Panda Express is a fast-food restaurant chain that specializes in Chinese-American cuisine. The chain was founded in 1983 by Andrew Cherng and Peggy Cherng, and has since grown to over 2,000 locations worldwide.
Panda Express is well-known for its wide variety of dishes, including Orange Chicken, Beijing Beef, and Kung Pao Chicken. In this review of Panda Express, I will discuss the history of the chain, the menu offerings, my personal experience eating at Panda Express, as well as the pros and cons of eating there.
History of Panda Express
Panda Express was founded in 1983 by Andrew and Peggy Cherng in Glendale, California. The first location was opened in a shopping mall food court and quickly became popular due to its unique menu of Chinese-American cuisine. Over the years, the chain has expanded to more than 2,000 locations worldwide, with locations in all 50 states in the US as well as Canada and Mexico.
Panda Express Menu Overview
Panda Express offers a wide variety of dishes from classic Chinese-American cuisine such as Orange Chicken and Sweet & Sour Pork to more modern dishes such as Kung Pao Chicken and Beijing Beef.
The menu also includes side dishes such as chow mein noodles and fried rice. In addition to these traditional dishes, Panda Express also offers a selection of vegetarian options such as vegetable spring rolls and veggie chow mein.
Popular Dishes at Panda Express
The most popular dish at Panda Express is undoubtedly their Orange Chicken. This dish is made with crispy battered chicken pieces that are cooked in a sweet orange sauce with bell peppers and onions.
Other popular dishes include Beijing Beef, which is made with crispy beef strips cooked in a savory brown sauce with bell peppers; Kung Pao Chicken which is made with crispy chicken pieces cooked in a spicy chili garlic sauce; and Sweet & Sour Pork which is made with crispy pork pieces cooked in a sweet & sour sauce with bell peppers and onions.
Taste and Texture Evaluation
I recently had the opportunity to try some of the dishes at Panda Express for myself, so I can give an honest opinion on the taste and texture of their food. I found that the Orange Chicken was particularly delicious – it had a nice balance between sweet and savory flavors and the chicken pieces were perfectly crispy on the outside while still being juicy on the inside.
The other dishes I tried were also very flavorful – the Beijing Beef had a great savory flavor with just enough spice; the Kung Pao Chicken had a nice kick from the chili garlic sauce; and the Sweet & Sour Pork had just enough sweetness to balance out the flavor without being too overwhelming. Overall I found all of the dishes at Panda Express to be very enjoyable!
Price Range and Value for Money
The prices at Panda Express are very reasonable – most dishes range from $5-$10 depending on size (small/regular/large). For example, a regular size Orange Chicken costs around $7 while a large size costs around $10.
The portion sizes are also quite generous – even a regular size meal can easily feed two people! Therefore I would say that overall you get good value for your money when eating at Panda Express.
Ambiance and Service Quality
The atmosphere at Panda Express is quite casual – it’s not really suitable for romantic dinners or special occasions but it’s perfect for quick lunches or dinners with friends or family.
The service at Panda Express is typically quite good – they are usually very friendly and accommodating if you have any special requests or dietary restrictions (they also offer vegan/vegetarian options). Overall I have always been satisfied with my experiences eating at Panda Express!
Nutritional Value of Menu Items
Most of the dishes at Panda Express contain high amounts of sodium due to their use of soy sauce or other condiments during cooking – however this can be reduced if you ask for less salt when ordering your meal (they will usually accommodate this request).
Additionally many of their dishes contain high amounts of sugar due to their use of sweet sauces – however this can also be reduced if you ask for less sugar when ordering your meal (they will usually accommodate this request). Therefore while there are some nutritional concerns associated with eating at Panda Express, these can be easily addressed if you make your requests known when ordering your meal!
Pros & Cons of Eating at Panda Express
Pros: Wide variety of menu items; reasonably priced; generous portion sizes; good value for money; friendly staff; vegan/vegetarian options available; special requests can be accommodated; good atmosphere for casual meals with friends or family; tasty food!
Cons: High sodium content due to soy sauce/condiments used during cooking; high sugar content due to sweet sauces used during cooking; not suitable for romantic dinners or special occasions due to casual atmosphere.
Recommendations for Improvement
One recommendation I have for improvement would be to offer more low sodium/low sugar options on their menu – this could help appeal to those who are health conscious or have dietary restrictions/allergies (such as vegans/vegetarians).
Additionally it would be great if they could offer more unique items on their menu such as dim sum or noodle bowls – this could help them stand out from other fast food chains!
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend trying out Panda Express if you’re looking for quick Chinese-American cuisine that won’t break your budget! With its wide variety of tasty dishes, generous portion sizes, reasonable prices, friendly staff, vegan/vegetarian options available, special requests accommodated, good atmosphere for casual meals with friends or family – it’s definitely worth checking out!