Do you patronise roadside stalls?

Roadside stalls - will you patronise roadside stalls?
@whyaskq (7523)
Singapore
July 28, 2007 10:13am CST
Roadside stalls, I am referring to the hawkers putting up stalls on the road, or at the side of a road, cooking and selling food to passers-by or anyone who drops by. They are hawkers licensed to cook and sell food there while cars passed by. Most sell food already cooked before hand. Some cook on the spot. Many times when I walked past these hawkers, I hesitate to buy from them. The food look tempting but the prospect of being taken ill ruled my heart. At times, I do give in and throw in my cash for those deep fried "fast" food or dried goods. I do not eat food that need preparation before cooking. I know in some countries, roadside stalls are common sight and some are famous too. I too have eaten at such stalls. It's sort of when in Rome, eat what the Romans eat. That is the time when I will patronise roadside stalls provided it is clean by my standard. lol. It is just that I am not able to do same back in my home country. Friends, do you patronise these roadside stalls? If yes, What type of food will you normally go for? If not, why?
8 people like this
19 responses
@lightningMD (5931)
• United States
28 Jul 07
We often buy fresh veggies from road side stands. I usually dont buy other food though since I'm not sure how it was prepared.
@AmbiePam (84638)
• United States
28 Jul 07
Yeah, my mom and once bought watermelon and squash.
2 people like this
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
28 Jul 07
Hmmm... it's definitely safer to buy fresh and raw stuffs. We get to wash them and prepare them ourselves. Guess we still trust our own cooking :P
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
28 Jul 07
Oh yes...some of the best hotdogs in the world from these little roadside mobile stands! Also fresh fruits and vegetables are better than any you could buy in the store. Most that I have seen are clean and if they were not, I would definitly pass them by. I don't like koolaid or lemonade but I can't drive past a young person out there in the hot sun trying to earn a few cents. For these little ones, I always pay more than what they are asking. The smiles are worth it.
2 people like this
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
28 Jul 07
really? best hotdogs from roadside stalls. Frankly, I dare not trust the dogs :P As for young kids peddling drinks, I do agree that it is best to make them smile but are we not encouraging child abuse if we buy from them? I know of some adults who "abuse" the kids because they knew people tend to buy from kids. lol.
1 person likes this
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
28 Jul 07
Oh, I not saying they are being abused but some may be prone to abuse. These kids may be kind and helpful to help their family by selling lemonade. Some sell for self-survival. It is good to see these kids getting independent at such young age. Hence, people tend to buy from the young ones. Given a young kid and an adult selling the same item, more likely people will buy from the kid. This is where some mercenary parents and adults see the chance to take advantage. They see it as chance to make more money and may "forced" the kids to sell for them. I see it as an abuse, especially if the kids are working for someone else other than their parents. That's just my perception.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
28 Jul 07
I am not understanding how my stopping to buy lemanade from a child would be encouraging abuse. Please explain in more detail because if it does, I certainly would not want to be doing that.
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Jul 07
My mother lives near a lot of old order Mennonites who run fruit and vegetable stands along the side of the road. Sometimes they also sell flowers. Down here in Sedona Arizona, not far from where we are living, there is a man who sells homemade jerky. He's licenced by the health department, so his stuff is safe to buy.
1 person likes this
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
28 Jul 07
Erh.. A licensed hawker, sure it is safe to buy. The roadside stalls here I see, I am not sure if they are licensed. Thanks for reminding me. I don't seem to see them displaying any license. They put up stalls temporary for a stretch of 3 days to a week - part of some pasar malam activities organised by some community leaders.
• United States
28 Jul 07
When I lived in the city, there were a bunch of these around, I never went to the ones that cooked the food, I always did the fruit stands and would grab a fruit basket or some fruit for the office, I loved them, they would chop up my fruit and put it in a nice container. But like you, I was too scared, having a sensitive stomach as is, to tempt my taste buds to their cooking!
2 people like this
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
28 Jul 07
On the contrary, I do not buy fruits from roadside stalls. Not sure why, but it never occur to me to buy from them.
@AmbiePam (84638)
• United States
28 Jul 07
We really don't have too many of them around here. Growing up, I remember my mom and I going to one of them once. We were very happy with it, but we didn't go again. When we can find one around here, it never is in a convenient place.
2 people like this
• Singapore
28 Jul 07
It depends on the reputation of the country concerned. If it is a dirty place, then no. Otherwise, and especially if I see others also buying from the stall, I don't mind.
2 people like this
@pendragon (3350)
• United States
29 Jul 07
We don't really have the food hawkers here, but a lot of farm stands which have vegetables, fresh eggs and flowers.You can really plan a great romantic dinner just driving up route 63,lol. Mostly it's the honour system, where there's just a little box to levae the correct money in, no one stands there and supervises.
