Munich Startup: What does Allo do? What problem are you solving?
Cancan Liu: Local restaurants in Germany and Europe are often neglected by existing providers. Ethnic restaurants in particular don’t get the product and service they deserve. That’s exactly why we founded Allo. Allo is the all-in-one platform for local restaurants in Germany.
Our software covers all areas of restaurant operations – from order taking to delivery, from payment processing to kitchen management. We help restaurateurs optimize their operations, keep their teams satisfied, and provide a great guest experience. Our goal: democratize gastronomy – with powerful tools at a fair price.
From study friends to Allo platform with 60 employees
Munich Startup: What’s your founding story?
Cancan Liu: Teodor Rupi and I have been friends for over ten years – since our university days. We share a passion for using technology to solve real problems. In 2020, we saw how much the restaurant industry in Germany was struggling with digitalization. Some restaurants were stuck in the past, others were overwhelmed by too many disconnected tools. We knew: there had to be a better way.
That’s how the idea for Allo came about – with the vision of replacing chaos with a platform that simply works. In 2022, Benedikt joined us, and together we built something truly special. The name “Allo” stands for “all in one” – but with a focus on the one thing: one product, one system, one seamless experience.
Today we’re a team of over 60 people who speak more than 18 languages. This diversity is our strength – and it reflects the multicultural restaurants we support.
Customer proximity and perseverance instead of hype
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Cancan Liu: Especially at the beginning, it was difficult to establish ourselves in Munich. Many Chinese restaurants were already using competitors’ products and didn’t want to switch. Only a few – like Ledu in Munich – believed in us early on.
But we didn’t give up. Instead, we asked questions, listened carefully, and built what the restaurants really needed. Features like cash register systems, scan-to-order payments, integration with delivery platforms, and gift cards came directly from these conversations.
Over time, word got around – and more and more restaurants switched to Allo. This experience taught us how important perseverance is – and customer proximity.
Munich Startup: How is business going? Can you give us some numbers and facts?
Cancan Liu: We’re growing fast. In the last 10 months, we’ve more than quintupled our customer base. Today, over 1,000 restaurants are running on Allo, and our team has grown to over 60 employees. And that’s just the beginning.
Munich Startup: Where do you want to stand in one year, where in five years?
Cancan Liu: In one year, we want to be the leading platform for local, ethnic restaurants in Germany. That’s currently our full focus. In five years, we see great potential internationally. We want to scale Allo globally – and empower restaurant operators worldwide.
Munich as a food and startup location
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Cancan Liu: Munich is a fantastic location for us. The startup scene is strong and characterized by genuine collaboration. From a gastronomic perspective, Munich – and Bavaria as a whole – is among the regions with the highest restaurant density in Europe. That makes the city the ideal starting point for our company.
Munich Startup: Outsource or do it yourself?
Cancan Liu: We firmly believe in developing in-house. That’s the only way we maintain full control over our product, can innovate faster, ensure high quality, and stay close to our customers’ needs.
What really sets us apart: a large part of our team comes directly from the restaurant industry. Many of us have worked in kitchens, run restaurants, or supported service teams. This experience shapes everything we do – from product design to customer support.
We don’t develop in a vacuum – we build tools that we wished we’d had back then. That’s a core principle at Allo – and we’re sticking to it.
