In the very beginning, we were called Munchies Orange County or Munchies OC for short. Munchies OC was a passionate pop up created and led by a family of 4 Vegan “20 - something - year olds”; Chloe Ruiz, Garrett Nibarger (also known as “G”), Leo Orange, and Chef Skyler Tanksley. Chloe is Skys life long partner, Leo’s Skylers brother + business partner for over 10 years, and G’s one of the main reasons Skyler, Chloe, and LEO are all Vegan!  That’s right!  A family owned and operated establishment built from scratch. No corporate or big investor hand outs here. The families motto is simple, “Plant food is our form of activism”.

 

They'd start this beautiful journey by selling breakfast sandwiches (you know them now as “VcMuffins”) from their home on weekends. With tons of orders barreling in.  Their operations quickly outgrowing their home, quit their jobs, and within two weeks from starting, were vending on the streets of Orange County/Los Angeles 3-6 times a week.  The plan was to serve made-to-order organic street food under a 10x10 canopy and serve our Munch Members who would track us down from online/Instagram or just any hungry, curious pedestrian walking by our booth. They figured the more people who would try their food and get familiar with the concept and brand, the more they’d want it.Rain or shine, they were determined to serve their surrounding communities (primarily their hometown of Santa Ana ) and had plans to get deep rooted through a brick and mortar thanks to the help of the public’s undying support.  

 

After 8 months of consistent vending 6 days a week, working through holidays like Easter, and the non-stop support from our Munch Members.. Munchies OC was able to become the first Vegan Diner in Orange County and now soon, Southern California. This evolution gave birth to the name Munchies Diner who you all know now.  Munchies Diner is led by Executive Chef and Restaurateur Skyler Tanksley who’s built a a team of experienced Sous Chefs that have all specialized in creating experiences that offer high quality, organic produce, in the form of a tasty, yet, nostalgic diner-style fare. The intuitive understanding on textures, flavors, and fusions + the passion to prove that “everything can be turned vegan” is what makes our Head Chef and his team so damn special.  

 

If you’ve read this far, we’d like to give thanks to all of the munch members and humans who’ve supported us in the beginning to get us here, as well as those who continue to do so now. We as a group are beyond grateful and still blown away at how our little passion project has grown into our livelihoods. We’ll never stop working on our dream to spread awareness through food and it makes us smile every damn day knowing we have humans like you helping us along the way.Love and Light.
 

- Sky, Chloe, G, Leo