Concessions are Woven into the Fabric of History

Concession carts and food stands in one form or another have been part of the human mosaic since time can remember. Street vendors once pedaled meats and breads in their small wooden makeshift shacks along the sides of dirt roads. And now the concession trailer business is pervasive in our society. Anywhere that there is a gathering or even a decent amount of foot traffic we'll find at least one food cart waiting to satisfy our need for food and drink.

We can imagine the food carts of days gone by where fruits, vegetables, wine and fish were sold as opposed to today’s fare of hot dogs, hamburgers and nachos. Wicker baskets instead of iced-down metal bins held produce. Meat was cooked on a crude rotisserie instead of on a hot dog cooker or gas-powered grill. Berries and nuts took the place of bag snacks and candy bars. And instead of popcorn makers and pizza warmers, some type of apparatus for the drying of beef to make jerky could have been in use.

It's probably safe to assume that today we have foods that are much more convenient and require much less preparation than the concession foods of old. There's no need to skin or scale when you can simply place a few hot dogs on a roller or throw a few hamburger patties on a grill. No need to peel or wash when you can simply place pre-packaged foods on a counter. Therefore, it may also be safe to conclude that the early concessionaires worked a little harder than present day vendors! But we have had time to evolve and simplify just about every facet of our lives, vending included.

The events people attended, the games they watched and the available concession fare was quite different in the days of old. But the basic concept was the same: Have food and drink available for the hungry and thirsty, and everybody profits.