! I learned so much,, thank you..
The muslim guy in the mosque !
Shaking the womens hand made me respect you so much !! 👏👏👏 need to have more respectful men like you !!
After shaking her hand his woodoo is gong
He's from Indonesia @hannah ziad
I was born and raised in NYC. My mother would never eat off a street vendor. I on the other hand have always loved them. A hotdog from the vendors at Grand Central or Port Authority is always the first thing I do...until I get to go to Grey's Papaya!
I must be your mom.
Hi son.
the amount he owes is the amount of a 4 year term in collage
I know how to make different food with very good flavor with different spices can I sell those on carts ?
These guys are the salt of the earth.
I live in NYC this is easy money a hot dog in Manhattan cost 3-5$ depending on your location. But in other boroughs cost $1 for the same thing.
This is not true. I go to school in the city, and hotdogs everywhere cost 1 dollar. 1.50 at max.
Holly Molly, a street permit to be outside of MOMA cost 300 K for 3 years? That’s an obscene amount of money and shame on the city. That’s just a permit to work at that location, your cart still have to be gone overnight.
Excellent doccumentary
19:00 wipes nose with the back of his glove,
Yea nasty thats why i dont eat out. Some chefs even taste the food and put the spoon back in food tell me that aint a biohazard.
just charge some more tourists 20$ for a hot dog. haha
My main question is WHEN THE FOOD HISTORIAN GUY IS GOING TO FINALLY EAT THE HOT DOG INSTEAD OF TALKING lol?!?!!
Such a wonderful video
People want to sell food to earn a living Is a huge problem .
People want to sell gun no problem.
PRETTY PRESENTER.
When i think of Cali.California i think about street tacos and Asian food.Street tacos over any street food out there.Saludos amigos 🇲🇽
Cool Show Documentary TV.
i would like to support every street vendor
just need the support of the society so this create a new law that allows the street vendor to continue on their jobs with their passion alongs with it
The ending was so cringy
ha agreed
Hillary Clump would you eat that food
lmao i literally was like wtf when she started her little speech and came to the comment section to make sure i wasnt creeped out lol
i thought it was spot on
exactly!...I Just said why did yall end it like that...?
wow - so many vendors and every one wants to open his stool - its crazy competition
Wait till they over crowd the side walks and pedestrian starts walking on the streets ...the vendors can be a powerful organization when the time comes
Sean Basinski, you are awesome.
High stakes.
all the best to all from the bottom of my heart.
lol al jazeera brings religion even in food
Justin Watson what does racism have to do with religion?
the us brings religion, war and the flag into sports.
obviously you have never seen sport from the US
Mato: agree with you, but ask the nutzis and their Islamic minions.
Eh OK lmao you've never heard the anthem?
Wow
That’s not why the police aren’t going around just to harass them. They are holding business owners accountable just like the restaurants are. Clean street vendors only.
Welcome, all, and your food is delicious !
Should have food carts in Sydney.
God bless 🇺🇸
Mr ali is straight out of godfather
You work in New York then there is no such thing as a Non-Stressful job no matter what that job maybe in the greatest city in the world!
Food vendors make alot of money...Don't believe what they say when they tell you they don't...
True
Jack Val They are in the business because it makes money. They lie and are greedy.
So, its basically when i buy a $10 hot dog with drinks from a street vendor, the vendor gets like $2 in profits, and the rest goes to the city as license and taxes???
@@i_fuk_religion Bro they aint paying no taxes, its cash only business. dude @ 2:40 3 kids thru college
Butch Erjumahm
That’s pretty crude. Mom comments should be ‘off limits’.🤔🤔🤔
Will they accept contactless and mobile payments? I start enjoying the benefits since 2018.
i hope the lawyer in this video will really help the street vendor to get legalize to keep on going
is not hard to get legal as long as no one complain about it they will be safe and sound
Great work all around. Property is next. The vendors should buy a building to all work. The competition will be intense but friendly. Almost union, but more a trust. Then it's capital
Why the guy was holding a hotdog in the whole interview on the Brooklyn bridge? Distracting !!
