Buzz
From ancient Greece, where vendors sold fried fish by the streets, to the lively Aztec markets offering tamales, insects, and hearty stews, ready-to-eat street food has been a part of human history for centuries. Today, it's still a go-to choice in many urban centers, with everything from hot dogs and tacos to more unconventional food trucks catering to every craving.
In the present day, many street food vendors have faced their own set of challenges, navigating a volatile economy and uncertain financial prospects. The following ten stories dive into some of the most bizarre and revolting incidents that unfolded at these food stalls—events that defy belief and are almost impossible to imagine unless you’ve witnessed them firsthand.
10. A Fiery Sriracha Showdown
You never know when you’ll encounter someone with a vendetta who’s ready to ruin someone’s day. In June 2018, Carlotta Washington found herself on the receiving end of a racial tirade after attempting to pay for her meal with quarters. The confrontation occurred at Islam El Masry’s Small Pharaoh’s Halal Cart in Portland, Oregon. El Masry, enraged by Washington’s choice of payment, responded with a string of insults, calling her the “n-word,” a “stupid f—ing b—,” and ordering her to “get the f— away” from his cart.
As if his outburst wasn’t dramatic enough, El Masry escalated the situation by throwing a Gatorade bottle at Washington. Shortly after, he drenched her in sriracha sauce. Shocked onlookers rushed to comfort Washington, who was left sobbing and covered in fiery hot sauce. Within minutes, three police officers arrived and arrested the enraged vendor, charging him with misdemeanor harassment and assault.
Furious at the vendor’s outrageous behavior, locals in Portland began harassing the owner of a different Egyptian food cart the next day. The problem was, this was an entirely unrelated individual. Gharib Muhammad, operating his own cart in downtown Portland, was suddenly the target of angry protesters. A group of 15 to 20 people gathered, shouting obscenities at his wife, who was running the cart. One man shouted, “I remember what you did yesterday.”
9. ‘Can I Get A Large Coke?’
When patrons approached Johnny B. Jones’s food truck, also known as “Big Dad” in Springfield, Tennessee, they had the option to order a burger, fries, and even a side of cocaine. It didn’t take long for locals to discover that the popular neighborhood cook was serving up hot dogs with his daily special—his infamous ‘booger sugar.’ After being arrested in spring 2018 on a six-count indictment, the 57-year-old might soon be swapping his apron for an orange jumpsuit.
Jones’s legal troubles began after a joint investigation by the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office and Springfield Police Department’s narcotics division. The investigation lasted nearly a year before his arrest. Detective Houston Evans noted that the shocking nature of the discovery was rooted in Jones’s brazen disregard for discretion, with investigators observing numerous transactions at Big Dad’s stand, where hungry customers likely got more than they bargained for. “It was a shock to us, what we found out,” Evans said. “I’m sure everyone else who heard about this is shocked, as well.”
The once-beloved red and yellow food truck that had become a staple in Springfield now stands as a stark reminder of the growing drug issues plaguing the state. In a final twist of irony, Jones’s home-style cooking food truck was located just across from one of the most ironic places imaginable—the local police station and sheriff’s office.
8. Daily Specials
In Long Island, a woman took her hot dog truck to an entirely different level when she turned it into a mini brothel. In 2012, Catherine Scalia, 45, decided to broaden her business by distributing provocative cards called “Strips-R-Us” that advertised services like “topless cleaning” and “one-on-one strips.”
Disgusted neighbors, who weren’t exactly fans of her ‘business strategy,’ soon contacted authorities, complaining about Scalia’s summertime wardrobe—bras and panties. One neighbor commented, “It’s disgusting. She’s filthy, she’s dirty. How could men take that?” Defending herself, the mother of four proudly boasted about her professionalism, claiming she’d always “zip up when I see kids.” Despite her moral stance, Scalia was arrested after offering one of her daily specials to an undercover officer.
