XU Restaurant
BAO is a privately held Taiwanese restaurant group operating seven London sites (Soho, Borough, King's Cross, Marylebone, City, Shoreditch, Battersea) with six private karaoke rooms, a Webby Award-winning loyalty app, and packaged occasion experiences serving consumer diners, groups, and corporate event clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What XU Restaurant does
BAO is a privately held Taiwanese restaurant group operating seven locations across London (Soho, Borough, King's Cross, Marylebone, City, Shoreditch, and Battersea), founded in 2012 as a performance art installation and commercialised from 2013 by family trio Erchen Chang, Shing Tat Chung, and Wai Ting Chung. The group runs four site formats — Xiao Chi House, Grill House, Bao Eatery, and Noodle Shop — with a core menu of bao buns, xiao chi (small dishes), rice bowls, grilled dishes, and noodle soups, complemented by cocktails and bubble tea. Four of the seven sites host private karaoke rooms (six KTV rooms in total) with 300,000+ songs, no room hire fee, and a minimum spend model on food and drink, plus digital in-room ordering screens.
The business generates revenue primarily through dine-in at seven London sites (mix of walk-in and SevenRooms reservations), Deliveroo delivery and proprietary click-and-collect, and packaged occasion experiences including birthday, hen-do, and kids karaoke parties (£15–£95 per person). A Webby Award-winning loyalty app, BAOverse, drives repeat visits via BAOcoins and tiered membership (Tourist, Visa, Resident, Lonely Club). Supplementary revenue streams include private venue hire (up to 150 standing at Shoreditch), merchandise (t-shirts, tote bags, cookbooks), and digital or printed gift vouchers sold via a dedicated storefront. The company is founder-owned with no disclosed external investment, employs 200+ staff, and holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand at BAO Soho for nine consecutive years and the Sunday Times Best Place to Work 2024 award.
XU Restaurant firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- XU Restaurant
- Legal name
- BAO
- Website
- https://xulondon.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- BAO is a privately held Taiwanese restaurant group operating seven London sites (Soho, Borough, King's Cross, Marylebone, City, Shoreditch, Battersea) with six private karaoke rooms, a Webby Award-winning loyalty app, and packaged occasion experiences serving consumer diners, groups, and corporate event clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
XU Restaurant industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Karaoke Bars & KTV Lounges (MPAGAIAG), Asian Fast Casual (Pan-Asian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Korean) (THAFABAE)
Keywords
Where XU Restaurant is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
XU Restaurant business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Restaurant Dining (Food & Beverage): Revenue from 7 restaurant locations across London offering Taiwanese cuisine including bao buns, noodle soups, rice bowls, grilled dishes, and drinks. Covers dine-in service across all locations.
- Karaoke (KTV) Room Bookings: Revenue from private karaoke room bookings across 6 karaoke rooms (New York Room, Taipei Room, Paris Texas Room, Hong Kong Room, Pixel Room, Control Room). No room hire fee; revenue generated through minimum spend requirements on food and drink.
- Delivery & Takeaway: Delivery partnership with Deliveroo across all 7 locations. Click & collect available at all locations. Dedicated takeout hatches at Borough Market and Shoreditch.
- Gift Vouchers: Sale of monetary gift voucher experiences available as digital or printed vouchers with codes redeemable in restaurants.
- Merchandise & Retail: Sale of merchandise including t-shirts, tote bags, and cookbooks available at all restaurant locations.
- Loyalty Program (BAOverse): Tiered loyalty program generating repeat visits and customer retention. Customers earn BAOcoins on dining.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | BAO15 Set Menu - Weekday Lunch Deal |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | KTV Karaoke - No Room Hire |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | KTV Birthday Package - Bronze |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | KTV Birthday Package - Silver |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | KTV Birthday Package - Gold |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | KTV Hen Do Package - Bronze |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | KTV Hen Do Package - Silver |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | KTV Hen Do Package - Gold |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids Karaoke Party Package |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Hong Kong Room KTV - Marylebone |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Paris, Texas Room KTV - Borough |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | New York Room KTV - City |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Taipei Room KTV - City |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Control Room KTV - Battersea |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Pixel Room KTV - Shoreditch |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
XU Restaurant product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BAO operates a London-based restaurant group serving Taiwanese cuisine — including bao buns, noodle soups, rice bowls, grilled dishes, and xiao chi (small plates) — across seven locations. Four of the venues also offer six private karaoke (KTV) rooms with over 300,000 songs, generating revenue through minimum-spend packages and tiered party offerings. The group supports dine-in, Deliveroo delivery, click & collect, private venue hire, and gift voucher sales, with the BAOverse loyalty app driving repeat visits.
Product overview
BAO is an award-winning Taiwanese restaurant group operating seven restaurants across London, combining authentic xiao chi (small dishes) with immersive designed interiors. The core offering spans bao buns, rice bowls, grilled dishes, and noodle soups, complemented by six private karaoke (KTV) rooms featuring over 300,000 songs. The BAOverse loyalty app (Webby Award winner) provides tiered rewards, while delivery/takeaway services extend reach via Deliveroo and Click & Collect. Additional revenue streams include private hire venues, karaoke party packages (birthday, hen do, kids), and gift vouchers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BAO Restaurants (Dine-in) Seven award-winning Taiwanese restaurants across London (Soho, Borough, King's Cross, Marylebone, City, Shoreditch, Battersea) serving bao buns, xiao chi (small dishes), rice bowls, noodles, and grilled dishes for dine-in customers.
- BAO KTV Private Karaoke Rooms Six private karaoke rooms (New York Room, Taipei Room, Paris Texas Room, Hong Kong Room, Pixel Room, Control Room) across four venues with over 300,000 songs. No room hire fee; minimum spend of £35 per person on food and drink in a 2-hour slot.
