Now first off let’s make a big distinction here — I’m NOT talking about food trucks. I’m talking about carts of food. Food trucks are probably clean (for the most part) and food carts are probably just Ebola on wheels.
Here’s context for the photo above in case you think that there’s a LOGICAL explanation (spoiler — there isn’t but keep reading).
So I was heading to work and happened upon this scene on the north side of the World Trade Center: Hot dog guy scraping up what looked like spilled cereal with his tongs. Then switching to his spatula for greater efficacy. Whole crowd of construction workers standing around started screaming at him that it was disgusting. Made a big show to the people yelling of opening up the display Poland spring bottle and dumping it on the tongs. No soap or anything. Laid them back down on the cart with no evidence he had other utensils.
I assume he’s serving unknowing fools lunch with these very utensils now. Sorry no video/only one pic shows the actual spatula. First pic was when he was getting yelled at, second was with the tongs.
Gotta keep the sidewalk free from cereal and people dying of food poisoning.
Gothamist has more photos in case you’ve really got to be grossed the hell out.