Munchies was founded by Chef Skyler Tanksley, life partner Chloe Ruiz, brother + business partner Leo Orange, and his best friend Garrett Nibarger also known as G. Yeah, its a family party over here!

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Since Sky was a child, he was fascinated and in LOVE with savory meals and wild food combinations. With a father from southern Texas and an immigrant mother from Cambodia, he grew up far from Vegan.

 

Leo and Chef had met entering college. They both had became obsessed with helping business owners develop their brands by implementing media marketing strategies. Their friendship grew into their marketing agency that ultimately gave birth to Munchies Diner.. (You'll read why in a bit)

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Around this time, Instagram + food became the new thing and the term #Foodie was coined. Skyler and Chloe were on a mission to try the sweetest, savoriest, craziest food places you can imagine. Pizza inside of a burger, donut ice cream sandwiches.. yeah you get the picture. They earned the title "the human Yelps" from their friends. Sky started re-making, adjusting, and mastering entrees they've enjoyed on dates together, at home. 

Then, Garret came into the picture and changed the whole game. G, one of Sky's closest friends and a 10-year Vegan, knew he was having certain digestive issues. Week-by-week, G would see what types of meals Sky would eat and within the same week bring the same item (but Vegan) for him to try. He would bring pizza, egg rolls, and tacos. Sky being hungry and open minded, always took the gift. After a couple weeks he started to notice his digestive issues slowly fade. One day he finally came to the conclusion that the food he was eating from G must AT LEAST be some of the reason for him feeling all-around better. "Is it really because it's vegan? Thats why my stomach accepts it?! That can't be" Sky would say to himself. I don't think he even knew what Vegan really meant at that moment. LOL

 

Sky started researching a plant-based diet. Although the benefits of lessoning animal cruelty and making a bigger impact on the world sounded great to him, he was still concerned he could never commit to it because he was "addicted" to meats and "dairies"... and then one night it hit him. 

 

He came to the conclusion that if he can make all of the same items he would eat when he was not vegan, vegan, he would have no problem making the switch. This created a new culinary passion for him turning omnivore food into vegan food with similar textures, traditions, and flavor. By this time, Leo and Sky's Agency had consulted for multiple brands in the travel, hospitality, and food space. Mostly all being non-vegan brands... Creating such success for their clients inspired them to develop a new company of their own. Something they were passionate about building and that would follow their new found ethics of veganism.

 

After spending months in the kitchen with Chloe and G recreating a menu they grew up eating. Sky was now ready to share his food to the world. Munchies OC, the first version of Munchies Diner was born that day October 25th, 2018 and due to high demand from our surrounding community, Munchies very first pop-up was November 4th, 2018. (Just two weeks after!) Although it was the most exhilarating day of our lives. It ultimately made our desire to serve our community grow even more. While most pop-ups operated 1-3 times a week. We were operating 6 days a week. As a consumer, access is what you want and at Munchies, we learned that.

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Our communities undying support made our hard work and efforts worth it because in 7 months and 210 pop-up events later, Munchies Diner was born!