“Where are they today?”
Discovery is fragmented across social feeds, search results, event pages, and word of mouth.
Seattle-first · Product in development
Find the truck.
Follow the flavor.
FoodTrack is being designed to give diners one reliable place to find nearby food trucks—and give mobile operators a simpler way to keep locations, schedules, menus, and updates current.
The problem
Mobile kitchens.
Static maps.
Food trucks move. Most discovery tools do not. Operators repeat schedule updates across social channels and websites; diners still call, search, or simply drive around hoping to find what is open.
FoodTrack is focused on closing that gap with current location information and a product simple enough for operators to keep accurate.
“Did everyone see the update?”
Publishing the same location and hours repeatedly takes time without guaranteeing reach.
Initial customer discovery
Research before roadmap.
The concept began in a University of Washington entrepreneurship course and was shaped through a small, local research sample. These are early signals—not claims of market-wide adoption.
10Seattle-area food trucks surveyed
33Local diners surveyed
2In-depth operator interviews
$50–75Proposed monthly operator range tested
What we heard
Operators want customers to know where they are and when they are there. Diners want a single place they can trust.
The product concept
One source of truth.
Two sides of the market.
FoodTrack is being scoped as a focused discovery and publishing layer—not another generic restaurant directory.
Current locations
Live or operator-confirmed locations that reflect where a truck is serving now.
●Schedules & updates
One place to publish service windows and changes without asking diners to chase multiple feeds.
Menus & filters
Menus, dietary preferences, and useful details available before a diner makes the trip.
Relevant alerts
Opt-in notifications based on location, favorites, availability, and preference—not noise.
How it is designed to work
Publish once. Discover nearby. Show up hungry.
- 01
Operators confirm
A truck publishes or verifies its location, hours, menu, and updates.
- 02
Diners discover
Nearby options appear through a location-based map and preference filters.
- 03
Both sides benefit
Diners waste less time searching; operators gain visibility when and where it matters.
Proposed business model
Free to find.
Worth paying to be found.
The current model keeps access free for diners and tests a subscription for operators. Early interviews supported exploring a $50–$75 monthly range when the platform can demonstrate meaningful diner reach and sales value.
Under validation
Pricing, feature tiers, advertising, partnerships, and unit economics remain hypotheses to test. FoodTrack is not presented as launched or revenue-generating.
Development roadmap
Seattle first.
Reliability first.
The first release should solve the core workflow exceptionally well before expanding into ordering, loyalty, or broader marketplace features.
Problem & workflow validation
Continue operator interviews, narrow the first release, and test how locations should be confirmed with the least friction.
Prototype & pilot
Build a working prototype, recruit a small Seattle-area operator cohort, and measure accuracy, engagement, and repeat use.
Launch discipline
Refine onboarding and pricing from pilot evidence before expanding geography or product complexity.
Building FoodTrack
Meet Sydney Ohlemann.
Sydney is a junior at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business, double majoring in Finance and Entrepreneurship.
FoodTrack grew from a venture case she co-developed with three UW classmates in ENTRE 370. Her management experience at Sugar + Spoon—including hiring, training, scheduling, stakeholder communication, and helping lead a Roslyn relocation that increased sales 60%—gave the team a direct view into mobile operations and the cost of inaccurate discovery.
Sydney is continuing the concept beyond the classroom through deeper customer discovery, product definition, business-model testing, and technical collaboration.
Early conversations
Operate a truck?
Chase down lunch?
We want to hear where current discovery tools break down—and what a simple, trustworthy first version must get right.
sydney.ohlemann@outlook.com Product research and early-access interest · No mailing list or automated signup