The History of Street Food In the United States

jr81568
Jul 4
3 min read

Street Food Cooking on Grill Animation Source Giphy

What is street food? It is food prepared by street cart vendors, food trucks, and concession stands. Mobile vehicles park on the street or a parking lot. Street food can be sandwiches, tacos, pizza, barbecued meats, chicken, soup, salads, and more.

Street food represents a diverse menu of ethnic cooking: Italian, Chinese, Indian, Polish, German, Vietnamese, Japanese, Polish, Mexican, American and many others.. These foods are sold at stands, in food trucks, and pushcarts located in towns and cities in the United States. The food is served quickly, relatively inexpensive, and tastes delicious.

A Condensed History of Street Food

Hot Dog Cart Animation Source: Giphy

In 1871 in New York Charles Feltman sold hotdogs from a pushcart. He found hotdogs more popular than selling pies. Today NYC has more about 23,000 street vendors.

In 1894 food vendors sold sausages to major universities like Yale, Harvard, and Princeton. The US Army had mobile canteens in 1917 that fed the troops in various locations in the United States and overseas.

Oscar Mayer used a mobile food truck to promote and sell hotdogs to consumers. During the 1950's refrigerated food trucks started to sell ice cream and frozen treats. They often went to parks, beaches and stopped in local neighborhoods.

Oscar Meyer Food Truck Promoting Hotdogs Photo Source: Fooddiggity

As cities and towns grew larger in the US many businesses sold food from stands or pushcarts. Popular food items were hotdogs, sausages, pretzels, and tamales.

Coney Island NY helped developed the street food movement by having many vendors that served a variety of foods at stands. The served fried dough, sausage with onions, hotdogs, popcorn, and cotton candy at the concession stands.

In the 1920s food trucks served a variety of foods. Some of the types of food they sold were tacos, pizza, sandwiches, barbecue, Chinese, and snack foods. They provide a tasty meal during the Depression for families and workers at a reasonable price.

During World War II popular street food were barbecued meats, poultry and fried chicken. It lead to the development of fast food and chains like White Castle, Hardees, and McDonalds.

In 1960's there was a rise in fusion cuisine due to an increase in the number of food trucks. Even some restaurants had mobile food trucks to serve customers. A rise in international street food occurred in the United States,

Coney Island Boardwalk Where Street Food Flourished Photo Source: Global Geography

Popular Street Foods and In The US

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich Photo Source: Simple Wikipedia

Philadelphia is known for the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich. It is a sandwich with thin sliced beef with melted cheese and sometimes grilled onions on a crusty roll. Some vendors use rib eye steak in their sandwiches.

Hotdogs with Different Toppings: Animation Source Giphy

In Seattle the Seattle Hot Dog is a hot dog on a crispy bun with cream cheese and often crunchy caramelized onions. In Chicago, The Maxwell Street Polish Sandwich is sauteed Polish sausage with yellow mustard, pickled sports peppers, and grilled onions.

The Michigan Hot Dog is produced in New York and Quebec. It has a steamed roll, a hot dog topped with meaty sauce, chopped onions, and sometimes yellow mustard added.

Taco Animation Source: Giphy

Mission Style Tacos are popular in San Francisco with the Latin Community. The taco is made with beef, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese and salsa. Fried clams are a popular appetizer in New England. They are made with soft shell clams soaked in milk and deep fried in corn flour. They are often served with a tarter or cocktail sauce.

Loaded Baked Potato: Photo Source: Public Domain Pictures

In the state of Idaho baked potatoes became a street food. It was made with butter, salt, pepper, sour cream, chives, crumbled bacon, mild chiles, and tabasco sauce. In Maine a lobster roll is a popular item cooked in butter on a roll with a touch of mayonnaise.

Po Boy a popular sandwich in New Orleans will be served on a roll or

baguette with fried shrimp or roast beef, tomato, lettuce, pickles, and remoulade sauce. The sauce is made with mayonnaise, spicy mustard, hot sauce. and other ingredients.