# Zao Asian Cafe

> Zao Asian Cafe is a Salt Lake City-based fast-casual restaurant chain serving customizable Asian-inspired bowls, tacos, wraps, salads and soup. It operates across Utah, Idaho and Colorado, with dine-in, takeout, online ordering, rewards and group catering. In August 2026, Savory Fund announced a growth investment alongside a separate Columbia Bank development debt facility.

- **Founded:** 2013
- **Headquarters:** Salt Lake City, United States
- **Founders:** Dave Duffin (Founder)
- **Products:** Customizable bowls, Tacos, banh mi wraps, salads and soup, Catering, Online ordering and rewards app
- **Notable:** Expanded from nine locations reported in May 2018 to 23 reported in August 2026., Reported 18.2% same-store sales growth in the August 2026 investment announcement; comparison period not disclosed., Implemented online ordering in two weeks with PAR and Better My POS in 2019.

## Products & services

- **Customizable bowls** — Rice or noodle bases, proteins, sauces, vegetables and garnishes selected by the guest.
- **Tacos, banh mi wraps, salads and soup** — Asian-inspired meal formats with customizable components; kids meals, drinks and sides round out the menu.
- **Catering** — Rice and noodle bars, big bowls for six to eight, and individual meals for offices and gatherings.
- **Online ordering and rewards app** — Digital meal ordering, loyalty rewards and special offers. Online ordering was implemented with Brink in 2019.

## Achievements

- Expanded from nine locations reported in May 2018 to 23 reported in August 2026.
- Reported 18.2% same-store sales growth in the August 2026 investment announcement; comparison period not disclosed.
- Implemented online ordering in two weeks with PAR and Better My POS in 2019.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — Savory Fund announced a growth investment; Zao also disclosed a $12.5 million Columbia Bank debt facility and plans for more than ten new locations through 2027.
- **2026-10** — The live catering page advertises an October Susan G. Komen donation campaign; exact donation share is unspecified.

## Links

- Website: https://www.zaoasiancafe.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zao-asian-cafe
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/zaoasiancafe
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaoasiancafe
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zaoasiancafe/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zaoasiancafe

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/zao-asian-cafe
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-26