History Main / MobileKiosk

* The [[ThoseTwoGuys Magimel]] [[IntrepidMerchant Brothers]] from ''[[VideoGame/ShadowHearts Shadow Hearts Covenant]]'' own one of those and they put it to good use, seeing how they manage to appear ''everywhere''. From inside the ruins left by an ancient civilization in the deeps of the Earth to an otherworldly fortress summoned by an evil Russian Warlock and a Hell facsimile created by a Japanese Taoist master, you can always bet on those guys appearing one step ahead of Yuri and Co. to offer their services.

** The ''Discworld Almanack'' list of Ankh-Morpork markets includes the Endless Street Fruit, Vegetable and Ferret Market, which is notable in that it ''never stops''; if you want something, you're going to have to keep up with it while it constantly traverses the outer edge of the city. Apparently, this is to take advantage of unspecified [[LoopholeAbuse loopholes]] in trading regulations (presumably the one that concerns renting a pitch) that were written on the assumption no-one would attempt this.
** In the countryside, as on our world until the 20th century, professions that are needed occasionally, but not enough that a village would have a shop for it, ply their way between settlements in wagons. As well as peddlers, tinkers and so on, however, they include teachers, librarians, and accountants.

* Ignatius J. Reilly spends time pushing around a "Paradise Vendors" hot-dog cart in ''Literature/AConfederacyOfDunces.'' He usually [[BigEater eats most of the hot-dogs himself]], only barely selling enough to make up for his own consumption.

* An entire town does this in one episode of ''Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperman'', in order to fleece passerby with phony speeding tickets.

* The [[ThoseTwoGuys Magimel]] [[IntrepidMerchant Brothers]] from ''[[VideoGame/ShadowHearts Shadow Hearts Covenant]]'' own one of those and they put it to good use, seeing how they manage to appears ''everywhere''. From inside the ruins left by an ancient civilization in the deeps of the Earth to an otherworldly fortress summoned by an evil Russian Warlock and a Hell facsimile created by a Japanese Taoist master, you can always bet on those guys appearing one step head of Yuri and Co. to offer their services.

* WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball: The Awesome Store where Richard does all his shopping (buying a 'puppy' that turns out to be a homicidal turtle, and a Game Kid that takes over the real world to turn it into a discount Final Fantasy, among others) is a beat-up red van with a mysterious lurker in the dark proprietor.

* Orthodox Jews of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect sometimes drive around areas with "Mitzvah Tanks", which are Recreational Vehicles that act as basically mobile synagogues (sans a full sized Torah scroll). Usually they drive to busy sidewalk areas (usually cities) and/or large public events (such as a street festival or fair) and ask passerbys "Are you Jewish?" If you give an affirmative to that question; if male you are asked if you have "Put on tefillin today?" (if it isn't a major holiday like Sukkot, where they would have you perform a different ritual) and if you answer in the negative, are invited to perform the Sh'ma prayer while wearing the ritual tefillin either at a table set up outside the "Tank" or within the "Tank" itself; if female, you are given a package of candles, inexpensive candle holders and a booklet teaching you how to perform the Shabbos blessing prior to sundown Friday (Shabbos is each weekend from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). Also while at the "Tank" you may be provided with other material about basics of Judaism and/or Chabad-Lubavitch, and they are open to you coming aboard the "Tank" and ask questions regarding the faith. [[EasyEvangelism This is done in the hopes of the simple act of a non-Orthodox Jew either performing the rituals and/or learning about their own birth heritage/religion, will convince that person to start practicing as an Orthodox Jew.]] Other sects of Orthodox Judaism also try to convince non-Orthodox Jews to practice the way they do, called Kiruv (Hebrew: "Bring Close"), but do not seem to employ "Mitzvah Tanks" to do it. However, if you answer that you are not Jewish, they will smile and wish you well while asking others if they're Jewish, as the reason for the "Mitzvah Tank" (and other Kiruv activities) is to convince non-Orthodox Jews-by-birth to start "fully practicing" as Orthodox Jews, not to convince non-Jews to practice and/or convert to Judaism, nor to assist non-Jews who want to convert to Judaism (even if the non-Jew is seeking to convert to Orthodox Judaism).

