Pei Wei Asian Diner facts for kids
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Pei Wei Asian Diner, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
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Trade name
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Pei Wei Asian Kitchen |
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Formerly
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Pei Wei Asian Diner (2000–2018) |
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| Industry | Restaurant |
| Genre | Fast Casual |
| Founded | 2000 in Scottsdale, Arizona as Pei Wei Asian Diner |
| Headquarters | Irving, Texas,
United States
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Number of locations
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119 (2021) |
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Area served
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United States |
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Key people
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Lorne Goldberg, CEO |
| Products | American Asian cuisine |
| Owner | PWD Acquisition LLC |
Pei Wei Asian Kitchen is a popular American restaurant chain. It serves delicious Asian-inspired food. You can find Pei Wei in many places across the United States. They have 119 locations as of 2021.
Pei Wei's dishes are made fresh when you order them. They use special cooking methods like wok firing. This means the food is cooked quickly in a very hot pan. You can also customize your meal. They offer options for people who are vegetarian or need gluten-free food.
The restaurant style is called "fast casual." This means you order at a counter, like a fast-food place. But then, your food is brought to your table, like a regular restaurant. Pei Wei also has a special door for people picking up takeout orders.
Contents
Pei Wei's Story: How it Started
Pei Wei Asian Diner was created in 2000. It was started by the company that owns P. F. Chang's China Bistro. The idea was to have a faster, more casual restaurant. P.F. Chang's is a full-service restaurant, but Pei Wei offered quick, made-to-order Asian meals.
The very first Pei Wei opened in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2000. Soon after, more locations opened. The fourth restaurant opened in Dallas, Texas, in 2001. By 2002, the sixth location was open in Irvine, California.
Pei Wei grew quickly. By 2006, they opened their 100th restaurant in Little Rock, Arkansas. By 2010, there were 168 locations. Most of these were in states like California, Texas, Arizona, and Florida.
Modern Changes and New Features
Over the years, Pei Wei added new ways to make dining easier. In 2015, they started a customer loyalty program. This program lets customers earn points when they buy food. These points can then be used to get free food or other rewards.
Pei Wei was also one of the first restaurant chains to accept Apple Pay. This made it easy for customers to pay with their phones. They added this feature to all their locations in 2015.
To make ordering even simpler, Pei Wei launched a mobile app in 2016. You can use the app to find restaurants, look at the menu, order your food, and pay for it. This is great for quick takeout orders.
In 2015, Pei Wei opened its first restaurant on a college campus. This was at Arizona State University. Later that year, they opened their 200th location in Richardson, Texas.
Rebranding and New Name
In 2016, Pei Wei made some changes. They closed a few restaurants in states like Ohio and Louisiana. But they also opened new ones in Florida, Texas, and Arkansas.
Pei Wei also started a big rebranding effort. They wanted to offer healthier food options. They added quinoa to their menu. They also added new salads and smaller meal options. To test new ideas, they opened a special "Test Kitchen" restaurant in Scottsdale. Here, they could try new dishes and get feedback from customers.
At the end of 2017, Pei Wei became a separate company from P.F. Chang's. This led to a small name change. Their main office also moved from Scottsdale to Irving, Texas. In February 2018, the company officially changed its name to Pei Wei Asian Kitchen. They also got a new tiger logo. In 2019, Pei Wei was sold to a new owner, PWD Acquisition LLC.
Pei Wei Around the World
Pei Wei has also opened restaurants in other countries. In 2011, they made a deal to open locations in Mexico. The first one opened in 2012. However, these locations in Mexico City closed by the end of 2014.
In 2012, Pei Wei opened its first restaurant in Kuwait. The next year, in 2013, they opened a location in Dubai, U.A.E. By the end of 2014, there were five international Pei Wei restaurants. These included two in Kuwait and three in the United Arab Emirates.
In 2016, Pei Wei opened its first restaurant in South Korea. This location was in Seoul's Starfield Hanam, which is a very large shopping mall. The company planned to open more locations in South Korea.
See also
- List of Chinese restaurants
- P. F. Chang's
