The Irritable Bao

Asian Cuisine, eCommerce, Restaurant Sites, Rolls

Status:
Online
Client:
PopMenu
Established:
2025
URL:
theirritablebao.com
Location:
AL, USA
Project Scope:
Website Redesign, Accessibility Audit, OLO Integration, Brand Strategy

Project Overview

Scaling a Cult-Favorite with Purpose

Auburn’s "The Irritable Bao" had thrived on word-of-mouth and social media fame, but their digital presence was a bottleneck. Their existing single-page site was cramped, non-responsive, and failed to communicate their dual identity: a destination for rotating "street-eat" menus and a mission-driven organization empowering families locally and abroad. With a second location in Florida on the horizon, they needed a platform that could scale.

The mission was to build a polished, accessible digital home that balanced high-energy branding with serious utility. We needed to transform a clunky user experience into a frictionless engine for online ordering and donations, ensuring that every digital interaction helped diners "eat good & do good."

Challenges & Goals

The Challenges

Accessibility Failures: The previous design failed WCAG color-contrast checks, making the site difficult to navigate and excluding users with visual impairments.

Content Cramping: A one-page layout couldn't support the dynamic nature of daily menu rotations or the depth of their charitable storytelling.

Expansion Ready: The client needed a system that wasn't just for Auburn; it had to be a template ready for cloning for their upcoming Florida concept.

The Goals

Visual Clarity: Replace the clutter with an airy, photo-forward grid using Filson Pro typography and a Light Pink (#fcdbd1) canvas.

Conversion Speed: Implement sticky headers and modular cards to route users instantly to high-value actions like "Order Online," Catering, and VIP sign-ups.

Operational Ease: Template specific CMS blocks that allow the owners to swap daily baos in minutes without requiring developer intervention.

Strategy & Approach

Phase 1: Strategic Benchmarking

We began by auditing rivals featured in Southern Living and benchmarking against leaders like Bao Brewhouse. This discovery phase defined the "must-have" content blocks needed to elevate the brand from a local spot to a regional contender.

Phase 2: Brand-Centric UI Engineering

We developed a custom SCSS utility to inject gradient overlays on hero images. This technical solution guaranteed a 4.5:1 contrast ratio for white headlines, solving the accessibility issues while maintaining the vibrant visual aesthetic. We utilized a Light Pink background with Green/Yellow accents to reflect the brand's energy.

Phase 3: The Integration Ecosystem

We seamlessly embedded Popmenu and Square widgets to handle ordering and gift cards. Beyond commerce, we structured the site to thread the social-impact story through every menu and CTA, converting passive visitors into active supporters of the mission.

Solutions Delivered

Area	Highlight
Visual Design	Created an airy, responsive grid layout with Filson Pro typography and a distinctive #fcdbd1 color palette.
Accessibility	Implemented SCSS gradient overlays to ensure full WCAG compliance and keyboard navigation support.
Commerce Hub	Integrated Square via Popmenu for a unified OLO and Gift Card experience, complete with rich SEO schema for menu items.
Performance	Optimized asset delivery by lazy-loading < 80KB WebP images, achieving a 95+ Lighthouse score.
Scalability	Built reusable CMS templates that are currently being cloned to launch the client's second location in Florida.