In 2002, Karen Zhou arrived in the U.S. and began her journey in the restaurant industry. Over the next two decades, she worked in Chinese and Japanese kitchens across 12 states. In Wisconsin, she met her husband—also a restaurant professional—and together they opened their first Chinese-Japanese fusion restaurant in 2014. The concept gained traction quickly.
But three years later, reality hit. Labor shortages, rising costs, and high delivery platform fees made the traditional model harder to sustain. In 2018, they closed the store and made a bold decision: not to quit, but to pivot.
In 2023, Karen and her husband reopened with a new concept—Teriyaki House—a small, focused operation with just four tables, built around premium takeout and limited dine-in. The goal was clear: do more with less, and make every order count.
From the planning stage, Karen chose MenuSifu.
With MenuSifu POS, dine-in, takeout, and phone orders are all managed in one system. The interface is easy to learn, and real-time data highlights best-selling items to support smarter decisions.And with online ordering, customers can order directly from Google Maps and the website, reducing reliance on third-party platforms. MenuSifu also helped Karen with posters and social media posts.
The impact was immediate: A lean team, running smoother with stronger results and total control.
As Karen shared: "When I was opening this store, I heard about MenuSifu and contacted them right away. Now I know I made the right choice. The ordering system saves labor, delivery issues are solved, and the marketing assistant even helps design our promo materials. This is what it means to let professionals handle professional work."
From restarting to rebuilding, Teriyaki House proves that small restaurants can be powerful—when supported by the right technology.
