Panda Express, are they that good?

[Svnla]

I saw the story about Panda Express on tonight's ABC Nightline, link = http://abcnews.go.com/Business/pand...tivational-forums-employees/story?id=13387246

Very impress from a guy that arrived in the US without any English skill or much money. Kinda strange of how they train their employees/managers (dancing, chanting, hugging, etc.).

So those that already ate there, are they that good, foodie speaking? Their revenue was over $1 billion USD last year so a lot of people must eaten there. BTW, they are planning to open some locations........wait...wait for it...China.

 

[Numenorean]

No.

 

[BoberFett]

Very few chains have what you would call "good" food. It's adequate Chinese fast food.

 

[zerocool84]

Very few chains have what you would call "good" food. It's adequate Chinese fast food.

Exactly

Chinese food is one of those things that's it's almost impossible to mess up. Even the worst Chinese food place is still decent.

 

[llee]

IMO, it's the best Chimerican fast food place in America. Comparable to Chipotle. Is chipotle actual Mexican food? Nah, it's been Americanized. Same deal here. Panda Express is clean, tries to look stylish, and doesn't do a half bad job at it.

 

[bfdd]

Very few chains have what you would call "good" food. It's adequate Chinese fast food.

It's hardly even adequate Chinese fast food.

 

[DesiPower]

THEY are GOOD

 

[JMapleton]

They opened 3 locations in my city in the last year and I think it's the best fast food Chinese I've ever had. The quality of the food is top notch for fast food.

Sure, local sit down spots are better, but this is just fast food.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

IMO, it's the best Chimerican fast food place in America. Comparable to Chipotle. Is chipotle actual Mexican food? Nah, it's been Americanized. Same deal here. Panda Express is clean, tries to look stylish, and doesn't do a half bad job at it.

I will take Pick Up Stix over PE any day.

 

[Blitzvogel]

Adequate as someone else put it would be accurate.

 

[Leros]

Panda Express is terrible. I'd rather eat at a $3 Chinese buffet.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Panda Express is terrible. I'd rather eat at a $3 Chinese buffet.

Meow, woof?

 

[TechAZ]

I like it. Sometimes I don't care about "authentic", I care about what tastes good to me. Orange Chicken and Beef and Broccoli is good.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

I haven't been to one in years, don't they weigh the portions?

 

[TheVrolok]

IMO, it's the best Chimerican fast food place in America. Comparable to Chipotle. Is chipotle actual Mexican food? Nah, it's been Americanized. Same deal here. Panda Express is clean, tries to look stylish, and doesn't do a half bad job at it.

This.

 

[OCGuy]

People who say they aren't good are being dense. As long as you know going into it that it isnt real Chinese food, then you will be fine.

Fried chicken = delicious.

 

[BoberFett]

It's hardly even adequate Chinese fast food.

Then start a restaurant that makes a better $5 plate of "Chinese" food that Americans would eat and you should be able to make a billion dollars.

Here in the Minneapolis area we have a place called Leann Chin. It's a little more expensive, but it's much better than Panda Express, and they own this market as far as fast food Chinese goes. The only place you find Panda Express around here is in the food courts at malls.

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

It's OK. I guess. There's enough asian restaurants around, I don't really have a reason to go out of my way to visit Panda Express.

 

[RockinZ28]

Stingy and expensive imo. For $7+ you get 2 tiny entrees + rice/noodles and a soda. Taste-wise it is in the middle. Been to plenty of fast food Chinese places that are worse, and others that are better tasting than Panda.

The common factor in all the other small time chinese places I've been to is that they are about a dollar cheaper for the same selection, but they give you mammoth sized portions that are good for at least 2 meals.

 

[ahenkel]

Its about as good as the chinese from the deli counter at Safeway.

 

[Rumpltzer]

As already said, this is not Chinese food. It's the American interpretation of what Chinese food might be. And it seems that Americans think that Chinese food is sweet and mildly spicey.

That said, I like Panda Express. The places near me always keep the food hot and fresh. The place starts with fresh vegetables. I skip the fried rice and noodles and ask for steamed rice (long or medium grain, not what I eat at home). I think that the two-entree and rice is a lot of food; maybe the places near me are generous.

It's less than $8 with a soda. I'm good with it.

 

[Udgnim]

didn't know Panda Express was 1 billion dollar big

 

[zerocool84]

IMO, it's the best Chimerican fast food place in America. Comparable to Chipotle. Is chipotle actual Mexican food? Nah, it's been Americanized. Same deal here. Panda Express is clean, tries to look stylish, and doesn't do a half bad job at it.

Panda Express is edible, Chipotle is not.

 

[Lifted]

Chinese take out joints serve you your food in 3 minutes, sometimes less. Why would anyone bother with this food. The pictures on the website look horrible, though all Americanized Chinese food looks horrible to me now, but that stuff looks superbad. The name sounds like something you'd see in a mall food court, and the food looks appropriate for such a setting.

I'll pass.

 

[QueBert]

They have DELICIOUS Orange Chicken, I can't comment on anything else there, but that dish is one I'll stand behind. I've had "authentic" Chinese food, meh they can keep it, just give me Orange Chicken from Panda Express.