Street Vending in History

Street vending is a form of retail that dates back to ancient times, when traveling merchants sold their wares by going door-to-door or traveling across countries. The earliest evidence of street food dates back around 10,000 years, and ancient Greeks described the Egyptian custom of selling fried fish on the streets. Street food was also widely consumed by poor urban residents of ancient Rome who didn’t have ovens or hearths in their homes. In ancient China, wealthy residents would send servants to buy street food for them to eat at home.