* A medical example that has turned up more since the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic is the mobile healthcare truck. Often this is an operation that truck that carries and unpacks tents, chairs, and tables to help test individuals for exposure status, but there are just as many that operate out of the vehicle itself, usually a panel truck with the cargo space converted into a mini-clinic. In the pre-COVID era, the mobile immunization truck was sometimes seen in rural areas where doctors may not be readily available or are unable to receive/store supplies of vaccines.

* A good majority of the story of ''Film/{{Chef}}'' takes place in one of these.

--->Chiiiipwich for sale! Chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin! Chiiipwich for sale!...

* Orthodox Jews of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect sometimes drive around areas with "Mitzvah Tanks", which are Recreational Vehicles that act as basically mobile synagogues (sans a full sized Torah scroll). Usually they drive to busy sidewalk areas (usually cities) and/or large public events (such as a street festival or fair) and ask passerbys "Are you Jewish?" If you give an affirmative to that question; if male you are asked if you have "Put on tefillin today?" (if it isn't a major holiday like Sukkot, where they would have you perform a different ritual) and if you answer in the negative, are invited to perform the Sh'ma prayer while wearing the ritual tefillin either at a table set up outside the "Tank" or within the "Tank" itself; if female, you are given a package of candles, inexpensive candle holders and a booklet teaching you how to perform the Shabbos blessing prior to sundown Friday (Shabbos is each weekend from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). Also while at the "Tank" you may be provided with other material about basics of Judaism and/or Chabad-Lubavitch, and they are open to you coming aboard the "Tank" and ask questions regarding the faith. [[EasyEvangelism This is done in the hopes of the simple act of a non-Orthodox Jew either performing the rituals and/or learning about their own birth heritage/religion, will convince that person to start practicing as an Orthodox Jew.]] Other sects of Orthodox Judaism also try to convince non-Orthodox Jews to practice the way they do, called Kiruv (Hebrew: "Bring Close"), but do not seem to employ "Mitzvah Tanks" to do it. However, if you answer that you are not Jewish, they will smile and wish you well while asking others if they're Jewish, as the reason for the "Mitzvah Tank" (and other Kiruv activities) is to convince non-Orthodox Jews-by-birth to start "fully practicing" as Orthodox Jews, not to convince non-Jews of Judaism, nor to assist non-Jews who want to convert to Judaism (even if the non-Jew is seeking to convert to Orthodox Judaism).

* Orthodox Jews of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect sometimes drive around areas with "Mitzvah Tanks", which are Recreational Vehicles that act as basically mobile synagogues (sans a full sized Torah scroll). Usually they drive to busy sidewalk areas (usually cities) and/or large public events (such as a street festival or fair) and ask passerby's "Are you Jewish?" If you give an affirmative to that question; if male you are asked if you have "Put on Tefillin today?" (if it isn't a major holiday like Sukkot, where they would have you perform a different ritual) and if you answer in the negative, are invited to perform the Sh'ma prayer while wearing the ritual tefillin either at a table set up outside the "Tank" or within the "Tank" itself; if female, you are given a package of candles, inexpensive candle holders and a booklet teaching you how to perform the Shabbos blessing prior to sundown Friday (Shabbos is each weekend from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). Also while at the "Tank" you may be provided with other material about basics of Judaism and/or Chabad-Lubavitch, and they are open to you coming aboard the "Tank" and ask questions regarding the faith. [[EasyEvangelism This is done in the hopes of the simple act of a non-Orthodox Jew either performing the rituals and/or learning about their own birth heritage/religion, will convince that person to start practicing as an Orthodox Jew.]] Other sects of Orthodox Judaism also try to convince non-Orthodox Jews to practice the way they do, called Kiruv (Hebrew: "Bring Close"), but do not seem to employ "Mitzvah Tanks" to do it. However, if you answer that you are not Jewish, they will smile and wish you well while asking others if they're Jewish, as the reason for the "Mitzvah Tank" (and other Kiruv activities) is to convince non-Orthodox Jews-by-birth to start "fully practicing" as Orthodox Jews, not to convince non-Jews of Judaism, nor to assist non-Jews who want to convert to Judaism (even if the non-Jew is seeking to convert to Orthodox Judaism).

