Zao Asian Cafe

What Zao Asian Cafe does

Zao Asian Cafe, operating as Zao Stores, LLC, is a privately held fast-casual restaurant chain headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. The company operates 25+ locations across Utah, Idaho, and Colorado, serving customizable Asian-inspired meals built around a modular menu system of bowls, tacos, banh mi wraps, salads, and Asian noodle soups, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Customers select bases (white rice, brown rice, rice noodles, yakisoba noodles), proteins, vegetables, and sauces, enabling broad personalization within a standardized operational template.

The company monetizes through three primary streams: dine-in and takeout food and beverage sales at restaurant locations; a dedicated catering program offering bento boxes ($13.49 each), buffet bundles ($229.90), and build-your-own bowl/taco bars for corporate and event clients; and a points-based loyalty program (Zao Rewards) delivered through a proprietary mobile app on iOS and Android. Catering is distributed via a dedicated online platform (catering.zaoasiancafe.com, powered by MONKEY Catering Platform) and through the ezCater third-party marketplace. The customer technology stack is built on third-party platforms: BentoBox for the main website and online ordering, Tattle for customer feedback, and reCAPTCHA for form security. There is no evidence of in-house AI/ML capabilities, proprietary technology beyond the mobile app, institutional funding, or parent company ownership.

Name

Zao Asian Cafe

Legal name

Zao Stores, LLC

Website

https://zaoasiancafe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Zao Asian Cafe is a privately held fast-casual restaurant chain operating 25+ locations across Utah, Idaho, and Colorado, serving customizable Asian-inspired bowls, tacos, wraps, salads, and soups to individual consumers and corporate catering clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast-Casual Asian Restaurant

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Caterers (72232)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Asian Fast Casual (Pan-Asian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Korean) (THAFABAE)

Keywords

• Fast casual dining
• Asian cuisine restaurant
• Customizable bowls
• Event catering services
• Restaurant loyalty program

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in and Takeout Sales: Revenue from customers ordering food and beverages at restaurant locations for dine-in or takeout
2. Catering Services: Corporate and event catering with dedicated ordering platform, including bento boxes, buffet bundles, and individual meals for groups
3. Loyalty/Rewards Program: Points-based rewards program where customers earn points on purchases that can be redeemed for free food and beverages

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Zao Asian Cafe operates a fast-casual restaurant chain selling customizable Asian-inspired build-your-own meals (bowls, tacos, banh mi wraps, salads, and soups) for dine-in, takeout, and delivery across Utah, Idaho, and Colorado. The chain additionally offers corporate and event catering (bento boxes, buffet bundles, bowl and taco bars) and supports orders through its website, mobile app, and third-party catering platforms.

