Eating at Katz's Delicatessen, which has been on the Lower East Side since 1888, is basically a New York rite of passage. Best known for its pastrami sandwich, the deli goes through 70,000 pounds of meat a week and serves up to 4,000 people on its busiest day.
Every morning, New Yorkers stop at chrome breakfast carts for coffee, bagels and doughnuts — a routine that fuels the city's workforce. But behind that ritual is a fragile industry built on large suppliers, early-morning shifts, and a permit system that has prompted street protests.