Results announced for 2025 City of Madison Food Cart Review
posted
The City of Madison’s annual Food Cart Review, which helps determine where food vendors will be located for the next vending season, has been completed and the final scores have been tallied.
This year’s reviews were held between September 8, 2025, and October 5, 2025. A team of 26 volunteers conducted this year’s review, which included a total of 43 vendors, 37 of which completed the review process.
In order to qualify for a spot, vendors need to score at least 70 or higher in the review process. Applicants were informed of the scoring results in the last week.
How Scores Are Determined
Volunteers were asked to score each food cart based not only on the food, but also a list of other criteria, including:
- Design and Visual Impact (15 points)
- Graphics and Signage (10 points)
- Cleanliness and Maintenance (15 points)
- Food Flavor (20 points)
- Menu (10 points)
- Presentation (10 points)
- Originality and Creativity (10 points)
- Total Experience (10 points)
Total scores are a combination of:
Raw Average Score: The average score after discarding the highest and lowest overall scores.
Adjusted Average Score: The Raw Average Score minus any demerit or violation points. Demerits include missing scheduled vending days and health code violation citations issued between September 1 and August 31 of the previous year.
Seniority: Adds bonus points for the number of years a food cart has been active in the Mall/Concourse Vending Area, up to 5 points.
The Adjusted Average Score determines eligibility for a spot in the Mall/Concourse Vending Area, while the Final Score determines the order in which carts will be able to choose their vending locations.
2025 Food Cart Review Rankings
Rank | Cart | Raw Adj. Avg. | Missed Days | Demerits | Final Adj. Avg. | Seniority | Total Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Surco Cart 2 | 93.64 | 0 | 0 | 93.64 | 5 | 98.64 |
2 | Braisin’ Hussies | 93.00 | 0 | 0 | 93.00 | 5 | 98.00 |
3 | Surco Peruvian Foods | 92.58 | 0 | 0 | 92.58 | 5 | 97.58 |
4 | Caracas Arepas | 91.08 | 0 | 0 | 91.08 | 5 | 96.08 |
5 | Common Pasta | 91.05 | 0 | 0 | 91.05 | 5 | 96.05 |
6 | Teriyaki Samurai | 90.65 | 0 | 0 | 90.65 | 5 | 95.65 |
7 | Taquitos Marimar | 90.45 | 0 | 0 | 90.45 | 5 | 95.45 |
8 | Hibachi Hut | 90.41 | 0 | 0 | 90.41 | 5 | 95.41 |
9 | Fresh Cool Drinks | 90.05 | 0 | 0 | 90.05 | 5 | 95.05 |
10 | Curt’s Gourmet Popcorn | 89.96 | 0 | 0 | 89.96 | 5 | 94.96 |
11 | Bulgogi Korean Taco | 89.50 | 0 | 1 | 88.50 | 5 | 93.50 |
12 | Natural Juice | 88.42 | 0 | 0 | 88.42 | 5 | 93.42 |
13 | Bombay Fast Cafe | 89.05 | 0 | 1 | 88.05 | 5 | 93.05 |
14 | Pagoda Smoothie | 87.92 | 0 | 0 | 87.92 | 5 | 92.92 |
15 | El Burrito Loco | 88.82 | 1 | 0 | 87.82 | 5 | 92.82 |
16 | Caracas Empanadas | 87.55 | 0 | 0 | 87.55 | 5 | 92.55 |
17 | Ernie’s Kettle Korn | 87.45 | 0 | 0 | 87.45 | 5 | 92.45 |
18 | The Roost | 89.39 | 0 | 0 | 89.39 | 3 | 92.39 |
19 | Empanada Haus | 90.38 | 0 | 0 | 90.38 | 2 | 92.38 |
20 | Stellie’s Ice Cream | 89.10 | 0 | 0 | 89.10 | 2 | 91.10 |
21 | Toast | 86.04 | 0 | 0 | 86.04 | 5 | 91.04 |
22 | Curd Girl | 82.25 | 0 | 0 | 82.25 | 5 | 90.25 |
23 | The Shop by EBNS | 90.09 | 0 | 0 | 90.09 | 0 | 90.09 |
24 | Thai-Riffic | 84.33 | 0 | 0 | 84.33 | 5 | 89.33 |
25 | Jolly Frog | 87.87 | 0 | 0 | 87.87 | 1 | 88.87 |
26 | Little Tibet | 88.36 | 0 | 0 | 88.36 | 0 | 88.36 |
27 | CREPUW | 88.22 | 0 | 0 | 88.22 | 0 | 88.22 |
28 | Thailand in a Truck | 84.71 | 1 | 0 | 83.71 | 4 | 87.71 |
29 | Take Two Bakery | 85.26 | 0 | 0 | 85.26 | 2 | 87.26 |
30 | China Cottage | 81.33 | 0 | 0 | 81.33 | 5 | 86.33 |
31 | Sandwich Hub | 84.52 | 0 | 0 | 84.52 | 1 | 85.52 |
32 | Inspired Alchemy | 85.23 | 0 | 0 | 85.23 | 0 | 85.23 |
33 | M&J Jamaican Kitch’n | 81.43 | 0 | 0 | 81.43 | 3 | 84.43 |
34 | COOPA CO | 82.00 | 0 | 0 | 82.00 | 1 | 83.00 |
35 | King of Falafel | 80.10 | 0 | 0 | 80.10 | 2 | 82.10 |
36 | Anatolian Bites | 81.18 | 0 | 0 | 81.18 | 0 | 81.18 |
37 | Eaton BBQ | 69.48 | 0 | 0 | 69.48 | 0 | 69.48 |
What Happens Next
The City of Madison’s Vending Oversight Committee will approve the official map of vending locations before the end of the year. Once the map is approved, the City’s Street Vending Program Supervisor will work with vendors to assign sites, with the highest-scoring carts getting priority. The sites will be available when the 2026-2027 Vending Season begins on April 15, 2026.
Applicants will be offered a site according to their rank based on their first, second, and third-choice site preferences listed on an application form that will be available after the 2026-2027 Mall/Concourse Vending Site Map is approved.
Based on the number of vending sites anticipated and the number of carts that completed the 2025 review, there will not be a waiting list for the 2026-2027 vending season.
