Street food is food obtainable from a street-corner vendor, typically from a make shift or portable stall. While most street foods are regional, many are not, having spread beyond their region of origin. Most street food is both finger and fast food. Food is typically available on the street for a fraction of the cost of a restaurant meal. Therefore, a large portion can be eaten for a low price.
Concerns of cleanliness and freshness often discourage people from eating street food. Lack of refrigeration is often construed as a lack of cleanliness or hygiene; on the other hand, street food often uses particularly fresh ingredients for this very reason. For Asian street food, the high levels of heat required for wok cooking ensures that any bacteria are killed.
Street food is intimately connected with take-out, junk food, snacks, and fast food; it is distinguished by its local flavor and by being purchased on the sidewalk, without entering any building. Both take-out and fast food are typically sold from counters inside buildings. Increasingly the line is blurred, as restaurants such as McDonald's begin to offer window counters.
Suggestions: Always keep some changes in your pocket so as to pay the desired snacks easily. Before you lock your target, always watch whether locals enjoy it or not, or whether it is clean enough. If yes, pay your bill and try an authentic local flavor on the spot.