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At a busy intersection across Tanforan Mall in San Bruno sits Hangry Planet gas station and car wash at 1199 El Camino Real. While some drivers stop by to fuel their vehicles, other customers are drawn in by oddities abound – life-sized merman statues on the roof, assertive posters with phrases like “no animals terrorized here,” and the smell of plant-based barbecue slung out by the green Vegan Mob food truck sitting in the lot. Step inside the store and you’ll find rows of plant-based snacks, beverages, sandwiches and grab-and-go items stocking the shelves.
Hangry Planet is no ordinary gas station and convenience store (c-store). That’s exactly how founder and Peninsula native Bobak Bakhtiari designed it after taking over his father’s role as owner of the business in 2013, when it was operating as a Shell gas station. Touted as the world’s first plant-based convenience store, the Hangry Planet brand launched and the station made the switch to vegan products in 2021. Two years later, the business separated from Shell after Bakhtiari’s 10-year supply agreement ended in November 2023.
Bakhtiari’s own journey to veganism was spurred by watching animal rights organization Animal Recovery Mission’s undercover investigation into the sources of Coca Cola-owned Fairlife, including farms accused of abusing their dairy cows.
“It was as if my soul got tased by a deeply hidden truth: that for all my life, I was unknowingly sponsoring animal terror by consuming dairy products,” Bakhtiari said. “(The documentary) was an eye-opener that triggered my transition to plant-based living and soon after my c-store’s transition.”
Open 24 hours a day, customers will find an array of plant-based items for sale. Think Laird Superfood coffee and dairy-free hot cocoa, and baked goods from local vegan vendors, such as Oakland’s Donut Farm and Santa Cruz’s Black China Bakery. On a milk run? You’ll only find dairy-free brands such as Daiya, Eclipse, Forager and Wicked here.
Healthier alternatives to salty snacks, such as Siete Foods grain-free chips and Simply 7 lentil chips, are also available. An Oatly soft serve machine is on hand for those wanting a cool treat. The “Hangry Bliss” breakfast sandwiches are also a customer favorite, consisting of spices, Just Egg, Beyond Meat and Follow Your Heart cheese and prepared in-house by head chef Joss Montiel. The product offerings evolve constantly thanks to a rigorous Producer Session, where staff weigh in on the taste and sustainability practices of the brands stocked in store.
Barbecue, but make it vegan
Eager to provide customers with more meal options, Bakhtiari recently partnered with Toriano Gordon, founder and CEO of Vegan Mob, a plant-based barbecue and soul food truck. Two weeks after Bakhtiari learned about the eatery, a partnership was formed and the first franchise location of Vegan Mob opened in February. The food truck is now permanently parked at Hangry Planet and open Tuesday through Sunday.
Gordon grew up eating Texas-style barbecue since his grandmother was from Houston. When Gordon switched to a vegan diet for health reasons and later decided to open his own restaurant, his goal was to reimagine his favorite barbecue dishes as plant-based recipes.
While Vegan Mob’s first brick-and-mortar location in Oakland closed in 2023 after a successful four-year run, Gordon has expanded to the greater Bay Area, with a Vallejo restaurant on the horizon in addition to operations in Santa Rosa and at Hangry Planet. So far, the response from the Peninsula community has been welcoming and positive.
“The people are showing up and enjoying the location,” Gordon said. “Bobak is an awesome franchise partner with a great concept in Hangry Planet. It’s a great fit.”
Vegan Mob’s menu features saucy plant-based barbecue meats like brisket, hot links, barbecued fried shrimp and Louisiana fried chicken, hearty Southern-inspired side dishes, tacos, sandwiches and combo plates. Gordon recommends first-time visitors try the spicy fried chicken plate or the soul rolls, a sweet and savory deep-fried spring roll filled with candied yams and “Smackaronni” (macaroni and cheese). His personal favorite is the lumpia and the garlic noodles combo, all of which are available for pickup and delivery. Parking at Hangry Planet is limited, but customers can also find parking along El Camino Real.
‘A devout weirdo’
Alongside food offerings, Hangry Planet brings in interactive elements to draw visitors. T-Rex, Poseidon, dragon and giant mushroom statues decorate the lot. It is not unusual to hear music blasting from the station speakers and see visitors posing with a statue of the dinosaur gobbling a statue of a world leader. A dollar-operated fortune teller sits next to the ice freezer, and bright posters with positive messaging hang at the entrance, such as “feel beautiful, not junky.” At one point, Bakhitiari hoped to install a decorative whale’s mouth at the end of the car wash lane (the local planning department put a halt to this idea.)
These whimsical touches are not by accident, Bakhtiari said, and it’s a tone that also carries through in Hangry Planet’s branding and his own online presence. An actor with credits on TV shows including “Silicon Valley,” “Scandal,” “NCIS” and “Homeland,” Bakhtiari calls himself a “rustic cherub in human form” with an “Unusually Hairy Chest” in his IMDb profile.
“At Hangry Planet, we’re all about providing cruelty-free foods that wrap your taste buds in an intergalactic quilt, while making our planet feel as loved as a puppy at a belly rub festival,” the store’s website reads.
“(The brand) is rooted in a colorful playfulness and a desire to share appreciation of pushing creative boundaries,” said Bakhtiari. “I feel honored to have been called a devout weirdo, an offbeat clown and a wild lunatic of play.”
Creating change
This penchant for playfulness is grounded in a desire to create real change and educate the public on the environmental value of plant-based living. Hangry Planet gives back 11% of net proceeds to a variety of humanitarian organizations, including Moms Against Poverty, which builds schools and orphanages, Food & Water Watch, Animal Equality and Animal Recovery Mission. All profits from merch purchases also support animal protection organizations. In 2023, Hangry Planet raised over $33,000 for humanitarian efforts.
Convenience store staples such as lottery tickets and tobacco products are also available. Looking to the future, Bakhtiari is dedicated to building the Hangry Planet brand as an ethically responsible model for c-stores, car washes and gas stations. Bakhtiari makes a point of supporting fellow vegan businesses and counts Sky Cafe in South San Francisco and Phono Bar and Shizen in San Francisco as favorites. Core to Hangry Planet’s mission is to expand healthy, whole foods and plant-based options on the Peninsula and beyond.
“We have been approached by investors to expand in California and in Michigan, but have no solidified plans for expansion yet,” Bakhtiari said. “I am excited about blooming our educational arm around sustainability and continuing to build public awareness of how our food choices impact animals and the environment.”
Hangry Planet, 1199 El Camino Real, San Bruno; 415-752-7488, Instagram: @thehangryplanet. Open 24 hours a day seven days a week.
Vegan Mob, 1199 El Camino Real, San Bruno; Instagram: @officialveganmob. Open Tuesday to Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that all products at Hangry Planet are vegan.
