Flying To Lunch Just Got Easier

Most everyone has heard of the “$100 Hamburger” (that started out as the $50 hamburger). Flying out to a good eatery combines two pleasures of life. Connecting those passions has always presented a challenge. Word of good airport cafes and restaurants has traditionally been spread through hangar talk. A new mobile application aims to solve the challenge for recreational aviators across the United States.

Fly-n-Eat, developed by Northeast Ohio dentist and pilot Rick Rzepka, offers pilots a comprehensive database of restaurants located at or near general aviation airports throughout the continental United States. The app is designed to integrate meal planning directly into flight planning, whether for a quick local hop or an extended cross-country journey.

“In my 22 years of flying, I have always loved an adventure that included both flying and eating,” Rzepka explains. “For years, I had been unable to find a comprehensive, real-time, up-to-date resource to connect those two favorite pursuits, so I decided to create one”.

Core Features and Functionality

The application provides pilots with essential information needed to plan dining stops before departure. Users can access airport identifiers, restaurant names, addresses, phone numbers, operating hours, and descriptions of ambience and amenities. Direct links to restaurant websites and menus allow pilots to review options in advance.

Trip planning flexibility represents a key design element. The app offers two primary modes: a “fly-eat-back” option for pilots planning out-and-back flights to a single destination, and a point-to-point search function for those planning longer cross-country routes with multiple potential stops. This dual approach accommodates different mission profiles and gives pilots the ability to structure their flights around dining objectives or add meal stops to existing travel plans.

Geographic data includes airport locations by city, state, and region, along with airport identifiers and time zone information—practical details that help pilots coordinate arrivals with restaurant operating hours.

Beyond Dining: Instructor Database

Recognizing that currency requirements occasionally catch pilots between scheduled training, Fly-n-Eat includes an additional feature: a growing database of Certified Flight Instructors (CFI) and Certificated Flight Instructor-Instrument (CFII) professionals. The database allows pilots to locate instructors along their routes, potentially combining a flight review or instrument proficiency check with a cross-country dining excursion.

“If a pilot is enroute to a destination and realizes that he or she needs a flight review, Fly-n-Eat sets them up for the perfect combination—flight certification and culinary adventure in a single trip,” Rzepka notes.

Pricing and Availability

Fly-n-Eat operates on a subscription model, offering monthly access for $4.99 or an annual subscription for $49.99. The application is available for both Apple iOS and Android devices through the App Store and Google Play.

Early user reviews on the App Store reflect positive reception, with pilots praising the convenience of consolidated information. One reviewer noted: “I was able to plan lunch around my flight plan on my way to Orlando. I will keep using this on my flights.” Another called the concept “brilliant” for eliminating the need to search multiple websites for airport dining information.

Market Context 

While Fly-n-Eat enters a niche with existing players—including the long-established Fly2Lunch.com, various crowd-sourced Google Maps collections, and some restaurant functionality on Foreflight —it positions itself as the only dedicated mobile application focused exclusively on the intersection of flying and dining. The subscription model provides potential for regular database updates, addressing a persistent challenge in this space: keeping pace with restaurant closures, ownership changes, and modified operating hours.

Aviation apps have increasingly added dining features as ancillary tools, but Fly-n-Eat’s singular focus may appeal to pilots who prioritize food destinations in their flight planning. The aviation community has long maintained informal networks for sharing information about airport restaurants, evidenced by active forum discussions and word-of-mouth recommendations. A purpose-built tool that centralizes this information could prove valuable for pilots who regularly fly to unfamiliar airports.

The application continues to expand its database coverage and refine its instructor directory as adoption grows. Additional information about Fly-n-Eat is available at www.fly-n-eat.com.