* Orthodox Jews of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect sometimes drive around areas with "Mitzvah Tanks", which are Recreational Vehicles that act as basically mobile synagogues (sans a full sized Torah scroll). Usually they drive to busy sidewalk areas (usually cities) and/or large public events (such as a street festival or fair) and ask passerby's "Are you Jewish?" If you give an affirmative to that question; if male you are asked if you have "Put on Tefillin today?" (if it isn't a major holiday like Sukkot, where they would have you perform a different ritual) and if you answer in the negative, are invited to perform the Sh'ma prayer while wearing the ritual tefillin either at a table set up outside the "Tank" or within the "Tank" itself; if female, you are given a package of candles, inexpensive candle holders and a booklet teaching you how to perform the Shabbos blessing prior to sundown Friday (Shabbos is each weekend from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). Also while at the "Tank" you may be provided with other material about basics of Judaism and/or Chabad-Lubavitch, and they are open to you coming aboard the "Tank" and ask questions regarding the faith. [[EasyEvangelism This is done in the hopes of the simple act of a non-Orthodox Jew either performing the rituals and/or learning about their own birth heritage/religion, will convince that person to start practicing as an Orthodox Jew.]] Other sects of Orthodox Judaism also try to convince non-Orthodox Jews to practice the way they do, called Kiruv (Hebrew: "Bring Close"), but do not seem to employ "Mitzvah Tanks" to do it. However, if you answer that you are not Jewish, they will smile and wish you well while asking others if they're Jewish, as the reason for the "Mitzvah Tank" (and other Kiruv activities) is to convince non-Orthodox Jews to start "fully practicing" as Orthodox Jews, not to convince non-Jews of Judaism, nor to assist non-Jews who want to convert to Judaism (even if the non-Jew is seeking to convert to Orthodox Judaism).

* Orthodox Jews of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect sometimes drive around areas with "Mitzvah Tanks", which are (=RVs=) that acts as basically mobile synagogues (sans a full sized Torah scroll). Usually they drive to busy sidewalk areas (usually cities) and/or large public events (such as a street festival or fair) and ask passerby's "Are you Jewish?" If you give an affirmative to that question; if male you are asked if you have "Put on Tefillin today?" (if it isn't a major holiday like Sukkot, where they would have you perform a different ritual) and if you answer in the negative, are invited to perform the Sh'ma prayer while wearing the ritual tefillin either at a table set up outside the "Tank" or within the "Tank" itself; if female, you are given a package of candles, inexpensive candle holders and a booklet teaching you how to perform the Shabbos blessing prior to sundown Friday (Shabbos is each weekend from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). Also while at the "Tank" you may be provided with other material about basics of Judaism and/or Chabad-Lubavitch, and they are open to you coming aboard the "Tank" and ask questions regarding the faith. [[EasyEvangelism This is done in the hopes of the simple act of a non-Orthodox Jew either performing the rituals and/or learning about their own birth heritage/religion, will convince that person to start practicing as an Orthodox Jew.]] Other sects of Orthodox Judaism also try to convince non-Orthodox Jews to practice the way they do, called Kiruv (Hebrew: "Bring Close"), but do not seem to employ "Mitzvah Tanks" to do it. However, if you answer that you are not Jewish, they will smile and wish you well while asking others if they're Jewish, as the reason for the "Mitzvah Tank" (and other Kiruv activities) is to convince non-Orthodox Jews to start "fully practicing" as Orthodox Jews, not to convince non-Jews of Judaism, nor to assist non-Jews who want to convert to Judaism (even if the non-Jew is seeking to convert to Orthodox Judaism).

* Orthodox Jews of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect sometimes drive around areas with "Mitzvah Tanks", which are RVs that acts as basically mobile synagogues (sans a full sized Torah scroll). Usually they drive to busy sidewalk areas (usually cities) and/or large public events (such as a street festival or fair) and ask passerby's "Are you Jewish?" If you give an affirmative to that question; if male you are asked if you have "Put on Tefillin today?" (if it isn't a major holiday like Sukkot, where they would have you perform a different ritual) and if you answer in the negative, are invited to perform the Sh'ma prayer while wearing the ritual tefillin either at a table set up outside the "Tank" or within the "Tank" itself; if female, you are given a package of candles, inexpensive candle holders and a booklet teaching you how to perform the Shabbos blessing prior to sundown Friday (Shabbos is each weekend from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). Also while at the "Tank" you may be provided with other material about basics of Judaism and/or Chabad-Lubavitch, and they are open to you coming aboard the "Tank" and ask questions regarding the faith. [[EasyEvangelism This is done in the hopes of the simple act of a non-Orthodox Jew either performing the rituals and/or learning about their own birth heritage/religion, will convince that person to start practicing as an Orthodox Jew.]] Other sects of Orthodox Judaism also try to convince non-Orthodox Jews to practice the way they do, called Kiruv (Hebrew: "Bring Close"), but do not seem to employ "Mitzvah Tanks" to do it. However, if you answer that you are not Jewish, they will smile and wish you well while asking others if they're Jewish, as the reason for the "Mitzvah Tank" (and other Kiruv activities) is to convince non-Orthodox Jews to start "fully practicing" as Orthodox Jews, not to convince non-Jews of Judaism, nor to assist non-Jews who want to convert to Judaism (even if the non-Jew is seeking to convert to Orthodox Judaism).

