Chubby Cattle
Chubby Cattle is a US restaurant chain operating all-you-can-eat premium Wagyu BBQ, Shabu Shabu, and Hotpot concepts across roughly ten locations, serving affluent experiential diners via tiered per-cover pricing and a vertically integrated Wagyu supply chain.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersNovi, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Chubby Cattle does
Chubby Cattle is a privately held US restaurant chain operating under the Chubby Group parent, founded in April 2023 in Monterey Park, California by David Zhao (Forbes 30 Under 30). The company runs three distinct all-you-can-eat dining formats — Chubby Cattle Hotpot (authentic Chinese hotpot), Chubby Cattle BBQ (Japanese yakiniku featuring American, Australian Full Blood, and Japanese A5 Wagyu), and Chubby Cattle Shabu (Japanese shabu-shabu) — priced between $45 and $98 per cover across Silver, Gold, and Diamond menu tiers. As of mid-2026, it operates roughly ten open restaurants across Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Denver, Philadelphia, the Bay Area, Atlanta, Duluth, and New York, with at least eight additional 'coming soon' sites announced in Texas, Florida, Hawaii, the greater Bay Area, Sacramento, and suburban Chicago.
The company differentiates on a vertically integrated Wagyu supply chain (company-owned ranch plus exclusive partnerships with Toriyama Umami Wagyu in Gunma, Japan and Australian Full Blood Wagyu producers), experiential technology (5D projection dining rooms, autonomous robot servers, temperature-controlled conveyor belts, tableside grilling), and a loyalty stack comprising the Chubby Club tiered rewards program and a Chubby Cattle NFT collection (1,000+ holders) that grants 'free food for life' benefits and Discord-coordinated priority seating. Revenue mechanics are predominantly transactional per-cover AYCE dining, supplemented by private/VIP event bookings (including Karaoke KTV rooms at the Rowland Heights flagship), beverage upsells, and an emerging Chubby Foods CPG retail channel.
In May 2026, Chubby Cattle entered a joint venture with NASDAQ-listed GEN Restaurant Group (GENK) under which Chubby Cattle International manages five underperforming restaurant locations expected to deliver strong EBITDA, alongside a stated $100M revenue run rate target within three years. The Chubby Group portfolio also includes adjacent brands (Niku X, Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House, Wagyu House by The X Pot, Chubby Bowls, Chubby Curry) sharing the same Wagyu supply and operational platform. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer through owned physical storefronts; the company uses Yelp for reservations, Order.online for ordering, and Discord for NFT member engagement, with no third-party delivery dependency.
Chubby Cattle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chubby Cattle
- Legal name
- Chubby Group
- Website
- https://chubbycattle.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Chubby Cattle is a US restaurant chain operating all-you-can-eat premium Wagyu BBQ, Shabu Shabu, and Hotpot concepts across roughly ten locations, serving affluent experiential diners via tiered per-cover pricing and a vertically integrated Wagyu supply chain.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chubby Cattle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Asian Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)
Keywords
Where Chubby Cattle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Novi
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices27 records
Markets served
Chubby Cattle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- All-You-Can-Eat Dining: One-time transaction model where customers pay a set price for unlimited dining during their visit. Tiered menu options (Silver, Gold, Diamond) provide different levels of Wagyu quality and menu items. Additional revenue from beverages, alcohol, and special menu items.
- Membership and Loyalty Program: Chubby Club rewards program where members earn points for every dollar spent, redeemable for free menu items, exclusive discounts, and special gifts. Members unlock elite perks at higher tiers.
- Private Events and Corporate Bookings: Revenue from hosting private dining events, corporate gatherings, and special celebrations with VIP rooms and custom catering options.
- NFT Membership: NFT collection offering Free Food For Life benefits, priority seating, and exclusive member-only experiences.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Four-tier all-you-can-eat Shabu Shabu menu |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Chubby Cattle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chubby Cattle operates premium all-you-can-eat Asian dining restaurants in the United States under three distinct concepts: Chubby Cattle BBQ (Japanese yakiniku/Wagyu BBQ), Chubby Cattle Shabu (Japanese shabu-shabu), and Chubby Cattle Hotpot (Chinese hotpot). Menus are offered in tiered formats (Silver, Gold, Diamond) sourced from the company's own ranch and partner farms in the US, Australia, and Japan. Locations feature immersive technology (robot servers, 5D projection dining rooms, conveyor belts) and accept walk-ins, Yelp reservations, private event bookings, and NFT-membership priority seating.
