How to become a street food salesperson

Official title: Street food salespersons

Also called: Hawker (food), Street food vendor

Street food salespersons prepare and sell, or sell previously prepared hot or cold foods and beverages ready for immediate consumption in streets and public places such as stations, cinemas or theatres.

Main tasks

• Obtaining permission or a licence, where required, to sell food and drinks on the street or in a public place
• Obtaining food and drinks for sale
• Preparing, either beforehand or on the spot, food and drinks for sale
• Loading and unloading, pushing, pedalling or carrying handcarts, trucks, trays or baskets to bring food and drinks to the desired place in the street, or to public places such as stations or cinemas
• Displaying and selling food and drinks and accepting payment

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: HK$14,400 a month
• About 337,600 people in 2025, and about 334,700 projected by 2028. (-0.8%)
• Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

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Questions people ask

Do you need a degree to become a street food salesperson?

Usually not. Only 6% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a street food salesperson?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

• Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Census and Statistics Department (Annual Earnings and Hours Survey): Monthly and hourly wage percentiles by occupational group (5 groups) (Tables 220-23014, 220-23024, 220-23003) (2025 (May to June 2025), released 2026-03-23), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
• International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026