* Orthodox Jews of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect sometimes drive around areas with "Mitzvah Tanks", a RV which acts as basically mobile synagogues (sans a full sized Torah scroll). Usually they drive to busy sidewalk areas (usually cities) and/or large public events (such as a street festival) and ask passerby's "Are you Jewish?" If you give an affirmative to that question; if male you are asked if you have "Put on Tefillin today?" and if you answer in the negative, are invited to perform the Sh'ma prayer while wearing the ritual tefillin either at a table set up outside the "Tank" or within the "Tank" itself; if female, you are given a package of candles, inexpensive candle holders and a booklet teaching you how to perform the Shabbos blessing prior to sundown Friday (Shabbos is each weekend from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). Also while at the "Tank" you may be provided with other material about basics of Judaism and/or Chabad-Lubavitch, and they are open to you coming aboard the "Tank" and ask questions regarding the faith. [[EasyEvangelism This is done in the hopes of the simple act of a non-Orthodox Jew either performing the rituals and/or learning about their own birth heritage/religion, will convince that person to start practicing as an Orthodox Jew.]] Other sects of Orthodox Judaism also try to convince non-Orthodox Jews to practice the way they do, called Kiruv (Hebrew: "Bring Close"), but do not seem to employ "Mitzvah Tanks" to do it. However, if you answer that you are not Jewish, they will smile and wish you well while asking others if they're Jewish, as the reason for the "Mitzvah Tank" (and other Kiruv activities) is to convince non-Orthodox Jews to start "fully practicing" as Orthodox Jews, not to convince non-Jews of Judaism, nor to assist non-Jews who want to convert to Judaism (even if the non-Jew is seeking to convert to Orthodox Judaism).

* Orthodox Jews of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect sometimes drive around areas with "Mitzvah Tanks", a RV which acts as basically mobile synagogues (sans a full sized Torah scroll). Usually they drive to busy sidewalk areas (usually cities) and/or large public events (such as a street festival) and ask passerby's "Are you Jewish?" If you give an affirmative to that question; if male you are asked if you have "Put on Tefillin today?" and if you answer in the negative, are invited to perform the Sh'ma prayer while wearing the ritual tefillin either at a table set up outside the "Tank" or within the "Tank" itself; if female, you are given a package of candles, inexpensive candle holders and a booklet teaching you how to perform the Shabbos blessing prior to sundown Friday (Shabbos is each weekend from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). Also while at the "Tank" you may be provided with other material about basics of Judaism and/or Chabad-Lubavitch, and they are open to you coming aboard the "Tank" and ask questions regarding the faith. [[EasyEvangelism This is done in the hopes of the simple act of a non-Orthodox Jew either performing the rituals and/or learning about their own birth heritage/religion, will convince that person to start practicing as an Orthodox Jew.]] Other sects of Orthodox Judaism also try to convince non-Orthodox Jews to practice the way they do, called Kiruv (Hebrew: "Bring Close"), but do not seem to employ "Mitzvah Tanks" to do it. However, if you answer that you are not Jewish, they will smile and wish you well until they find Jewish people, as the reason for the "Mitzvah Tank" (and other Kiruv activities) is to convince non-Orthodox Jews to start "fully practicing" as Orthodox Jews, not to convince non-Jews of Judaism, nor to assist non-Jews who want to convert to Judaism (even if the non-Jew is seeking to convert to Orthodox Judaism).

