Munich Startup: What does Allo do? What problem does it solve?
Cancan Liu: Local restaurants in Germany and Europe are often neglected by existing providers. Ethnic restaurants in particular do not receive 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 restaurateursto optimize their processes, keep their team happy, and deliver a great guest experience. Our goal: to democratize the restaurant industry – with powerful tools at a fair price.
From a college friend to an Allo platform with 60 employees
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Cancan Liu: Teodor Rupi and I have been friends for over ten years – since our college days. We share a passion for solving real problems with technology. 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. It became clear to us: We could do better.
This is how the idea for Allo was born – with the vision of solving the chaos through a platform to replace something that simply works. Benedikt joined us in 2022, and together we built something truly special. The name "Allo" stands for "all in one" – but with a focus on one thing: one product, one system, one seamless experience.
Today, we are a team of over 60 people speaking more than 18 languages. This diversity is our strength – and reflects the multicultural restaurants we support.
Customer proximity and endurance instead of hype
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Cancan Liu: Especially at the beginning, it was difficult to gain a foothold in Munich. Many Chinese restaurants were already using competing 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 POS, 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 showed us how important perseverance is—and customer focus.
Munich Startup: How are things going? Can you give us some facts and figures?
Cancan Liu: We're growing rapidly. 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 would you like to be 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. This is 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 great location for us. The startup scene is strong and characterized by genuine collaboration. From a gastronomic perspective, Munich—and Bavaria as a whole—has one of the regions with the highest restaurant density in Europe. This makes the city an ideal starting point for our company.
Munich Startup: Outsource or do it yourself?
Cancan Liu: We firmly believe in in-house development. This is the only way we retain full control over our product, can innovate faster, ensure high quality, and stay close to our customers' needs.
What truly sets us apart: A large portion of our team comes directly from the hospitality industry. Many of us have worked in kitchens, managed 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 wish we had back then. This is a core tenet at Allo—and we stick to it.
