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[Skel1ingt0n]

It's cheap
It has a drive thru
It's bad for you

Yet it gets ignored in all the fast food threads. No doubt, this shit is awful for your health - but if you get it fresh, it's surprisingly competent Chinese for dirt cheap.

Of course, if I lived near a China Town or authentic options, I'd go for that. But at Panda, I can be out the door in 5 minutes with a couple pounds of food for like $8.

And every receipt gives you a 2m survey, and if you fill it out, you get a free extra scoop of meat on your next visit.


On the fast food scale, the price to content to quality ratio feels pretty high.

 

[CarpeDeezNutz]

The only one around me is at the mall and I have a similar place down the street that is bomb as hell. I have had Panda Express and I liked it though.

 

[DrFunk]

Had some last night.

I used to love it, but recently, I feel meh about it.

Broccoli & beef is still god tier, tho

 

[LiK]

Garbage-tier

 

[perfectchaos007]

Quality authentic Chinese food made right here in the US of A

 

[xAngelicNinjax]

Orange Chicken is the GOAT

 

[pretty done]

For a dollar more I can get real fake Chinese food and it's right across the street from Panda. No reason to ever go there, it's pretty nasty.

 

[Peanut Butter]

I don't go there that much anymore, but I always thought it was fine. Some people really hate it tho.

 

[TreIII]

They at least are guaranteed one-two visits per year because of Chinese New Year and that Firecracker Chicken.


Otherwise, I got plenty of other places to get fast and cheap Asian cuisine.

 

[HawksWinStanley]

Doesn't taste great and usually gives me a stomach ache afterwards.

 

[SocksAndShoes]

It's not bad. It's better than any of the chinese-american food places in my area but there isn't a lot of quality competition.

The Shanghai Beef is pretty gnar.

 

[BearPawB]

There are so many better Chinese options I don't understand why anyone would eat it

 

[Rembrandt]

The lack of lo mein confuses me. Last time I was there I tried the firecracker chicken. Not too bad.

 

[zoku88]

The fried rice feels too dry.

I think the problem is that depending on where you live, you can get good Chinese food for pretty cheap. Especially if you eat with friends.

 

[GulAtiCa]

I like it. I always think it's funny picky some people are about food, then again I am overweight. Kinda wish I was picky about food. lol

 

[thekonamicode]

$8 for shit tier Chinese takeout is cheap now?

It's actually not THAT bad tasting, but I can get better tasting takeout much cheaper elsewhere.

 

[RastaMentality]

It's not worth it since you can get way better Chinese American food at takeout places for better prices.

 

[Hindl]

I didn't know it was a drive-thru. I've only ever seen it in airports. It's about what you'd expect from fast food chinese

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

Used to love it, but only eat it if I have to these days.

 

[The Lone Courier]

Its not shabby.

 

[bggrthnjsus]

i was born in china and i fucking love panda express

 

[Sanjuro]

There are so many better Chinese options I don't understand why anyone would eat it

Because you are incorrect. There are plenty of worse Chinese options usually and they are normally less accessible at that time and place.

 

[Ray Wonder]

Never had it, but I think there's a big spot in the market for cheap yummy Chinese food. Maybe in the style of Chipotle, but for chinese food.

Oh wait, is that what this is?

 

[Yaboosh]

Shanghai beef tastes good.

 

[compo]

I worked at a place that was close to one, and had it for lunch a lot. I liked it. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't amazing either.

They have the best fortune cookies, though. They actually have a sweet taste to them, and somewhat resemble the taste of a cookie.

 

[jabuseika]

Bland.

Low tier "Chinese" food.

 

[SeanC]

I don't hate it, but I think you get more bang for your buck at a good, local Chinese restaurant. They give you enough food to last you days and generally better quality, if you know of good ones.

The best thing about Panda Express is consistency (like Starbucks). It's not amazing, but you can bet it's not going to be the worst you've had and probably safe/clean/taste good enough.

I've had bad experiences trying some new Chinese places. Thankfully I know of two really great ones so I just go there now.

 

[MGrant]

Bland, mushy garbage. Literally no reason to go if you live in a coastal city; if you're in the suburbs, I'd still argue against it.

 

[Sanjuro]

i was born in china and i fucking love panda express

Matt Damon?!

 

[mnannola]

Best Chinese I can get through a drive thru in a pinch.

Mediocre tier Chinese at any other time.

 

[PassiveObserver]

It's leaps better than my local steam table place which sadly started to add potato filler to all their dishes.

 

[BearPawB]

Because you are incorrect. There are plenty of worse Chinese options usually and they are normally less accessible at that time and place.

There are probably 30 better take out Chinese places in my shitty part of North Carolina that are all leagues better than panda express.

Less accessible? How much of a rush are you in?

 

[Camwi]

Way too much sauce.

Otherwise it's good enough for me.

 

[johnsmith]

More food and better food for the same price at family owned places. No reason to ever go.

 

[poppedcollar69]

Beef and broccoli at a fast food place is the riskiest move

 

[admiraltaftbar]

I honestly would rather just get subpar Chinese takeout than Panda Express. While there's nothing inherently wrong (I'm not throwing up after it or anything) it's just mall food court level no matter what location you go to so it's always really lukewarm and mushy.

It also doesn't help that pretty much everything is incredibly sweet so it's kind of gross to eat too much of it. For me it just hits that line of it's not good enough for me to enjoy it despite it being cheap but I see why people like it. Also calling it Chinese food is really a stretch, it's Asian fusion take out if anything.

 

[old]

This is another one of those places I keep hearing about but never see. Google maps says the closes one is 25 miles away. I'm not making that trip for fast food.

 

[Sanjuro]

There are probably 30 better take out Chinese places in my shitty part of North Carolina that are all leagues better than panda express.

Less accessible? How much of a rush are you in?

Chinese food can be pretty awful if you are unfamiliar with the place and is regularly a gamble. Panda Express is at least consistent in that area.

I might be in a big rush, or it might be right inside of a market / shopping plaza that is convenient.

 

[Ketch]

I like it as a family fast food place because I can get healthier options (yea I know) then McD's or Dairy Queen. Feel the same way about subway, its ass, but I can just get all vegetables while the kids are still happy.

 

[Reverend Funk]

Orange Chicken is the GOAT

Yup, don't even know what anything else there tastes like, I've never had better orange chicken anywhere else.

 

[skybald]

It was the cheapest food we could find in Atlantic City in Trumps Casino on short notice.

It was awful in every respect. The price wasn't even that enticing.

Never again

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Probably my one of the best food to dollar ratio in fast food. I think with their HUGE large drink it's something like $8.50

 

[Rocketz]

Drive thru chinese when I want cheap food is great.

 

[Omadahl]

Any strip mall Chinese food is better. All I tasted the one time I had Panda Express was salt.

 

[RandomHopeInc]

My body falls apart an hour after eating it. Its good during tho.

 

[Wads]

I've never seen a panda with a drive thru.

 

[Snowybreak]

I'd rather just go to any of the fifty other American-Chinese restaurants in my town.

 

[BarrenMind]

 

[____]

Garbage-tier

This. My mom likes it, but it tastes so bad to me. Yuck.

 

[HvySky]

It's decent. I'm fortunate enough to have a really good local Chinese joint about 5 minutes away from where I live and it's around the same price as Panda, so if I'm going anywhere it's there. If I'm in a bind and have the craving, though, I'll go to Panda no problem.