Product overview

Zao Asian Cafe is a fast-casual restaurant chain operating locations in Utah, Idaho, and Colorado, offering fresh, modern Asian-inspired dishes through a modular menu system. The core product portfolio centers on customizable build-your-own meals including Bowls, Tacos, Banh Mi Wraps, Salads, and Asian Noodle Soups, each allowing customers to select bases, proteins, sauces, and toppings. The product line extends to Sides (chips and guac, potstickers, rice crispy treats), a Kids Meal, and Catering Services featuring Bento Boxes and Buffet Catering options. A Mobile App and Zao Rewards Program complement the dining experience with mobile ordering and loyalty points redemption. The menu accommodates vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dietary preferences with dedicated options and allergen information.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bowls Customizable rice and noodle bowls with a choice of base (white rice, brown rice, rice noodles, yakisoba noodles), protein (chicken, pork, steak, tofu), wok-seared broccoli, and sauces (teriyaki, green curry, yellow curry), targeted at individual diners and catering customers seeking fresh Asian-inspired meals.
• Tacos Asian-inspired tacos served as 3 flour tortillas with lettuce mix and Korean red sauce, customizable with proteins including chicken, pork, steak, tofu, and Mongolian beef, for individual diners and catering customers.
• Banh Mi Wrap Vietnamese-inspired wrap using a spinach wrap with customizable base, protein, and toppings including LTO, chili lime aioli, hoisin, jalapeños, and lettuce, for individual diners and catering customers.
• Salad Fresh salad with romaine and napa cabbage base, choice of dressing (chili lemongrass, sesame ginger vinaigrette, cucumber, carrot), and garnishes including peanuts and crispy onions, for individual diners and catering customers.
• Asian Noodle Soup Soup featuring house-made pork and chicken broth with rice noodles, customizable with various bases, proteins, and toppings including corn, cilantro, and jalapeño, for individual diners.
• Kid's Meal Kid-friendly meal featuring rice or noodles with protein and wok-seared vegetables in teriyaki sauce, includes a kids beverage, designed for families dining with children.
• Catering Services Corporate and event catering services including buffets, bento boxes, individual meals, and customizable catering menus for office lunches and large events, supported by catering coordinators and online ordering via Zao's catering website and ezCater.
• Zao Mobile App Mobile application available on iOS and Android providing mobile ordering and access to the Zao Rewards loyalty program with exclusive offers for Zao customers.
• Zao Rewards Program Loyalty rewards program allowing customers to earn points on purchases and redeem them for free food, accessible through the Zao mobile app and online ordering account.
• Bento Box Catering Individual bento-style catering boxes with a customizable bowl, salad, banh mi wrap, or tacos paired with a side, targeted at corporate and event catering customers.
• Buffet Catering Buffet-style catering including Big Bowl (feeds 6-8), Bowl Bar, Taco Bar, and buffet bundles with sides, drinks, and desserts, targeted at office lunches and larger events.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sweetgreen: Sweetgreen is a national fast-casual salad/bowl chain with a robust app, loyalty program, and digital-first ordering. While not Asian, its build-your-own customization, tech-enabled retention, and multi-state growth trajectory make it a relevant comparable for Zao's operational model.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill: Chipotle pioneered the build-your-own fast-casual format and scaled regionally before national expansion. Its operational model — modular menu, counter service, app-driven loyalty — is the structural template Zao is replicating within the Asian category.

Regional players

• Salad and Go: Salad and Go is a fast-casual salad/bowl chain expanding in the Western U.S. with a similar focus on fresh, customizable, affordable meals. Its regional growth trajectory in markets adjacent to Zao's footprint makes it a relevant comparable.

Direct peers

• Wow Bao: Wow Bao is a fast-casual Asian chain offering bao, bowls, and dumplings with both brick-and-mortar and digital/kitchen delivery models. Its focus on Asian-inspired bowls and strong catering/loyalty programs make it a strong peer.
• Teriyaki Madness: Teriyaki Madness is a fast-casual Asian bowl chain with similar build-your-own bowls, multi-state franchised footprint, and comparable price points. It is one of Zao's closest direct competitors in the customizable Asian fast-casual category.
• Pei Wei Asian Kitchen: Pei Wei operates fast-casual Asian restaurants offering customizable bowls, salads, and wraps across multiple U.S. states. Its menu architecture and dine-in/takeout/delivery model closely mirror Zao's, making it a direct comparable.
• Waba Grill: Waba Grill is a fast-casual Asian chain specializing in bowls, plates, and salads with strong West Coast presence. Its build-your-own format and health-oriented positioning overlap directly with Zao's offering.
• Pick Up Stix: Pick Up Stix is a fast-casual Asian restaurant chain offering customizable stir-fry bowls, salads, and sides. Its format, pricing tier, and customer use cases (quick lunch, takeout) closely match Zao's positioning.

Emerging players

• CAVA: CAVA is a fast-casual Mediterranean chain using a build-your-own bowl/salad format with strong loyalty/app engagement. While cuisine differs, its customization model, technology stack, and category leadership mirror the playbook Zao is pursuing in the Asian segment.
• MOD Pizza: MOD Pizza is a fast-casual build-your-own concept (pizza) with comparable price points, app-based ordering, and multi-state presence. Its customization and loyalty mechanics offer a benchmark for Zao's technology and customer engagement approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/zaoasiancafe?lang=en
• Facebookfacebook.com/zaoasiancafe
• Instagraminstagram.com/zaoasiancafe
• TikToktiktok.com/@zaoasiancafe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zao Asian Cafe