Product overview
Chubby Cattle operates three distinct all-you-can-eat dining concepts: Chubby Cattle BBQ (yakiniku/Wagyu BBQ), Chubby Cattle Shabu (Japanese hot pot), and Chubby Cattle Hotpot (Chinese hot pot). The company offers premium Wagyu beef across three menu tiers (Silver, Gold, Diamond) featuring U.S., Australian Full Blood, and Japanese A5 Wagyu. Technology-driven features include robot servers, 5D projection dining rooms, and food conveyor belts. The company also operates a membership rewards program (Chubby Club Rewards) and NFT collection offering free food benefits. Chubby Cattle is part of the Chubby Group hospitality company which includes other brands such as Niku X, Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House, Wagyu House by The X Pot, and Chubby Foods.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Chubby Cattle BBQ: All-you-can-eat tableside Wagyu barbecue concept featuring American, Australian Full Blood Wagyu, and Japanese A5 Wagyu.
- Chubby Cattle Shabu
- Chubby Cattle Hotpot
- Chubby Tea
- Chubby Club Rewards
Products and services
- Chubby Cattle BBQ All-you-can-eat Japanese yakiniku tableside grilling experience featuring premium Wagyu beef in Silver, Gold, and Diamond tiers (American, Australian Full Blood, and Japanese A5 Wagyu), with robot servers, 5D projection rooms, and food conveyor belts. Target customers are food enthusiasts and experiential diners.
- Chubby Cattle Shabu All-you-can-eat Japanese shabu-shabu concept with four tiers priced from $45 to $98, offering Wagyu sourced from company-owned ranches and partner farms in Australia and Japan, paired with umami-rich broths. Target customers are premium diners and groups.
- Chubby Cattle Hotpot Authentic Chinese hotpot dining experience with simmering broths, fresh meats, seafood, vegetables, mushrooms, handmade noodles, and signature house-made dipping sauces and hot sauces. Target customers are food enthusiasts seeking authentic Asian hotpot.
- Chubby Club Rewards Membership Customer loyalty program offering points for every dollar spent, with tiered status levels unlocking perks such as private concierge service, free drinks, discounts, birthday rewards, complimentary A5 Wagyu, and exclusive member-only benefits across all Chubby Cattle locations. Target users are repeat diners.
- Chubby Cattle NFT Collection NFT membership collection offering Free Food For Life benefits to holders, with priority seating reservations managed through Discord and exclusive member-only perks usable at Chubby Cattle locations nationwide. Target users are Web3 community members and brand loyalists.
- Chubby Tea Unlimited milk tea, juice, coffee, cocktails, and mocktails service offered as part of the dining experience at select Chubby Cattle locations, including the Rowland Heights flagship. Target customers are all-you-can-eat diners seeking beverage variety.
- Private Dining & VIP Rooms with Karaoke KTV Private VIP dining rooms available at select Chubby Cattle locations (notably Rowland Heights) featuring Karaoke KTV entertainment, available for private events, corporate gatherings, and celebrations with custom catering options. Target customers are corporate and private event hosts.
Quantifiable outcome
- Expected to generate strong EBITDA from five restaurants
Companies that use Chubby Cattle
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chubby Cattle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration20 records
Feature6 records
Chubby Cattle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- GEN Restaurant Group (GENK)coreJoint venture partnership where GEN Restaurant Group entered into a partnership with Chubby Cattle International to manage five underperforming restaurant locations. The partnership is expected to enhance profitability by generating strong EBITDA from the five restaurants. Chubby Cattle brings its premium Wagyu dining concept and technology-driven experience to these locations.
- Toriyama Farm (Gunma Prefecture, Japan)coreSupply partnership for authentic Japanese A5 Wagyu beef from Toriyama Umami Wagyu. The certification and sourcing partnership ensures premium quality and authenticity of Japanese Wagyu for the restaurant chain.
