Editor’s note: This article has been updated since original publication to remove the mention of Burger’s Ya Heard. Even though the eatery was popping up in Baton Rouge on the app this morning, it is only available in New Orleans.
A few months ago, 225 Dine heard about about a new app in the works that intended to make finding food trucks easier. Nomad, which tracks food trucks’ locations and allows users to order meals for quick pick-up, was still in its early stages in Baton Rouge.
After a complete redesign and new features, the app has now fully launched in our area with two food trucks already up and running.
Ellen and Walter Gugenberger first dreamt up the idea while working in Washington, D.C. Food trucks were popular, but the lines were extremely long, often sucking up precious lunch break time. They decided to develop an app with mobile food truck ordering, eliminating long lines and wait times.
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Nomad debuted first in New Orleans back in 2018. It was an immediate hit.
“People were so excited about the idea of not having to wait in line at their food trucks,” Ellen says.
Soon after the app’s launch, the Nomad team set their sights on a new location: Baton Rouge. Ellen grew up here and attended LSU. She says her hometown’s rapidly growing restaurant scene motivated her to bring the app to the Red Stick.
“Food choices in Baton Rouge have improved daily over the past couple of years, and food trucks have been a very important part of that process,” she says. “They have added a lot of life and color to the food scene in the Capital City, and we are just excited to be a part of people trying new things.”
The app’s newest features include improved location and order functionality, as well as an option to directly tip the food truck workers.
To use Nomad, users must download the free app and make an account. A map will show all active food trucks in the user’s area. They can then browse menus, order and pay through the app. Users will be notified when their order is ready for pickup, where they can cut the line and immediately enjoy their food.
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Currently, the app offers locations and ordering for Mr. Ronnie’s Famous Hot Donuts and Fete au Fete StrEATery. Ellen says there are many more food trucks that will be coming within the next few weeks, and she hopes all food trucks will join the app for the sake of business and customers alike.
“People are so receptive to new and exciting things [here],” she says. “We are hopeful Baton Rouge will allow us to be a part of the changes happening in the city.”
You can download Nomad in the app store, or check out its website for more information.