食物小販的興盛與缺乏餐飲選擇的城市空間

食物小販對於選擇擺攤的地點有著靈敏的直覺。好的地點帶來好生意，而一攤的好生意總會吸引更多的食物小販與消費者前來，形成攤販的聚集（甚至是街市）。然而這卻是多數的政府管理部門所不樂見的，他們會用街頭食物不衛生，或別的枝節細微的理由想辦法把食物小販趕走：制定許多的規範，使得在街頭擺攤賣吃的難以符合標準而有正當理由被認定非法；讓警察開攤販罰單或用大型機具強制驅離等等。然而，人民卻是永遠站在攤販的這一邊，公權力的反面。理由很簡單，食物小販提供了城市中重要可負擔、方便、戶外的餐飲選擇。食物小販在城市中的興盛正是因為「合法」商業空間規範難以納入不同型態、價位餐飲空間，以致於人民缺乏選擇。

Too Few Dining Options

Vendors have a good nose for spaces that work. If the business picks up in one spot, there will soon be a cluster of vendors there. This will draw more people, and yet more vendors. The ‘officials’ deplore all of this. Mostly they forbid selling foods because they are afraid of the dangers of unhealthy food and other little problems. So there are enough ordinances to make it illegal for vendors to sell food. The police give them fines or they arrive with trucks to haul the vendors away. The confrontations usually draw big crowds who are on the side of the vendors. However, they have a good reason. By the lack of food the vendors have become the caterers of the city outdoor life. They blossom because of the absence of regular commercial establishments.