* Orthodox Jews of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect sometimes drive around areas with "Mitzvah Tanks", a RV which acts as basically mobile synagogues (sans a full sized Torah scroll). Usually they drive to busy sidewalk areas (usually cities) and/or large public events (such as a street festival) and ask passerby's "Are you Jewish?" If you give an affirmative to that question; if male you are asked if you have "Put on Tefillin today?" and if you answer in the negative, are invited to perform the Sh'ma prayer while wearing the ritual tefillin either at a table set up outside the "Tank" or within the "Tank" itself; if female, you are given a package of candles, inexpensive candle holders and a booklet teaching you how to perform the Shabbos blessing prior to sundown Friday (Shabbos is each weekend from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). Also while at the "Tank" you may be provided with other material about basics of Judaism and/or Chabad-Lubavitch, and they are open to you coming aboard the "Tank" and ask questions regarding the faith. [[EasyEvangelism This is done in the hopes of the simple act of a non-Orthodox Jew either performing the rituals and/or learning about their own birth heritage/religion, will convince that person to start practicing as an Orthodox Jew.]] Other sects of Orthodox Judaism also try to convince non-Orthodox Jews to practice the way they do, called Kiruv (Hebrew: "Bring Close"), but do not seem to employ "Mitzvah Tanks" to do it. However, if you answer that you are not Jewish, they will smile and wish you well until they find Jewish people as the reason for the "Mitzvah Tank" (and other Kiruv activities) is to convince non-Orthodox Jews to start "fully practicing" as Orthodox Jews, not to convince non-Jews of Judaism, nor to assist non-Jews who want to convert to Judaism (even if the non-Jew is seeking to convert to Orthodox Judaism).

* ''TheSimpsons'', when Marge started a pretzel business and drove around with the pretzels in her station wagon, her rivals had a falafel truck.
** In ''TheSimpsons'' various times when they go to "ethnic" neighborhoods, and when they flashed back to Homer & Marge when they lived in an apartment.

** The ''Discworld Almanack'' list of Ankh-Morpork markets includes the Endless Street Fruit, Vegetable and Ferret Market, which is notable in that it ''never stops''; if you want something, you're going to have to keep up with it while it constantly traverses the outer edge of the city. Apparently, this is to take advantage of unspecified [[LoopholeAbuse loopholes]] in trading regulations that were written on the assumption no-one would attempt this.

* A close relative of this trope is the concept of the mobile [=MRI=] scanner, which is built into the trailer unit of an 18-wheeler and rotated between multiple small hospitals in rural areas.

* A cycling track was constructed on a series of cantilevered platforms along Cromwell Gorge in New Zealand. Unfortunately there was nowhere to get refreshment, not least because the steep cliffs meant there was nowhere to put a kiosk. An entrepreneur dealt with the cyclists [MustHaveCaffeine need for a coffee shot]] by selling coffee off a boat floating on the river that flows through the Gorge.

* When a hiking trail was constructed around a lake in New Zealand, one entrepreneur dealt with the hikers [[MustHaveCaffeine need for a coffee shot]] by selling coffee off a boat.

* Yuki of ''Manga/MadoromiBarmaid'' owns the mobile bar Satellite, popping up here and there in Tokyo with a few seats and an electic selection of liqueurs.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* In season 3 of ''Series/TheWire'', Bubbles starts selling white t-shirts to the drug dealers and users around Baltimore from a shopping trolley. Later in the season and in season four he starts to expand his operation, offering cans of paint, pirated [=DVDs=] and other such assorted goods from his trolley.

* WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball: The Awesome Store where Richard does all his shopping (buying a 'puppy' that turns out to be a homicidal turtle, and a Game Kid that takes over the real world to turn it into a discount Final Fantasy, among others) is a beat up red van with a mysterious lurker in the dark proprietor.

* The U.S. has trucks filled with various types of food and drink that go around to any place with groups of people (construction sites, office buildings, college campuses, etc.) and sell to the people there. Most common are sandwich trucks and taco truck (see UsefulNotes/CuisinesInAmerica for details).
** This practice is also becoming common in Britain, normally as a sideline run by a local cafe. More elaborate setups offering hotdogs, burgers etc cooked while you wait tend to be found in lay-bys, the parking lots of retail parks or dotted around pedestrianised shopping areas. They're also invariably found at markets or county fairs. Food quality ranges from [[SoOkayItsAverage unspectacular but perfectly edible]] to OrgasmicallyDelicious.
** There are also the ever-famous food carts, which typically stay in one place on the sidewalk all day, but can be moved very easily to follow traffic patterns; these are common in cities around the world, but are particularly common on the East Coast of the US, and most especially in [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity New York]], where they are practically a religion.