Gondoliers help paddle along the lake in front of Central Park's boathouse.

Concessions at NYC Parks

Building your business should feel like a walk in the park!

Starting or expanding your business doesn’t have to mean going it alone. At NYC Parks, we’re here to help you every step of the way. Whether you’re looking to start a small business or grow a new revenue stream, you can take another look at our available opportunities. For each project, NYC Parks offers:

  • A stable long-term contract
  • Guaranteed foot traffic in a desirable setting
  • A project manager assigned to your concession

We’re here to make it easier to work with the City, and to ensure that your bid or proposal meets the needs of our millions of park goers. We look forward to working with you!

About our Concessions

The letters "C-A-R-O" are prominent on the whimsical B&B Carousell building on a sunny day..

A concession is a business that operates on New York City parkland through an NYC Parks permit or license. There are approximately 400 concessions within NYC Parks ranging from newsstands and gas stations to some of the City’s largest amusement parks, ice skating facilities and golf courses. Many concessions offer food services, ranging from food carts and specialty food trucks to world-famous restaurants. No matter your business, there’s a place for you at NYC Parks.

Getting Started

How to Become a Concessionaire

Never worked with the City before? Welcome aboard! Here’s what you need to know about how to get started and our solicitation process.

Find out how to become a concessionaire.

Sign Up for our Mailing List

Want to be the first to hear about upcoming opportunities? Sign up for our mailing lists to be notified whenever a new solicitation is released.

Sign up for our mailing lists.

Respond to Solicitation Opportunities

Submit a Bid or Proposal

Are you looking to respond to a solication and submit a bid or proposal? Check out our currently available proposals, bids, and expressions of interest to find the project that’s right for you.

View current active solicitations.

Suggest an Idea

Don’t see a solicitation that matches your interests? Reach out to us and let us know! Suggest a concession idea, and our project managers will review it and determine whether it is feasible.

Suggest an idea for a concession.

Learn More

Meet Our Concessionaires

Want to learn more about what life as a concessionaire is like? Meet some of our concessionaires and find out why they do business with NYC Parks!

Starting from the Ground Up with Thiru Kumar
Thiru Kumar came to New York City as an immigrant from Sri Lanka, and created a foodie institution in Washington Square Park with NY Dosas, the city's first all-vegetarian and vegan pushcart.

Bringing Exquisite Dining to the Community with Melba Wilson
Melba Wilson went from Wall Street to hospitality, and expanded Melba's Restaurant, one of Harlem's premier comfort food destinations, to Wollman Rink in Central Park.

Browse Our Concessions Directory

Check out our Concessions Directory to get a better understanding of our agency’s concessions.