Description
Street food vendors sell food preparations, dishes and products on organised outdoor or indoor market places, or on the streets. They prepare the food in their stalls. Street food vendors use sales techniques to recommend their products to passers-by.
Duties
The duties of a street food vendor include, but are not limited to:
- obtaining permission or a licence, where required, to sell food and drinks on the street or in a public place
- obtaining food and drinks for sale
- preparing, either beforehand or on the spot, food and drinks for sale
- loading and unloading, pushing, pedalling or carrying hand-cart, truck, tray or basket to bring food and drinks to the desired place in the street, or to public places such as stations or cinemas
- displaying and selling food and drinks and accepting payment.
Working conditions
Working outside, street food vendors and their goods may be exposed to strong sun, heavy rains and extreme heat or cold temperature. Unless they work in markets, most don’t have shelter or running water and toilets near their workplace. Inadequate access to clean water is a major concern of prepared food vendors.
Street food vendors face other routine occupational hazards. Many lift and haul heavy loads of goods to and from their point of sale. Market vendors are exposed to physical risk due to a lack of proper fire safety equipment, and street vendors are exposed to injury from the improper regulation of traffic in commercial areas.
Insufficient waste removal and sanitation services result in unhygienic market conditions and undermine vendors’ sales as well as their health, and that of their customers.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to street food vendor:
street food supplier
stall holder
street food business operator
street food caterer
purveyor of street food
street market food vendor
street food trader
street food seller
food stall holder
Minimum qualifications
Low barriers to entry (no formal educational credential required), limited start-up costs, and flexible hours are some of the factors that draw street food vendors to the occupation. Consequently, many street food vendors are self-employed, although they may also recruit other persons to help in the preparation of food.
In low-income countries, this role is very common among people who struggle to find a job in the formal economy. Competition among vendors for space in the streets and access to customers is strong in many cities.
ISCO skill level
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
- the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
- the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
- the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
Street food vendor is a Skill level 2 occupation.
Street food vendor career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to street food vendor.
market vendor
door to door seller
press and stationery specialised seller
meat and meat products specialised seller
medical goods specialised seller
Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of street food vendor. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of street food vendor with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
private chef
chef
pastry chef
head chef
sales account manager
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of street food vendor.
- Food legislation: Legislation related to the food and feed industry including food manufacturing, hygiene, safety, raw materials, additives, GMOs, labelling, environmental and trade regulations.
- Consumer protection: The current legislation applicable in relation to the rights of consumers in the marketplace.
- Value-added tax law: Taxes imposed on the purchase prices of goods and the legislation that governs this activity.
- Food storage: The proper conditions and methods to store food to keep it from spoiling, taking into account humidity, light, temperature and other environmental factors.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of street food vendor.
- Guarantee customer satisfaction: Handle customer expectations in a professional manner, anticipating and addressing their needs and desires. Provide flexible customer service to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Operate cash register: Register and handle cash transactions by using point of sale register.
- Arrange permit for market stall: Apply for permission at the local authorities to set up a stall on streets, squares and indoor market places.
- Operate cash point: Count the money; balance cash drawer at the end of the shift; receive payments and process payment information; use scanning equipment.
- Adapt to different weather conditions: Cope with regular exposure to extreme weather conditions and hazardous environments.
- Maintain work area cleanliness: Keep the working area and equipment clean and orderly.
- Assist customers: Provide support and advice to customers in making purchasing decisions by finding out their needs, selecting suitable service and products for them and politely answering questions about products and services.
- Execute chilling processes to food products: Carry out chilling, freezing and cooling operation processes to food products such as fruit and vegetables, fish, meat, catering food. Prepare food products for extended periods of storage or half prepared food. Ensure safety and nutrition qualities of frozen goods and preserve products in accordance with specified temperatures.
- Organise product display: Arrange goods in attractive and safe way. Set up a counter or other display area where demonstrations take place in order to attract the attention of prospective customers. Organise and maintain stands for merchandise display. Create and assemble sales spot and product displays for sales process.
- Process payments: Accept payments such as cash, credit cards and debit cards. Handle reimbursement in case of returns or administer vouchers and marketing instruments such as bonus cards or membership cards. Pay attention to safety and the protection of personal data.
- Use cooking techniques: Apply cooking techniques including grilling, frying, boiling, braising, poaching, baking or roasting.
Optional knowledge and skills
Optional knowledge
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of street food vendor. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Sales argumentation: Techniques and sales methods used in order to present a product or service to customers in a persuasive manner and to meet their expectations and needs.
- Manufacturing process of ice cream: Managing the manufacturing process of ice cream from the blending stage to cooling and blend flavours, freezing, and packaging.
- Beverage products: The offered beverage products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
- Ingredients for ice cream manufacturing: Ice cream manufacturing ingredients from a blend of dairy products such as cream, condensed milk, butterfat, as well as sugar, flavourings, eggs, legally approved additives, and non-dairy bases such as soy milk, rice milk or coconut milk.
- Ice cream manufacturing regulations: Ice-cream manufacturing regulations and standards to be followed for safety reasons.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of street food vendor. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Carry out products preparation: Assemble and prepare goods and demonstrate their functionalities to customers.
- Cook pastry products: Prepare pastry products such as tarts, pies or croissants, combining with other products if necessary.
- Unload supplies: Remove deliveries from a truck and move new supplies to workplace or storage area.
- Deliver a sales pitch: Prepare and deliver an understandably constructed sales talk for a product or a service, identifying and using persuasive argumentation.
- Cook seafood: Prepare seafood dishes. The complexity of the dishes will depend on the range of seafood used and how they are combined with other ingredients in their preparation and cooking.
- Prepare bakery products: Make bakery products such as bread and pasta by preparing dough, using proper techniques, recipes and equipment to achieve ready bakery items, combining with other products if necessary.
- Cook vegetable products: Prepare dishes based on vegetables in combination with other ingredients if necessary.
- Cook sauce products: Prepare all kinds of sauces (hot sauces, cold sauces, dressings), which are liquid or semi-liquid preparations that accompany a dish, adding flavour and moisture.
- Negotiate price: Arrange an agreement on price of products or services provided or offered.
- Clean kitchen equipment: Disinfect kitchen equipment, utensils and other facilities such as trolleys and hot cupboards.
- Prepare meat for sale: Prepare meat for sale or cooking which comprise the seasoning, larding, or marinating of the meat, but not the actual cooking.
- Carry out active selling: Deliver thoughts and ideas in impactful and influencing manner to persuade customers to become interested in new products and promotions. Persuade clients that a product or service will satisfy their needs.
- Cook fish: Prepare fish dishes. The complexity of the dishes will depend on the range of fish used and how they are combined with other ingredients in their preparation and cooking.
- Cook dairy products: Prepare eggs, cheese and other dairy products, combined with other products if necessary.
- Cook meat dishes: Prepare meat dishes, including poultry and game. The complexity of the dishes depend on the type of meat, the cuts being used and how they are combined with other ingredients in their preparation and cooking.
ISCO group and title
5212 – Street food salespersons
References
- Street food vendor – ESCO
- Street Vendors and Market Traders | WIEGO
- Who is a Street food salesperson? – TUCareers
- Featured image: Photo by Saad Meliani