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
29 Jul 07
Years ago I would not think twice to stop at them and get something but now I am very weary of them as you do not know anymore if their stuff is fresh or if it is old Stuff so I will not use them anymore
1 person likes this
• India
29 Jul 07
yes.. i love roadside food.. and i till date have never been take ill.. and i speak from India...i just love chats, pav bhaji.. though my husband refuses to eat there
@Darkwing (21583)
29 Jul 07
We have some on the main road just down from where I live, near a factory estate. Lots of lorry drivers stop there, to buy burgers, all day breakfast, hot dogs, coffee or a cool drink. They have picnic tables and chairs outside the vans, and they park up on a grass verge beside the road. I think they're pretty clean and hygienic but I have never bought from them, because I'm usually on foot and not in need of food, but I wouldn't hesitate, was I hungry or thirsty. They cost far less than the fast food places and probably provide better food. Brightest Blessings.
1 person likes this
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
29 Jul 07
Hello bighead. How are you now? You should drop by my country and see for yourself what kind of roadside stalls we have here. I wouldn't recommend it to you albeit a LOT of people are buying. I once got afflicted with amoebiasis during my University days after eating one of those roadside "food." It was an unforgettable experience for me as I was practically down on my knees with the stomach pain and 3 days of non-stop vomiting. After that incident, I was real careful with the food I'm eating. And no, I won't dare buy any of it again. My health is more important. :)
@navtech (1773)
• India
29 Jul 07
Dear whyaskq, Generally I do not take my food from road side stalls. I eat food from the roadside stalls only when there is no alternative. Every day I take home made lunch to my office and eat it. Only fruits I purchase from the roadside stalls. I do not eat cut fruits. I can see lot of flies over the cut fruits.
@mymytri (2030)
• India
30 Jul 07
I love to eat at road side stalls in my place.You know i am very careful about my food,where i eat and what i eat.The stall i visit so often is really clean and upto my standard.I cant say all the stalls i see road side in my country are good and clean.It differs from one area to another and one stall to other.Also depends on the person who runs it.I love to have pav baji and pani puri here ,in my place.Even he prepares at road side..they taste really good for me,i feel even a cook from a great hotel cant prepare like him.I dont go for the stall which looks unclean and the person who prepares food doesnt follow personal hygine.Our health is important than tasting the food there friend.Well i have not visited Rome.Lol..i will have a try at road side when i visit....Smiles
1 person likes this
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
29 Jul 07
yes I would eat from roadside stalls if i can take the risk (i.e. not on an impt business trip or sth). if they are licensed to cook, then it's more likely that they are clean. In bangkok I've tried once or twice but not too often. fresh fruits are a definite no-no, but cooked foods that i see them cooking are ok. like soup noodles or something. i had steamboat at a roadside stall once and it was great!
@weemam (13372)
28 Jul 07
We don't have them here in Scotland there are some but the have to have a license and can ony stay in the one spot , the are actuall vans with a cut out drop down side if you know what I mean , I don't usually buy anything from them as I am never too long away from home to be in need of them . I like to know what I am eating just as you do , we never know if these places are clean or if they even wash their hands xx
1 person likes this
@weemam (13372)
28 Jul 07
We don't have them here in Scotland there are some but the have to have a license and can ony stay in the one spot , the are actuall vans with a cut out drop down side if you know what I mean , I don't usually buy anything from them as I am never too long away from home to be in need of them . I like to know what I am eating just as you do , we never know if these places are clean or if they even wash their hands xx
@weemam (13372)
28 Jul 07
Yes thats just what I meant pal , I alays wonder where they went to the toilet if its in the countyside and where or if they washed their hands , I like to know things are clean and fresh , mabe I am too fussy , take me as I am or not at all I always say lolxxx
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
28 Jul 07
You mean they sell food using a van, sort of a licensed mobile hawker? We used to have such in Singapore. Now, I don't think so it exist anymore. And yes, hygiene is always an important criteria. We need to be careful what goes into the mouth. lol.
@Lydia1901 (16351)
• United States
4 Aug 07
I do not really find anything wrong with them as long as it isn't posioned at all. Then I will eat it.
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
28 Jul 07
In Samoa I was very weary about buying food from the sidewalk or stalls on the road. There were certain ones I was told to keep away from and ones that were good to buy from. Usually it would be fruit like mangoes or bananas and on occasion island food, like taro in coconut cream and sorts.
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
28 Jul 07
Though I am not a frequenter , I like the food they serve up ..really fresh and hot .