TakeMe

About TakeMe

TakeMe Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo-based company specializing in cross-border technology solutions for Japanese merchants, primarily targeting the inbound tourism market. Founded in December 2015 as Japan Foodie by Lu Dong, the company rebranded to TakeMe in January 2020 to reflect its expanded global focus. The firm operates on a mission to break down the barriers of information, currency, and language for both international visitors and local businesses.

The founder's journey is central to the company's vision. Born in China, Lu Dong moved to Japan at age 20, attended Saitama University, and later worked for Goldman Sachs in Japan. After obtaining an MBA from Stanford University and launching two e-commerce ventures in China, he returned to Japan, his second home. This cross-cultural background gave him a distinct perspective on the challenges tourists faced, such as restaurant no-shows and payment incompatibilities, inspiring him to establish a service that connects global travelers with local Japanese dining experiences.

TakeMe's business model is centered on a suite of integrated services. The "TakeMe Inbound" service connects Japanese restaurants with international tourists through partnerships with major Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) like Klook, KKday, and Tripadvisor. It allows travelers to discover and book restaurants, often with pre-payment to mitigate the no-show problem for merchants. The company generates revenue through a success-based commission fee on these bookings. Another core product is "TakeMe Pay," a global multi-payment gateway that consolidates over 100 international payment methods, including WeChat Pay, Alipay, and GrabPay, into a single QR code for merchants. This service, utilized by over 10,000 merchants, simplifies transactions for tourists using their native payment apps. During the pandemic, the company also introduced "TakeMe Order," a SaaS-based order management system for restaurants to handle contactless in-store orders, takeout, and delivery.