This wasn’t Scalia’s first encounter with the law due to her questionable business practices. Eight years before, she was arrested after engaging in sexual acts with her co-chef in the ‘captain’s chair’ of her hot dog truck. A local resident, who had witnessed several satisfied customers leave the truck, remarked, “They seemed pretty happy. Now I can see why.” Hopefully, her cleaning skills were as highly praised as her “home cooking.”
7. The Hot Dog Nazi
Michael Anderson, owner of M.A.’s Gourmet Dogs in Anchorage, Alaska, earned a notorious reputation for serving hot dogs with a side of scorn. Known as “the hot dog Nazi,” Anderson gained fame for his inflexible rules—like refusing to serve anyone talking on a cell phone—and for his quick temper whenever customers didn’t follow his strict demands.
His tirades, however, became a quirky local charm for nearly two decades. That is, until he was charged in 2015 with unwanted sexual contact with a teenage employee. Ironically, the incident took place near Anderson’s cart, parked in front of the old Federal Building. According to the victim, Anderson coaxed her with alcohol before making inappropriate advances. Besides his troubling behavior, the 54-year-old vendor had a penchant for indulging in marijuana brownies while working, washing them down with pints of vodka.
With numerous charges against him and his reputation in tatters, Anderson tragically ended his life in 2016, just one day before his trial was set to begin. To this day, the vacant spot on the corner where he served hot dogs for over 20 years serves as a haunting reminder of a troubled and wasted life.
6. Virgin Boy Eggs
A distinct, foul-smelling odor—reminiscent of an old nursing home—permeates the streets of Dongyang, China. Here, eager locals gather at a neighborhood stall where buckets of boys' urine boil alongside eggs, soaking in a yellow ‘broth.’ Known as ‘Virgin Boy Eggs,’ this unusual dish is celebrated for its “fresh and salty taste” and has been a part of local culture for generations. The eggs are claimed to have exceptional health benefits, and the urine used in their preparation is sourced from nearby primary schools, making it the key ingredient for vendors throughout the city.
Virgin boy eggs aren’t just served in public stalls—they’re also cooked up in homes. In these cases, locals collect the urine themselves from nearby schools, believing it to be a therapeutic appetizer. According to vendor Ge Yaohua, “If you eat this, you will not get heat stroke. These eggs cooked in urine are fragrant. They are good for your health. Our family has them for every meal. In Dongyang, every family likes eating them.” Surprisingly, local government officials have even deemed this unsettling dish a part of the city’s cultural heritage, ensuring its continued popularity for generations.
5. Satay Chicken
“Satay chicken, not dog?” asked a dubious tourist on a Bali beach after purchasing some mystery meat from a local vendor. “I’m happy as long as it’s not dog,” the man remarked before unknowingly devouring poor Lassie. Unfortunately, this kind of revolting food is common in Indonesia, where dogs are subjected to torture before being slaughtered for human consumption. An investigation by Animals Australia revealed that vendors in Bali have been selling dog meat to unsuspecting tourists, passing it off as chicken. “Tourists walk down the street, see a stall selling satay, but what they don’t realize is that the letters RW on the sign mean dog meat is being served,” said Lyn White, campaign director for Animals Australia.
In a place where dog meat is legal, dishonest vendors capture, steal, beat, hang, or poison dogs to sell them for profit. One unapologetic 83-year-old man admitted to kidnapping an average of 12 dogs a week because he had no other means of income. After catching his prey—whether an older dog or a puppy—he casually described bludgeoning the animals with a metal pipe, showing no remorse whatsoever.
As disturbing as this method is, what’s even more troubling is that many vendors use cyanide to kill the dogs. Dr. Andrew Dawson from the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre warned that cyanide remains in the dog’s body even after cooking. “Cyanide isn’t destroyed by cooking. There will be cyanide throughout the dog’s body. The risk to humans depends on how much poison is in the meat.” So far, no human fatalities have been linked to consuming dog meat in Indonesia, but time will tell.
