One of the most lucrative spots to operate a food cart in Manhattan is in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art steps on Fifth Avenue in the Upper East Side. Military veterans have been setting up their hot dog push carts at this location for many years now, claiming that the prime spot has been set aside by the city for military veteran vendors. It has been reported that the city is frustrated with veterans’ crowding the spot and that the exact legality is complex and sometimes unclear. In the past, veteran vendors have been arrested for violations of their licenses. It's also reported that some non-veteran vendors pay anywhere from $70,000 to $200,000 a year for the right to set up their food carts in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
