The City of Madison Vending Oversight Committee discussed the evaluations and site assignments of last week's vending-cart assessments at a meeting Wednesday.

The top three carts in this year's evaluation were Athenian Garden, scoring 100.13; Johnson Brothers Coffee, scoring 98.80; and the Thai House, scoring 98.07.

Warren Hansen, street-vending coordinator for the Department of Planning and Development Inspection Unit, said under his oversight, the vending-cart evaluation is not as much of a cutthroat competition as it might appear at first glance. He plans on distributing the results Thursday.

"My approach is to make sure everyone is happy," Hansen said. "Happy, shiny vendors are good for the public, good for the downtown and good for other vendors."

Hansen said he tries to convince vendors to continue at their current posts to reduce friction among vendors.

"I think I've steered vendors into keeping the sites they have now," Hansen said. "The role of the food-cart review has become a system of checks and balances to uphold the minimum standard of the vending carts, rather than a competition for the best sites."

Hansen said out of the 32 carts that were reviewed, only one challenge out of two for a spot was successful for the challenger. The location of the cart does not have as much to do with success as the quality of the product, he added.

"Some sites are obviously more convenient because they are more visible," Hansen said. "However, nobody is isolated by their location. If people like what you have, then they'll walk two blocks to get it."

The committee said it was impressed by the food it sampled at this year's review. Ald. Cindy Thomas, District 20, who is a member of the oversight committee, said she was impressed by the variety the vending carts displayed.

"I was impressed by the diversity and taste in this year's carts," Thomas said.

However, committee member Karen Foxgrover said some carts met a higher level of quality than others.

"I tasted the food with a friend of mine," Foxgrover said. "He said he loved the food at one cart, but when we went to taste the food at a different cart, he said, 'I think we've moved a step down at this cart.'"

Results of the evaluation displayed that cart reviewers enjoyed some vending carts more than others, as scores ranged from 100.13 down to 73.13.

Committee members and other panelists scored the carts in three categories: food, on a scale of zero to 40; apparatus, on a scale of zero to 40; and originality, on a scale of 0 to 20. Carts are also awarded one extra point for each year of seniority, with a cap of seven.

"I'll be taking copies of the vending-site assignments to the city clerk and distributing the ranks and assignments to vendors," Hansen said. "I also e-mail the results to about 40 people who are interested in what goes on with the Vending Oversight Committee."