Don't buy street food, I lived in NYC my whole life and if you see what I've have seen these street vendors do you would never buy street food again.
Trolly Polly what did you see?
I can understand regulations but some of the regulations are just crazy. And the fines are nuts
'Center of the world' LOL
Nice video
NYC street food vendors: (Don’t follow the laws set for selling food on streets)
NYPD: (Issue tickets to vendors)
Food vendors: Pikachu face
Approved for 100k.
What is Dennis Reynolds doing on your thumbnail?
Why don't they just follow the rules so that they don't rack up fines? They play the way they want and complain that they got fined?
exactly. we have rules to follow, laws to obey. these people always cry about "discrimination". if you don't like to adhere to it then go back wherever you came from. these sanitation laws are for the well being of the customers. pretty sure if they had it their way like where they came from every streets of new york would be a mess.
Its the people in the high rises that nit pick about 9ft instead of 10ft etc.
Ariel - If 1 foot is no big deal just be 11 feet from the crosswalk. I highly doubt these people are being ticketed on the first offence.
stfu
gotta spend money for those lobbyist if not. Those rules will always be against you. Such noobs they are don't they know America law/rules are controlled by the lobbyist. tsk tsk tsk.
300'000.00 a year for 3 years wtf
You have to watch with some of these street food vendors cause some aren't that clean, I just watched a ABC news video where a Vendor had wiped he's nose on a dirty rag and then wiped down the food prep area with and then afterwards was caught wiping somebody's food with that same dirty snotty rag and handing it to them.
how do you get a ticket if you are following the by-laws?
If you have to sit down to eat, then a restaurant is going to cost a lot. My wife and I would probably find a Deli that has indoor seating, and at that we would end up spending 25.00 and a 4.00 tip for each of us,!!! there goes a 40.00 bill. Now were going to want to eat about 6 or 7 hours later, now another 40.00 or 50.00 dollar bill, so with maybe a snack or beverage we'll need over 100.00 a day, you gotta tip everybody, we will probably leave after 2 days and what can you do in 2 days.?? We will be totally stressed out, and worn out. We'll stay home and watch You Tube and Go to New York in our dreams.
pahrahinc you can find good sit downs for 50 dollars for 2
So, to summarize: vendors don’t like regulations, rules, and competition. Imagine that.
Schwartz looks like he must stop eating street food ASAP and focus on mineral water, sophisticated salads and fruits... After watching him i found my phone greasy and sticky.
Ad ta tatum temporis in countries like Pakistan India Thailand ect there’s no thing called “permits” for selling food nor is there a food inspector you may not even know what that vendor sells but what they sell is something you can never taste at a fancy restaurant and it’s made with something called “passion and effort
When was this shot? Looks like the mid 2000s
I think she is so beautiful her dreamy eyes
Arthur Schwartz needs no lay off the hot dogs before he can't walk at such a young age.
Every time I got to NYC I eat Halal street food
when did this come out it does not look like 2016
Got lost ended up here thought oh sweet get to see some food nope.
i am trying to help the street vendor and i know how to do it trust the power of united society
Does it cost extra for the weiners covered in flies during the summer?
And the watery rice and the lamb which is actually chicken
No bacon🥓😋
Oh hey I live in New York
Make the licenses more widely available
east coast best coast
This isn't about street food is propaganda for the poor poor middle eastern people and how badly they are treated!! PLEASE!!
Expected to live up to NYC food safety standards =/= being treated unfairly, either.
These ppl are struggling
No matter how many times I read that sentence it still does not make sense.
imam Shamsi Ali - New York Mosque is from Indonesia (my country).....He is very good person
Ah, dirty water hot dogs are by far, the Best.BUT, they do have different prices, depending on Where In the city you are. More expensive on the East side. Cheaper downtown or on the West side. And shish ke bob on a stick near Wall St.? To die for-about $5(after 12pm, else you get yesterdays leftovers).