AIBU to think street food festivals are a bit overrated?

[brightonbabe86]

There is a street food festival on locally to us this weekend. We’ve been before a number of times and to some other ones else where. Some of our crowd want to go again but I’m getting a bit fed up of them. I think the food the vendors make is often really nice but under street food festival conditions things go down hill fast. It’s either really hot and sunny with no shade or raining with no cover. It’s crowded, the queues are massive, quality control under the pressure goes down quickly so your food is a bit undercooked or things are missing, there isn’t enough seating, the food can be restaurant prices and the bars are also crowded and expensive.

So I know you are thinking just don’t go then and I’m probably not going to go. I did go to one that started at lunch time and we went at about 2pm, it was really quiet and that was actually quite nice. But am I being unreasonable to think that they are a bit overrated and to wonder if there are only really worth it if you enjoy big crowds?

I've actually never been to one! Is this in Brighton? I do love a Sunday market with good food vendors or ill be at a fitness festival with great food trucks.

If the food trucks were the whole event I don't think I'd be bothered.

Ah no I’m not in Brighton anymore sadly, it’s in the Glasgow area. There are usually live bands and stalls selling artisan food and drinks which is nice again all very expensive.

I'm not fussed about them either but I like markets with added food trucks.

It's the same vendors at every street food festival round here: food sellers, flavoured rum sellers, jewellery sellers, clothes sellers, and the same man selling football stickers. Most of them never seem to sell anything,

We’ve got one locally about to start for the summer. The problem is that when it’s a nice enough day to want to sit outside to eat and drink every man and his dog heads down there and you have to queue to get in, but half the time it’s shut or dead because the weather is too bad. it’s also really expensive given you’re eating out a cardboard container sitting on the grass!

Same I hate street food for this reason. Fighting for space on a wooden bench, no loos, for the same price as a nice restaurant where someone brings me food. Why?!

@MiddleAgedDread I completely agree. If I could get the royal treatment and go, have my pick of the food. Little to no queues and the ushered to my shady table on a sunny but not too hot day, that would fine. As that unsurprisingly isn’t going to happen I’ll be in the sweaty squash with everyone else. I’ll probably just make something nice for us to enjoy at home!

I'm tiring of street food generally. Like, it's tasty for the first few bites generally but then you've got sticky hands, nowhere to sit, and bit of food falling off down your top and it's an exercise in just-make-this-over. Grumpy emoji.

AND it makes everywhere stinky and dirty as an added grump-ingredient.

I liked them when they were first a thing, but not so much anymore, there's always massive queues and no seats, so you end up doing some weird balancing act with food, wooden forks (which never quite get your fork full right, so you end up with either massive or tiny bites), and your drinks.

Plus, the last one I went to, my husband was so weird with me and it came to me like a shot in the dark, he was having an affair... and I was right.

YANBU. I don't like it. None of the vendors have running water and they are all using the grim public toilets like everyone else. The food sits about ALL DAY. I'm too nervous of getting food poisoning to eat anything.

Pretty much the same as @KnickerlessParsons
We have an artisan type market on every other week/monthly. Same people, same products. If you've been one you've been 100 times. The food vendors are the same ones that are at every event so there's nothing new, nor is it worth the price sadly

I’m agreeing with people points! Would be interesting to hear from a street food festival lover. I know for some of my friends they do just love to be were it’s buzzing and where everyone else is at which I do get even if it’s not for me.

YANBU. Overpriced, cremated food, and nowhere to sit down to eat it. I really don't want to wander around, eating like a wild animal, trying not to dribble sauce down my jacket.

Definitely overrated. Often expensive entry fees, then massive queues to buy the overpriced food

Another strike against street food right there.

The food is sometimes delicious but the prices are outrageous considering the limited overheads when compared to a cafe/restaurant.

You know I never even considered about the hygiene aspect. I’m sure the vendors take it very seriously but it gets so busy things must slip a bit.

I like the idea of them much more than the reality!

You’ve hit the nail on the head here. They look nice in photos, the food sounds amazing, it’s buzzing and feels like an event, the idea of it seems great, the reality is disappointing.

I love the food at these things, but the seagulls always seem to find me and I have to eat my delicious food while trying to physically shield it from the squawking bastards.

Damned straight, lol, I can't help it, that's where my brain goes!

Plus, I meant bolt out of the blue, not a shot in the dark, its not even a mixed metaphor, its just wrong. lol

They can be, and overpriced. It depends how it's done really. Expensive, crowded, meh food = no thanks. Nice atmosphere, fair pricing, not stupid queues, good food, places to sit, eat your food and get a beer also = sounds good.

Yeah if I could get that I’d probably be in. It’s unfortunately rare in my experience.

I always think the hygiene is a bit suspect. Eg. Rice warm for ages…. Mmm lovely.
The vendors know you can never really point to their stall to say they caused a problem.