Madison hosts programs to expand the reach of local food carts

For Madison residents that frequent the State St. and Capitol Square areas, food carts are a familiar sight and provide a quick meal.  Two programs, Let’s Eat Out Madison and city-sponsored Madison Meet and Eat, are helping to expand the range of these food carts to other local neighborhoods.

Let’s Eat Out Madison was initiated by the food carts SoHo Gourmet Cuisines and Slide in the fall of 2012.  The goal of the program is largely to bring food carts to different neighborhoods so more people have the opportunity to try the food.

“We are pioneers to serve dinner,” said Rocky So, owner of SoHo.  SoHo Gourmet Cuisines at Let's Eat Out Madison on Midvale Blvd.

Most food cart owners make the majority of their sales around lunchtime, but Let’s Eat Out Madison gives people the chance to purchase a food cart dinner, according to So.

Let’s Eat Out has expanded to three locations and takes place every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday starting at 5 p.m.  The food carts serve about 200-400 people a night at Midvale Elementary, one of the initial and most popular Let’s Eat Out locations, according to So.

The program started with four carts, but as many as seven carts may be present on any given night. 

The ideal number of carts is five, So said.  In order to be successful, the food carts must learn what food sells best in each neighborhood.  Vegetarian sells better on Atwood, and kid-friendly food sells better at the Midvale location, which is behind the playground at the elementary school, according to So.

“We traverse this street frequently,” said two Let’s Eat Out Madison regulars at Midvale.  They represent the majority of attendees who live in the surrounding neighborhoods and bike or walk their dogs to the event.

A similar scene was portrayed at Madison Meet and Eat on Thursday, July 11 at the Meadowood Shopping Center.  Although parking spots were plentiful, the majority of people were local residents and walked with their family and friends.

Madison Meet and Eat was initiated by Mayor Paul Soglin last summer at Meadowood.  The event brings neighbors together according to Katie Crawley, a spokeswoman for the Mayor, and lets them try different varieties of food.

Madison Meet and Eat draws a large crowd at Meadowood Shopping Center.Three neighborhoods are currently involved: Meadowood, Villager Mall and St. Paul Lutheran Church.

“We bring the food carts to neighborhoods considered food deserts,” said Laura Whitmore, Madison Parks marketing coordinator.  “They don’t have a lot of places to walk and get food,” she said.

In an effort to ensure that food is affordable for everyone, residents may be eligible for $2-off food vouchers from the City, and vendors are requested to provide an item for $3 or less, according to Crawley.

Madison Meet and Eat draws a comparable crowd to Let’s Eat Out Madison averaging 300-500 people per event, according to Whitmore.

“I love getting out with my neighbors.  You meet people you wouldn’t meet everyday,” said a Meadowood resident.

“This is a good testament to the community that they have opened up their neighborhoods,” said Whitmore.  “It’s pretty fun to have a consistent event ... it pops up and then it’s gone,” she said.

Andrew Tyink, co-owner of Dandy's Frozen Treats, serving organic treats at Meadowood.

Events such as Let’s Eat Out and Meet and Eat are just as significant for food cart entrepreneurs as for the neighborhoods involved.  These gatherings provide important exposure for each food cart business, especially for the newer carts like Dandy’s Frozen Treats.

“Once we get our brand out there it will be a little better,” said Andrew Tyink, co-owner of Dandy’s Frozen Treats.  He plans to be at all future Madison Meet and Eat Events.