- BAOverse Loyalty App Webby Award-winning loyalty app where customers earn BAOcoins by dining in and inputting receipt codes. Tiered membership (Tourist, Visa, Resident, Lonely Club) unlocks escalating perks and rewards across the restaurant group.
- Delivery & Takeaway Service Food delivery and takeaway service available across all seven BAO locations through a Deliveroo partnership and a proprietary click & collect system, with dedicated takeout hatches at Borough Market and Shoreditch.
- Private Hire & Events Exclusive venue hire for corporate events, launches, large private parties, and celebrations, with dedicated spaces across King's Cross (max 118 standing), Shoreditch (max 150 standing), and multiple private dining rooms.
- BAO Gift Vouchers Monetary gift voucher experiences available as digital or printed vouchers with codes redeemable at any BAO restaurant location.
- Karaoke Birthday Packages Tiered karaoke birthday packages offered in Bronze (£45/person), Silver (£55/person), and Gold (£85/person) tiers, each including 2 hours of private karaoke, themed food, and drinks with a 6-guest minimum.
- Karaoke Hen Do Packages Tiered hen do karaoke party packages offered in Bronze (£50/person), Silver (£65/person), and Gold (£95/person) tiers with KTV sharing menus, drinks, and themed extras.
- Kids Karaoke Parties Family-friendly karaoke package priced at £15 per person with a minimum of 6 guests, including a BAO kids set menu and BAO Mini Tote. Available on Sundays and Mondays at BAO Battersea only.
Quantifiable outcome
- Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition for BAO Soho for 9 consecutive years
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use XU Restaurant
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
XU Restaurant technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature4 records
XU Restaurant partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- DeliveroocoreDelivery partnership with Deliveroo enabling food delivery from all 7 BAO restaurant locations across London.
- SevenRoomscoreReservation and booking platform used for restaurant table bookings and karaoke room reservations across all BAO locations.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
XU Restaurant competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Yo! Sushi (YO!): Long-established UK Japanese/Asian casual dining chain with multi-location London footprint. Comparable as a scaled Asian casual operator with branded technology integration, though positioned as conveyor-belt sushi rather than Taiwanese.
- Wagamama: Established UK pan-Asian casual dining chain with strong brand recognition. Comparable as a scaled UK Asian casual dining operator, though positioned more broadly across Asian noodle and rice dishes rather than specialising in Taiwanese cuisine.
Direct peers
- Ping Pong: London dim sum and Asian small-plates chain with multiple sites. Comparable on multi-location London casual Asian dining model, although its cuisine focus is broader pan-Asian rather than Taiwanese-specific.
- Din Tai Fung: Globally recognised Taiwanese restaurant group with locations in London. Directly comparable on cuisine (Taiwanese), premium positioning, and food-led brand, though at substantially larger scale and without the KTV-led entertainment layer BAO has built.
- Busaba Eathai: UK casual dining chain focused on Thai/pan-Asian cuisine with multiple London locations. Comparable on multi-site London casual Asian dining footprint, design-led interiors, and lunch set-menu pricing structure.
- Lucky Voice: UK private karaoke venue chain. Comparable on the private KTV offering, themed rooms, and group-booking-led model, though without BAO's full restaurant service integrated into each room.
- Mr Bao: London-based Taiwanese restaurant and bar group also specialising in bao buns and Taiwanese small plates. Closest direct competitor in terms of cuisine, price point, and London-only footprint, though at smaller scale than BAO.
- Inamo: London Asian-fusion restaurant group notable for integrating interactive in-table ordering technology. Comparable to BAO on the fusion of Asian dining with proprietary in-restaurant tech (ordering, loyalty), though cuisine mix differs.
- Tattu: Premium modern Chinese restaurant group with London and UK regional sites. Comparable on design-led, premium-priced Asian dining with experiential positioning and strong PR profile, though focused on Chinese rather than Taiwanese cuisine.
Emerging players
- Miznon: London-based Israeli street food and pita concept with multiple UK sites. Comparable on design-led casual dining in London with strong press profile and small-plates format, though cuisine category differs.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
XU Restaurant social profiles
Digital presenceXU Restaurant financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
XU Restaurant leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
XU Restaurant funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
XU Restaurant M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about XU Restaurant
What does XU Restaurant do?
BAO operates a London-based restaurant group serving Taiwanese cuisine — including bao buns, noodle soups, rice bowls, grilled dishes, and xiao chi (small plates) — across seven locations. Four of the venues also offer six private karaoke (KTV) rooms with over 300,000 songs, generating revenue through minimum-spend packages and tiered party offerings. The group supports dine-in, Deliveroo delivery, click & collect, private venue hire, and gift voucher sales, with the BAOverse loyalty app driving repeat visits.
Is XU Restaurant a public or private company?
XU Restaurant is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was XU Restaurant founded?
XU Restaurant was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is XU Restaurant based?
XU Restaurant is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does XU Restaurant make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Dining (Food & Beverage) is the primary driver. The others are karaoke (KTV) Room Bookings, delivery & Takeaway, gift Vouchers, merchandise & Retail and loyalty Program (BAOverse).
Who are XU Restaurant's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Yo! Sushi (YO!) and Wagamama. Direct peers are Ping Pong, Din Tai Fung, Busaba Eathai, Lucky Voice, Mr Bao, Inamo and Tattu. Miznon is listed as an emerging player.
Does XU Restaurant have an API?
No public API is recorded for XU Restaurant.
What industry is XU Restaurant in?
XU Restaurant's product category is Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAD, Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants, with a secondary code of MPAGAIAG, Karaoke Bars & KTV Lounges. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.