4. A Special Ingredient
As if urine-soaked eggs weren’t enough to make your stomach churn, a 59-year-old paani puri vendor from India was arrested in 2011 for adding his own unique twist to his sauces. Naupada resident Ankita Rane, 19, had always kept a watchful eye on Rajdev Lakhan Chauhan, the vendor with a reputation for being “quite gross.” “We’ve seen him scratching himself or picking his nose when no one was around. I always warned my friends not to eat there, but they were so hooked on the taste, they ignored everything I said,” she recalled.
That all changed when Rane witnessed Chauhan urinating into his saucepans before mixing his tangy concoction into the paani puri filling or the neighborhood favorite, ragda. After several days of adding his ‘special ingredient,’ the street vendor was caught on video. The footage was shared with local residents, who, upon learning of Chauhan’s unsanitary habit, surrounded his cart, beat him up, and dragged him to the police station.
When questioned by the authorities, Chauhan calmly explained that he had nowhere else to relieve himself and that urinating into the pans helped keep the streets of Bhaskar Colony clean. Despite his justification, the police were unsure of what exactly to charge him with: “In the end, all we could charge him with was public urination under the Bombay Police Act.” Chauhan was ultimately fined 1,200 rupees and given a warning.
3. Tarek El-Tayeb Mohammed Bouazizi
The only vendor on this list deserving of recognition is Tarek el-Tayeb Mohammed Bouazizi, who on December 17, 2010, set himself on fire, sparking a revolution. Bouazizi, a vegetable vendor in the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid, dreamed of saving enough money to buy a food truck. His dreams were shattered when a policewoman confiscated his unlicensed vegetable cart and produce. To make matters worse, she slapped him, insulted his deceased father, and spat in his face.
After his attempts to appeal to local officials were ignored, a deeply humiliated Bouazizi poured fuel on himself in the town square and set himself ablaze. His act of desperation ignited a wave of outrage across the country, fueled by widespread unemployment, corruption, and autocratic rule.
Bouazizi died from his injuries on January 4, 2011, and became a symbol of resistance. His martyrdom embodied the fight for survival, inspiring the uprising that rocked Arab governments, sparking what has been called the “people’s revolution.” In response to the growing protests, Tunisia’s President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14, 2011, ending his 23-year dictatorship.
2. Human Tamales
In 2004, acting on an anonymous tip, Mexican police raided the home of a tamale vendor suspected of having a dismembered body in his kitchen. Upon uncovering body parts in the kitchen, investigators noticed that they were being simmered in a pot, accompanied by herbs and spices.
The vendor, who had worked as a butcher for eight years, firmly denied using human meat in the tamales he sold from his cart. Still, the authorities decided to test the tamales for human remains rather than trust the word of a man who appeared to be in the midst of dismembering a fresh corpse. The vendor claimed he killed the unidentified man during a drunken argument the night before, seasoning him for the next day’s lunch.
After analysis, the police found no traces of human flesh in the tamales. However, they claimed to have discovered “other materials” and ingredients that suggested the unorthodox chef was preparing a new batch of tamales while in close proximity to his decomposing, soon-to-be-served victim.
1. Turf Wars
In 2016, when ice cream vendor John Cierco arrived at his “favorite spot” in New York City, he was filled with fury after discovering a pretzel vendor had set up shop on “his” corner. A few moments later, the pretzel vendor was struck over the head with a baseball bat.
Barbaric actions over turf have become surprisingly common when competition and profit-driven territory determine one’s success. Although cities don’t officially assign food cart or truck locations, unwritten rules have allowed vendors to essentially claim certain spots as their own for decades. This has sparked violent turf wars between established vendors who view newcomers as threats in a struggling economy.
In 2012, shots rang out outside Yankee Stadium when 52-year-old Horace Coleman, aka “Ace,” shot two competitors multiple times with a .357 magnum. Witnesses described Coleman as having been in a long-standing battle over his sidewalk territory. “They were trying to bully him out of his spot,” said Coleman’s friend Gracie Olivera. That was until Coleman—dressed in a pinstripe suit, a flashy derby hat, and gold-framed sunglasses—decided to take matters into his own hands. “He didn’t say anything. He just walked up, pulled out the gun, and started firing. Bang! Bang! Bang!”
