I have a twice ate from a food cart. I didn't get sick and die or anything so maybe they're ok to eat from. I don't know if they are any cheaper to eat from compared to a regular restaurant.
20 some years ago in New York City I saw a pretzel vendor drop a pretzel on the ground in time square, pick it up, apply the five second rule and put it back on his car so no I would never eat off of a food cart
When I was 16, I worked ONE DAY in an italian restaurant where I saw that done (by the restaurant manager, who dropped a basket of garlic bread on the floor, put it back in the basket and sent it out to a table), and quit for precisely that reason. So it's not just in portable food carts where that unsanitary standard can occur.
But I'd generally agree, that the sanitary options are likely less aavailable in a portable food stand. It's like comparing slleping in a camper to sleeping in a hotel or your own bed. It's more improv, and therefore less clean.
If I was hungry enough, I'd take the chance, but generally I stick to real reastaurants.