- Australian Wagyu ProducerscorePartnership for sourcing Australian Full Blood Wagyu beef, complementing Japanese A5 and domestic Wagyu offerings.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chubby Cattle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Sizzler: Legacy U.S. AYCE steakhouse chain. Useful historic reference for AYCE-with-premium-beef economics in the U.S. and a reminder of the margin pressure AYCE steak concepts face when beef costs rise.
Broad incumbents
- Benihana: U.S. Japanese teppanyaki/table-side dining chain with a 50+ year operating history. Comparable on Japanese-protein experiential dining and table-side cooking format, though positioned at the broader incumbent end of the casual-dining spectrum.
- Kura Sushi: Japan-headquartered tech-forward sushi chain famous for conveyor-belt automation, robot servers, and tablet-driven ordering — the closest analog in the U.S. for Chubby Cattle's technology-led dining layer, though in a different cuisine category.
- The Capital Grille: Darden-owned premium steakhouse chain. Comparable as the broader-incumbent benchmark for premium American beef-centric full-service dining and a useful reference point for the price-realism and unit-economic ceiling of Chubby Cattle's Wagyu-led offering.
- P.F. Chang's: Largest U.S. full-service Asian dining chain with national footprint. Comparable as a broader-incumbent Asian-casual benchmark against which Chubby Cattle's premium positioning differentiates itself, particularly relevant as Chubby expands into suburban shopping-mall real estate.
Others
- True Food Kitchen: Premium experiential casual-dining chain with a national footprint. Comparable as a brand- and design-driven premium casual benchmark on real-estate, pricing architecture, and unit-economics profile rather than cuisine overlap.
Direct peers
- Haidilao: Global Chinese hotpot chain operating premium AYCE hotpot with industry-leading service. Direct overlap with Chubby Cattle's Hotpot concept on format, price point, and experiential positioning, and the most established benchmark for hotpot unit economics.
- Little Sheep Mongolian Hotpot: International Chinese-style hotpot chain operating franchised AYCE locations in U.S. markets. Direct peer to Chubby Cattle's Hotpot concept on cuisine, format (AYCE), and franchise-leaning growth model.
- Gyu-Kaku: Largest U.S. Japanese yakiniku (table-grill BBQ) chain offering shared grill AYCE/prix-fixe with Wagyu options. Direct overlap with Chubby Cattle BBQ on protein (Wagyu), format (table-side grilling), and customer (experiential premium casual diners).
Emerging players
- Yakiniku Tori-Shin / Torishin: Premium New York–area Japanese yakiniku restaurant focused on Wagyu. Comparable as a high-end yakiniku benchmark relevant for Chubby Cattle's pricing and protein tiering in the U.S. East Coast.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Chubby Cattle social profiles
Digital presenceChubby Cattle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chubby Cattle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Chubby Cattle subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
Chubby Cattle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chubby Cattle 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 Chubby Cattle
What does Chubby Cattle do?
Chubby Cattle operates premium all-you-can-eat Asian dining restaurants in the United States under three distinct concepts: Chubby Cattle BBQ (Japanese yakiniku/Wagyu BBQ), Chubby Cattle Shabu (Japanese shabu-shabu), and Chubby Cattle Hotpot (Chinese hotpot). Menus are offered in tiered formats (Silver, Gold, Diamond) sourced from the company's own ranch and partner farms in the US, Australia, and Japan. Locations feature immersive technology (robot servers, 5D projection dining rooms, conveyor belts) and accept walk-ins, Yelp reservations, private event bookings, and NFT-membership priority seating.
Is Chubby Cattle a public or private company?
Chubby Cattle is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Chubby Cattle founded?
Chubby Cattle was founded in 2023. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Chubby Cattle based?
Chubby Cattle is headquartered in Novi, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chubby Cattle make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. All-You-Can-Eat Dining is the primary driver. The others are membership and Loyalty Program, private Events and Corporate Bookings and NFT Membership.
Who are Chubby Cattle's main competitors?
Sizzler is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Benihana, Kura Sushi, The Capital Grille and P.F. Chang's. True Food Kitchen is listed as an others. Direct peers are Haidilao, Little Sheep Mongolian Hotpot and Gyu-Kaku. Yakiniku Tori-Shin / Torishin is listed as an emerging player.
Does Chubby Cattle have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chubby Cattle.
What industry is Chubby Cattle in?
Chubby Cattle's product category is Premium Asian Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAE, Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.